Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
3. The failure of Exxon Shipping Company to supervise the
master and provide a rested and suficient crew for the
ship;
4. The failure of the US Coast Guard to provide an effective
vessel trafic system;
5. The lack of effective pilot and escort services.
What actions were taken after the spill to protect shorelines?
Five trials of dispersants (which are like detergents, making
the oil soluble in water) took place between March 25 and
March 28, but by March 29 the regional response team decided
that dispersants were no longer feasible. Federal, state, and
local agencies decided that ish hatcheries and salmon streams
had the highest priority. Containment booms were deployed
as physical barriers to protect these areas; about 100 miles of
boom was deployed. Almost all the types of boom were used
and tested. Due to the extent of the spill it was necessary to
employ inexperienced workers to deploy and tend booms, and
this led to some booms being incorrectly used or handled,
and sometimes damaged. The primary means of open water
oil recovery was with skimmers. In general, most skimmers
became less effective once the oil had spread, emulsiied,
and mixed with debris. Sorbents were used to recover oil in
cases where mechanical means were not feasible. The use
of sorbents was labor intensive and generated large quanti-
ties of solid waste. Sorbent booms were used to collect sheen
between layers of offshore boom, and from the beach during
tidal looding.
How was the spill cleaned up?
It took more than four summers of cleanup efforts before
efforts were ended. At the height of the response, more than
11,000 personnel, 1,400 vessels, and 85 aircraft were involved
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