Oil is a Hazardous Waste Issue whether deep at sea or nearer to shore-Communication is key
After daze of research, I found out that oil no matter whether it is collected in the shallows of the shoreline from the spill has to be picked up and eliminated in an official hazmat way.
The Governor of Florida's help line was very helpful as was oil re-processors. Volunteers can go to www.volunteersfloridadisaster.org and find out how to help. (Florida info 888-337-3569 for general spill info)
BP can be reached at 866-448-5816 as they are "in charge" of the spill clean up.
Here is what may be the beginning of getting clearer what is involved to use hair mats and hair socks called booms. There are oil based product booms (socks) and magnolia plant booms as well as stocking packed hair booms . (Hanes donated product to make many of these socks.)
Matter of Trust.org in San Francisco has great information on their hair/fur/feather/stocking initiative.
There are the believers and the doubters. Here's some disposal issues:
Companies know they have to safely dispose of the oil soaked oil product booms and they have already budgeted that in. Homeowners who choose to use, build or create hair booms may not or may not have a budget or a relationship to pick them up for disassembly and safe disposal.
Someone not expected a disaster might need support to follow appropriate disposal guidelines. I have not found a clearing house for the consumer or agreement on the "usefulness" of the booms. Maybe BP or some of the hair boom team could clear up the confusion about giving out natural solutions and dealing with the disposal of those booms once they are oil soaked?
There might be an on site nonprofit or an agency who could track booms with barcodes for distribution or pickup. Companies might want to use up existing inventory before using anything else. If any of the hair boom suppliers are paid, or picking up their "gifts" once distributed….or if BP would help….that info was not yet available so I am posting the response of Matter of Trust.
Maybe someone or the EPA has stepped in to solve these distribution/pickup and disposal gaps in the natural boom "problem" already. There is a hope that we can use solutions like matts, booms, mushrooms, enzymes and worms in many. EPA has asked BP to take care with their disbursement chemicals and everyone is waiting to here if the Kill process is working yet.
Due to limited science education and lack of confirmed and reliable resources on this issue, this psa claim to established fact, but just a starting place for discussion amongst knowledgeable citizens, agencies , businesses, nonprofits, and scientists/techies in order that they help out and find an appropriate response as soon as possible.
Enzymes can "eat" oil but they need to be managed by temperature and take time to work.
"Oil Eater" is available for Cathco International which is a soap-like cleaner…they pointed out it is the cleaners' responsibility for the safe disposal of products used in cleaning up the crude. Evergreen Oil had a picture to look at the disposal process. Whether bunker fuel, motor oil, or the booms….there is a "Department of Toxic Substances-type cycle" that must be followed to dispose of the booms even used in shallows and with natural products in order to not create a hazard, dirty air, or further pollute.
Living on a closed system called Earth with limited water resources and the immediate discussion is not who is to blame right now, but what can be done to preserve precious resources. Local news seems to be filled with sound bytes of number of trucks, but a ombudsman type clearinghouse might be more responsive and less frustrating.
EPA has a website for receiving ideas now on tech solutions: www.epa.gov/bpspill/techsolution.html
Take a look at the idea of a loop from Gregory Bateson to disposal processing (above and below).
Map of the spill linked below.
Background research locally and nationally:
http://www.delawareonline.com/article/20100527/BUSINESS/5270360/Effort-to-cap-Gulf-oil-spill-begun http://www.google.com/crisisresponse/oilspill/ http://www.nola.com/news/gulf-oil-spill/index.ssf/2010/05/gulf_of_mexico_oil_spill_anima.html http://www.evergreenoil.com/oil--the-environment/closed-loop.aspx www.matteroftrust.org
www.indigoblue.org
http://www.matteroftrust.org/about_us/pressRLS.html http://www.postcarbon.org/ http://www.energybulletin.net/node/49638 http://www.sfenvironment.org/downloads/library/peakoil_final_report.pdf http://www.gulfoilspilljobs.com/oil-boom-supply http://www.governor.alabama.gov/oilspill/ http://governorpress.alabama.gov/pr/pr-2010-05-21-01-scientist_conservation.asp http://governorpress.alabama.gov/pr/pr-2010-05-13-02-ALCosApprvdSBAAsstce.asp http://www.epa.gov/region9/socal/ http://www.lacsd.org/ http://www.ci.claremont.ca.us/faqs.cfm?task=detail&ID=2359 http://www.lacsd.org/contact/general_information.asp http://www.lacsd.org/contact/general_information.asp http://www.evergreenoil.com/ Thank you to all the volunteers, fishermen, press, photographers,scientists, specialists, employees, agencies, and caring citizens involved.