2+Cleaning+up+Oil+Spills


 * How do they clean up an oil spill? **

There are many ways to stop the spread of oil in the ocean. Workers can place ‎a boom around the tanker that is spilling oil. Booms collect the oil off the ‎water. A boom maybe place somewhere before an oil spill. They can be placed ‎around an entrance to the ocean, like a stream. They can also be placed around a habitat with many animals living there. These booms will absorb any oil ‎that flows around it.

The workers can also use skimmers. Skimmers are boats that can remove the oil ‎off the water. Sorbents are sponges that can collect the oil. An aeroplane ‎can fly over the water dropping chemicals into the ocean. The chemicals can ‎break down the oil into the ocean.‎

They can also burned freshly spilled oil with fireproof booms to contain the ‎oil. They might decide not to burn the oil because this method can also cause air ‎pollution.‎

These are just a few of the ways to clean the oil off the beaches. Workers can ‎use high or low pressure hoses to spray the oil that is on the beaches. Vacuum ‎trucks maybe driven on the beaches to vacuum up the oil. They can also simply use shovelss or road equipment to collect all the oil off the beaches.‎

The method they use to clean the beaches or oceans depends on many things. ‎They have to look at the weather, the type and amount of oil spilled, whether people ‎live in that area, what types of animals lives in that area, and many more ‎things. In some situations they may not react to spill at all. It may not be helpful ‎or it may just cause even more damage to that habitat.‎

** How do they clean the animals after a spill?‎ **


 * Birds **

There are many ways that animals are cleaned after an oil spill. When birds ‎arrive at the cleaning centre, the oil is flushed from their eyes and the ‎intestines. They will also be examined for broken bones, cuts or any other ‎injuries. Next they will get a stomach-coating medicine to prevent any more oil ‎from entering birds stomachs. Birds will then be warmed and placed in a quiet area.‎

Birds need to eat so they have some nutrition while they are recovering.‎ Some animals might eat off a pan. Others may be forced to eat by a worker before ‎they can feed themselves.‎

When a bird appears to be normal, it is allowed to swim. The bird will then ‎trim and clean its own feathers to bring them back to their normal body ‎structure. This will help the birds swim again. Next, the bird will have to pass ‎a waterproof test. If the bird passes, it will slowly be introduced to the ‎temperatures outside. In the test, the bird must show the ability to float and ‎the ability to keep the water away from its body. Before they let the bird go ‎they must check it to make sure that it's muscular structure is normal and the birds have no disease. Then the birds are released into the ‎wild.‎


 * Sea otters **

When sea otters are taken to a cleaning facility, the heavily oiled otters will ‎be washed first. Workers will wash the otters with warm water to help break down the oil. The warm water also can warm the otters up. ‎The otters also will get medical treatment while they are being cleaned. The otters ‎will then have to wait so they can dry. After the fur is dry, they have to stay a ‎few more days so the workers can check for no diseases or broken bones.‎

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