Would you put soap in a fish tank?

It is five years since the BP Oil Spill clean up and the evidence is mounting that wildlife in the gulf is struggling to rebound.

The product BP used during the oil spill was Corexit.  It contained a secret recipe of six chemicals.  The manufacturer, EPA and Coast Guard insisted it was environmentally friendly.

Little is known about this product but what is known is that it contains a surfactant and a solvent.

A surfactant acts like a detergent and emulsifier, very similar to dish soap.  And a solvent is a chemical used to dissolve other substances.

We are advised not to use detergent or soap in our fish tank because it interferes with the fish’s gills and their ability to pull oxygen out of the water.  Even the tiniest amount of soap can be deadly.  And solvents are chemicals used to dissolve other substances. Obviously not a desirable substance for aquatic health.

Now that we know that, would you use either dish soap or a solvent to clean a fish tank?

So why did BP use the dispersant Corexit during the oil spill?

Since oil occurs naturally and is formed from the organic remains of organisms which become entrained within sea-floor sediments, was there a more non-toxic solution?  Naturally occurring bacteria and other underwater microorganisms would probably have broken down the oil in a more efficient manner, given the proper amount of time.
What would have happened if they let nature take its course?  Would we have the same slow rebound problems we have today?

What would have happened if they had stuck to the tried and true procedures to contain, collect and skim, using a non-toxic solidifier while the oil was still on the surface?

What would have happened if they used Kevin Costner’s Ocean Therapy Solutions?

Those of us in the oil spill industry know the clean up and remediation of an oil spill is a difficult task.  No two oil spills are alike. Variables such as the type of oil, location of the spill, amount of oil spilled, weather conditions, and proximity to delicate areas can make the task difficult.

No single solution would have been perfect.  But why introduce a foreign potentially toxic chemical, essentially soap and solvents, into nature’s fish tank? Was the decision made to make it appear as though the problem has disappeared for the purpose of public relations?

Do you think lessons have been learned from the BP Oil Spill?  If another large oil spill were to happen today, what do you think should be done?

#biodegradable  #fossilfuel   #BPoilspill  #dispersants  #whatwouldhavehappened

If you are looking for efficient and cost effective spill control and bulk solidifying products, get in touch with Guardian Environmental today.  Since 1992 we have helped our customers enhance their overall safety and productivity by providing practical and time-saving spill response and bulk solidification products. Call us today at (860) 350-2200. Let our innovative solutions keep you safer and save you money.

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Sources:

http://krilloil.com/research/oil-not-exactly-dead-dinosaurs/

http://www.discoveringfossils.co.uk/fossilfuels.htm

http://chemistry.about.com/b/2014/05/07/oil-comes-from-dinosaurs-fact-or-fiction.htm

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/07/130705212219.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corexit

http://www.nature.com/news/researchers-debate-oil-spill-remedy-1.12267

Oil Spill Cleanup Methods: How Do You Clean Up An Oil Spill?

http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2015/mar/31/bp-pr-effort-gulf-coast-deepwater

http://www.popsci.com/science/article/2010-05/how-do-oil-dispersants-work