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Oil spills are one of the most easily identifiable forms of pollution in the aquatic environment. Odour and iridescence (rainbow effect) are reliable clues for a spill. Small amounts of oil can contaminate large areas of water whilst larger spills on land can cause tonnes of contaminated soil. The containment of spilt oil can prevent financial, legislative and environmental implications.
Sites and watercraft with oil or fuel containment should be equipped with spill kits in the event of an incident. Spill kits should contain at minimum, oil absorbent material, booms, stakes, pads and putty.
Under no circumstances should detergents be used to remove oil from the water. Evidence of such practices may result in additional financial, environmental and legislative repercussions.
After initial identification and basic remediation of the spill, the Environment Agency should be contacted for further assistance on 0800 80 70 60.
In England, oil storage containers brought into use since 1 March 2002 and those in locations at significant risk must comply with the Oil Storage Regulations. In general an oil store will be considered to be at 'significant risk' if it located within 10 metres of controlled water or within 50 metres of a well or borehole. All other existing installations must comply by 1 September 2005.
The Environment Agency is responsible for enforcing the regulations throughout England and may serve notice requiring inadequate facilities to be brought up to standard. Failure to comply with a notice is a criminal offence and may result in prosecution. Although these regulations only apply in England, at the time of publication similar measures are being consulted on in Scotland and are planned in Wales and Northern Ireland. Fuel storage below ground is primarily covered by the Groundwater Regulations 1998. In cases where the control of Pollution (Oil Storage) Regulations 2001 do not apply (e.g. on farms and for waste oil) following the guidelines below will minimise the risk of your site causing pollution.
In summary, the Regulations state that:
It is important to note that in the case of flammable liquids, such as petrol, additional health and safety requirements may also apply.
The Environment Agency has produced a Pollution Prevention Guidance note for oil storage (PPG2), demonstrating how to minimise the risks associated with storing oil above ground.
The majority of oil pollution in our rivers and oceans comes from every day sources like refuelling, engine emissions and oil leaks. You can help by taking a one simple step:
"The best way to clean oily bilge water is to use an oil absorbent sock."
Fuel absorbents are a great way to clean up oil and fuel spills. They don't absorb water, and most both with the hydrocarbon, locking it in to prevent further drips or stains.
Absorbent 'doughnuts' can be used when fuelling up, both on the fuel pontoon and particularly when using a jerry can. They stop all the drips running down onto your deck as well as into the water!
Check whether your bilge water is clean before you pump out. If it has an oily film on it, take steps to clean it up, or use a pump-out station.
If you have a persistent problem, get an engineer out to find the source of the leak. Inserting an absorbent pad under your engine can help you locate the general area of the leak.
Leaks are made worse if there is a constant ingress of water into your boat, for instance through a leaky stern gland. This is particularly true if you have an automatic bilge, as you could be constantly discharging low levels of hydro-carbons.
When you fuel up, leave room in the tank for fuel expansion. ‘Topping off’ can cause fuel to run out of the vents. Don’t wait until you see this to check whether your tank is full! Most chandleries sell simple whistles that you can insert in the vent, which will give you an audible warning that the tank is full
