How to Clean Up the Sea After an Oil Spill

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, oil spills are a serious threat to marine ecosystems. The spilled oil is toxic to marine animals who encounter it and also creates a danger of suffocation for freshwater marine animals. The oil also damages the plants in the area, degrading the quality of the habitat long after the oil has been cleaned up. Depending on the spill location, either the Coast Guard or the Environmental Protection Agency will respond to the spill. They may also request assistance from local groups or other government agencies as appropriate. These are the steps typically taken to contain and clean up an oil spill.

Things You'll Need

• Inflatable oil containment boom
• Oil skimmer
• Fertilizer nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus

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Instructions

• 1

  Respond in a ship within 2 hours of the spill and survey the spill area. Choose an oil containment boom appropriate to the situation. Booms can be specialized for open sea, shore containment and sheltered water areas.

• 2

  Drop the boom into the water; one end will remain attached to the main craft. Drag the loose end out, unfolding as you go, from a second personal watercraft. Repeat this for the boom on the other side of the ship. It takes only one person to deploy the boom and a second to drive the smaller boat. The boom will self-inflate after it is deployed. Booms may be deployed from multiple ships to speed up the process.

• 3

  Deploy the oil skimmer from the main craft using an onboard crane. The skimmer is hydraulic powered and has a tube connected to a oil receiving container on the ship. It will float on top of the water and separate the oil from the water.

• 4

  Drive the ship forward into the spill, pulling the booms along. This will funnel oil toward the skimmer at the front of the ship. Continue this process until as much oil has been removed from the water as possible.

• 5

  Spread the fertilizers over areas of the spill that could not be cleaned up with the skimmer. This typically includes shorelines. The fertilizers will encourage the growth of microorganisms that will break down the oil.

• 6

  Retrieve the booms from the water. They will be heavier and this may require more people; fold them as you go. Deflate the booms manually or with an air pump.

• 7

  Clean the booms using gentle detergent or pressure hose once you are back on land. Be careful to collect all runoff from this process to dispose of according to EPA regulations, because the runoff will contain oil from the spill.