Oil spills can be cleaned up in many different ways. A less effective way is letting it settle and evaporate by itself. With this method, oil can spread and affect wildlife. Another method is using machines. First, they need to contain the oil spill as best as they can to prevent further damage to the environment Using booms, they contain the oil spill. They then use other machines such as skimmers to store the spilled oil. Until it can be disposed of properly, oil spill will be stored in those machines. One last method is used to contain oil spills. Using chemicals, such as dispersing and gelling agents are used to contain oil spills to make sure it cannot reach the shores of beaches and such. However, machines are still needed to store the spilled oil. Biological agents are in research to help the affected areas recover.
We used a variety of methods for our lab. Much like using chemicals to contain the oil spill, we used Dawn Detergent to contain and seperate the oil from water. Then, using the paper towel, much like using natural/synthetic material that professionals use to soak up oil, we used the paper towel to soak up most of the oil. Any left over oil was attempted to be taken out by the spoon or medicine dropper. After the lab was completed, minimal to no oil was left behind.
In 2011, an oil spill happened in Alberta. The pipeline was damaged and spilled approximately 28,000 barrels of oil in a boreal forest in Alberta, by the town of Little Buffalo. Luckily, none was spilled into an body of water. However, children complained of headaches/nausea due to the oil spill. Article
Oil causes many environmental problems. Like in the oil spill in Alberta, children complained of headaches/nausea because of the oil spill. In oceans, it causes fish to die due to chemicals & such inside. Birds swimming can get covered with the oil, which isn't good for their wings as it prevents them to swim/fly properly, leading them to have no protection from predators. Humans swimming can be poisoned by the chemicals inside of the oil.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oil_spill
http://www.epa.gov/oem/content/learning/oiltech.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_Little_Buffalo_oil_spill
http://www.calgaryherald.com/news/Rainbow+pipeline+leak+largest+years/4720888/story.html