An oil and chemical spill is one of the most devastating environmental disasters that can happen because it effects people, animals, the land and the coastal waters ways. They can kill wildlife, destroy habitats, and contaminate critical resources in the food chain.
They can also wreak havoc on the economies of coastal communities by forcing the closure of fisheries, driving away tourists, or temporarily shutting down navigation routes. And these environmental and economic damages can linger for decades.
Every year it happens a thousand times around the nation. These spills range from small ship collisions to fuel transfer mishaps to massive events like the recent BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill.
Causes of Spills
Most oil and chemical spill incidents are caused by accidents involving tankers, barges, pipelines, refineries, and storage facilities, usually while these hazards are being transported to us, its users.
Hazardous materials come in the form of explosives, flammable and combustible substances, poisons, and radioactive materials.
These substances are most often released as a result of transportation accidents or because of chemical accidents in manufacturing plants or refineries.
Other causes oil and chemical spill incidents
- people making mistakes or being careless
- equipment breaking down
- natural disasters such as hurricanes
- deliberate acts by terrorists, countries at war, vandals, or illegal dumpers
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