Why are oil spills such a problem?
Oil spills frequently kill marine mammals such as whales, dolphins, seals, and sea otters. Oil coats fur of otters and seals, leaving them vulnerable to hypothermia. Even when marine mammals escape the immediate effects, an oil spill can contaminate their food supply.
What does oil spills cause?
Depending on the circumstances, oil spills can be very harmful to marine birds and mammals and also can harm fish and shellfish. You may have seen dramatic pictures of oiled birds and sea otters that have been affected by oil spills.
How often does oil spills happen?
Thousands of oil spills occur in U.S. waters each year, but most are small in size, spilling less than one barrel of oil. Yet since the iconic 1969 oil well blowout in Santa Barbara, California, there have been at least 44 oil spills, each over 10,000 barrels (420,000 gallons), affecting U.S. waters.
How can we reduce oil spills?
Vessel maintenance:
- Tighten bolts on your engine to prevent oil leaks. Bolts can shake loose with engine use.
- Replace cracked or worn hydraulic lines and fittings before they fail.
- Outfit your engine with an oil tray or drip pan.
- Create your own bilge sock out of oil absorbent pads to prevent oily water discharge.
What is the government doing to prevent oil spills?
The Federal Government has the responsibility to respond to oil spills pursuant to the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (Clean Water Act), the Oil Pollution Act, and the National Oil and Hazardous Substances Pollution Contingency Plan (NCP).
What are the causes effect and control of water pollution?
The common causes of water pollution include sewage disposal, chemical release from industries, agricultural runoff, etc. The effects of these causes include aquatic life disturbance, neurological and psychological errors in human beings, loss of flora and fauna, etc.