Environmental Impact of Oil Spill

Although the full impact of a disaster of this magnitude cannot be fully determined for years to come, we have experienced oils spills on our shores before.  We have felt the environmental turmoil of an oil spill.  What does this mean for Louisiana, Alabama, Mississippi and Florida?  There are 2 primary areas that the oil spills will affect. These are the effects on humans and on wildlife and their environments.

Initially when I was writing this article my attention resided with the loss of wildlife and the damage to their natural homes if oil reaches the shore.  What I had not considered were the risks that are now posed to the population in the area.  The threat is great, ranging from headaches to potential cancer.  “Their eyes were burning, they felt nauseated, they were smelling it,” said Alan Levine, secretary of the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals, regarding the effect of the oil on the local populace.  The smell of the oil and the chemicals released from the oil prompted authorities to encourage coastal residents in Alabama, Louisiana and Mississippi to stay inside, turn on air conditioners and avoid exerting themselves outdoors. If people were to experience nausea, headaches or other smell-related ailments they should seek medical aid immediately.  In contrast to these short term affects, Officials are concerned with keeping oil out of the seafood and the public water system, though it is generally considered unlikely that oil will contaminate the water system.  Of more serious concern are the effects of tainted food.

To counter this threat, officials are closely testing food for hydrocarbons, one of the signs of oil contamination.  If any are to be found, the supply of that food will be closed down. Current seafood on the market is considered safe.

Gina Solomon at the University of California-San Francisco medical school and a senior scientist with the Natural Resources Defense Council cautioned that once this immediate threat passes, the risks of this oil spill could still linger. “Exposure to some of the chemicals in oil has been linked to cancer.  Those chemicals can get into sediments in the Gulf, build in the food chain and be a long-term problem in fish and shellfish.”  Bottom line is that the cancer causing agents found in oil, if introduced into the food chain, may take several years to subside.

It stands to reason that if anyone is able to contribute to cleaning this disaster, these ones should take great care of themselves to prevent injury by donning respirator devices, heavy-duty gloves and protective clothing to guard against painful skin rashes.

The next area of damage is environmental.

This type of damage may take years to reveal itself.  As mentioned above, certain creatures can be tainted with oil and may stay polluted for years to come. So how are the wildlife affected?

According to the Oiled Wildlife Care Network, when birds get coated in oil several things happen.  The effectiveness of their feathers diminishes. This makes it harder for such creatures to fly (if at all), stay warm and repel water.  Is there a solution? No.  The birds can no longer hunt as efficiently as before, as they are less agile with diminished flying abilities. Thus the birds have an increased chance of starvation.  The Deepwater Horizon oil spill coincides with the breeding season and this could also mean the loss of a generation of birds that breed in this specific area of the Gulf.  Further amplifying the dilemma is the effect of the oil on their prey. The fish they need to feed on may not breed since the eggs are destroyed by the oil.

One specific fish is the Northern Bluefin Tuna. The Gulf of Mexico is a crucial spawning ground for the Northern Bluefin Tuna.  Since the eggs float and hatch near the surface, the oil spill will directly affect this species.  To top this situation, the Tuna is already on the critically endangered list.  The loss of this fish would not just hurt the local food chain but would impact a major fishing industry that spans the globe.

In addition to the Tuna, other species could be affected such as fin whales, sperm whales and bottlenose dolphins.

To epitomize the seriousness of this event please watch the following video, where a spokesman for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) mentioned he was frightened.

If you wish to be paid for helping clean up the oil spill, or have oil clean up resources, pleaseApply Online.

Source: Associated Press Writer Jason Dearen, Reuters and Fox News.