Oil spill not only has physical, mental and social effects on living beings but also has environmental and economic effects. Human and Ecological Risk Assessment: An International Journal, vol. The BP oil spill began when the Deepwater Horizon rig suffered an explosion on April 20, 2010. “Oil Spills.” National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Of the 126 workers at the site that day, 11 were killed by the blast. People who clean up the spill are more at risk. John Wiley & Sons, Inc.. 2015. The environmental effects of The BP oil spill as measured thus far are already more dynamic than anything ever seen before in US history. The plaintiffs were ultimately awarded $287 million in compensatory damages and $380.6 million in punitive damages. Outright ingestion of oil creates toxins in the system. If appropriate authorities fail to act fast, the economic effects of oil spill may become catastrophic. Once most of the oil slick is broken down, the bacteria move onto other materials containing hydrocarbons. Attempts to remove the oil through preening also causes birds to swallow oil, which causes severe organ damage. The BP oil spill began when the Deepwater Horizon rig suffered an explosion on April 20, 2010. Oil spills also damage nesting grounds, potentially causing serious long-term effects on entire species. The 2010 BP Deepwater Horizon offshore oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, for example, occurred during prime mating and nesting season for many bird and marine species, and long-term environmental consequences of that spill won't be known for years. Oil spills can disrupt migratory patterns by contaminating areas where migrating birds normally stop. Factors such as oil-biodegradation, ocean currents and response measures (dispersants, burning) reduced coastal o … “Plan for Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill Natural Resource Injury Restoration: An Overview.” National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Oil spill can be of two different categories – the land spillage and the aquatic spillage – but they all have a negative impact on both the environment and the society in general. The effects of oil pollution are devastating and well documented. One example of this is with the native Inuit peoples near the Exxon Valdez oil spill in Prince William Sound in Alaska in 1989. Nossiter, A. Much oil spread at 1100-1300m depth, contaminating and affecting deepwater habitats. Oil spill doesn’t affect marine life alone but also humans are threatened when a spill … Oil spills have a number of effects on the environment and economy. These are among the most notable areas of environmental damage caused by spills: Oil spills coat everything they touch and become unwelcome but long-term parts of every ecosystem they enter. When an oil slick from a large spill reaches a beach, oil coats and clings to every rock and grain of sand. If the oil washes into coastal marshes, mangrove forests, or other wetlands, fibrous plants and grasses absorb oil, which can damage plants and make the area unsuitable as wildlife habitat., When oil eventually stops floating on the water's surface and begins to sink into the marine environment, it can have similar damaging effects on fragile underwater ecosystems, killing or contaminating fish and smaller organisms that are essential links in the global food chain.. Oceanic oil spills became a major environmental problem in the 1960s, chiefly as a result of intensified petroleum exploration and production on continental shelves and the use of supertankers capable of transporting more than 500,000 metric tons of oil. 135, 2018, pp. The chemical composition of oil mixes with the water and creates a new substance known as "mousse." Other factors include what kind of exposure and how much exposure there was. "Questions and Answers About the Spill." If the spill is severe it may take the land years to recover, during which time it is toxic to most plants and animals. For example, a seal pup's fur will break down, causing it to experience hypothermia. In addition, algae and sea grass becomes tainted. Human Health. He won the Edward J. Meeman Award for Environmental Reporting. This becomes even more expensive when a location is remote. Because most kinds of oil are less dense than water, most spilled oil floats on the water surface. 216-223., doi:10.1016/j.marpolbul.2018.07.003, King, M. D., et al. One long-term effect on animals is the fact that most birds and reptiles exposed to an oil slick have the side effect of producing thinner egg shells. BACKGROUND. That spill is considered the most infamous oil spill in U.S. history -- although the 2010 BP leak in the Gulf of Mexico proved to be even worse, surpassing Exxon Valdez in scale. This leaves the birds susceptible to hypothermia or overheating. Oil toxicity: Oil consists of many different toxic compounds. Although cetaceans can partially protect themselves from the toxic effects of oil by swimming deeper into the oceans, thousands of whales and dolphins die after each oil spill. Damage to ecosystem: Oil pollution is a major threat to our ecosystem, especially the aquatic ecosystem. Since oil spills can occur anywhere in the ocean or near land, the resources needed to repair the situation in a timely manner are generally not located near the site. There are detrimental long-term effects of an oil spill on humans. Background information for ocean affairs workshop on inputs, fates, and effects of petroleum in the marine environment, May 1973, Airlie, Virginia. 94, 2015, pp. Jason Chavis has been a professional freelance writer since 1998. Through the use of the clean-up methods just mentioned, oil may look like it is gone but in fact it can persist in the environment for decades. The 4 million barrels of crude oil that spilled into the ocean over the ensuing 3 months also carried a significant environmental impact, … Effects on marine life : oil spills have negative impact on the marine animals. When exposed to oil, adult fish may experience reduced growth, enlarged livers, changes in heart and respiration rates, fin erosion, and reproduction impairment. The general ways to clean up an oil spill are varied and cause their own environmental effects. Copyright 2020 Leaf Group Ltd. / Leaf Group Media, All Rights Reserved. Fish may be the most affected in the case of an oil spill. Oil Spills Effect On Wildlife. The Exxon Valdez Oil Spill: How Much Oil Remains? “Effects of Petroleum Exposure on Birds: A Review.” Science of The Total Environment, 2020, doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.142834. Despite massive clean-up efforts following the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill, for example, a study conducted by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) found that 26,000 gallons of oil were still trapped in the sand along the Alaska shoreline. Scientists conducting the study determined that residual oil was declining at less than four percent annually. The general ways to clean oil from the River Valley writer ’ s physical characteristics and its...., the Philippines disturb the Arctic food chain which causes severe organ.. 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