Oil and Fuel
Oil and
fuel can enter the water in a number of ways and a small proportion
of this comes from the recreational boating sector.
The fuel
and oil used by recreational craft is lighter than crude oil and
although these lighter fuels do not have the catastrophic effect of
smothering marine life, they are toxic to fish and many other water
species. Prolonged exposure can affect reproduction, growth and
feeding, even in low concentrations. These toxins can build up in
the food chain and eventually find their way into us.
Trying
to disperse spilt oil by using detergents just exacerbates the
problem. Detergents break down oil into smaller particles,
which are then able to enter the water column and are more readily
available to fish and aquatic life. They can strip the oils from
gills making breathing difficult. What’s more, the phosphates in
detergents can cause algal blooms which in turn lead to a loss of
oxygen and death of aquatic life
As just
one litre of oil can contaminate over one million litres of water,
it is certainly worth finding out what to do in the event of a
spill.
Best Practice Advice
Leaflets & Resources
Green Products
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