Science and Politics - Term Paper Example

?Science and Politics: Oil Spills Introduction There are various issues in society today, which are essentially rooted in science. These issues also inevitably straddle the plains of both science and politics in terms of the stakeholders involved and the scientific concepts underlying these phenomena. One such issue is the issue on oil spills. This issue is very much scientific in the sense that its effects and impact on society and on the environment can be broken down in terms of molecules and scientific processes. The fact that it is also a controversy which is exasperating many leaders in terms of cleanup and implementation of laws is just the tip of this proverbial iceberg. Undeniably, world leaders and industry managers still very much depend on oil for their major industries. In the end, oil is hardly something they can do away with; and the oil companies know this. For which reason, most oil companies and other interest groups contend that government authorities must oversee and must be involved in cleaning up oil spills. They further contend that the government also has a responsibility to the environment to assist in the clean-up and to use its resources in order to speed up these clean-up processes. However, most taxpayers disagree with this argument. They believe that the oil companies alone should bear the cost and responsibility of cleanup and that taxpayer’s money should not be spent in order to clear-out these oil spills. This is an issue which has yet to be resolved. In an attempt to establish some resolution to this issue, this paper shall research materials which support the argument that, the government must oversee and be involved in the cleanup of oil spills. Discussion As soon as oil spills into the ocean, it first spreads on the water’s surface and the speed and the density by which is spreads depends also on the density and composition of the oil spilled (Water Encyclopedia, 2011). The oil spilled may be cohesive or it may break up depending on the movement of the water. Rougher water movements tend to break the oil slick and cause it to cover a larger territory of ocean, including coastal areas, and some marine and terrestrial habitats (Water Encyclopedia, 2011). Oil containing volatile organic compounds partially evaporates and it leaves about 20 % or 40% of the mass denser and more resistant to flow. A small amount of oil dissolves in water and it can then disperse undetected or form a thick mousse with the water (Water Encyclopedia, 2011). A portion of the oil may then sink with particulates and the rest may congeal into sticky tar balls. Eventually, oil waste deteriorates and breaks down through photolysis and biodegradation. Once oil reaches shorelines, it then interacts with the beach sand, rocks, gravel, and vegetation. It causes contamination and erosion of these shorelines and sediments (Water Encyclopedia, 2011). Once the beach sand becomes contaminated, it is then unable to protect and support normal vegetation in the shorelines. Rocks with oil residues can also be toxic to coastal wildlife as it can poison the coastline and organic substrates, thereby interrupting the food chain upon which fishes and coastal creatures depend and upon which their reproduction is based (Water Encyclopedia, 2011). Wildlife and other sea creatures, as well as mammals, reptiles, amphibians, and birds can also be poisoned by oil residues. In fact, the Exxon Valdez oil spill caused the death of an estimated number of 100,000 to 300,000 birds in the area of Prince William Sound Alaska (Piatt, et.al., 1990). Mere ingestion of oil can be poisonous to animals; it can smother these creatures and destroy their thermal insulation (Wells, Butler, and Hughes, 1995). Oil can also damage their reproductive systems and disrupt the pattern of their usual behaviors. In the long-term setting, such damage can cause such species and populations to change or to totally disappear. Even when oil spills have “dissipated” over miles of ocean and coastlines, their impact on the environment often remains. Oil residues settles on the shores and at the bottom of oceans; there they remain and continue to impact on flora and fauna and general ecological balance for many years (Wells, Butler, and Hughes, 1995). Oil spills have also been known to bring forth physical effects on plants by primarily coating the plant foliage and soil surfaces (Pezeshki, et.al., 2000). As oil coats the leaves of plants, temperature stress can occur and thereby blocks the transpiration pathways. Photosynthesis can be compromised because of the minimal entry of carbon dioxide due to blocked stomatal pores. For areas with more oil spilled, more damage to plant foliage can be seen and significant stomatal blockage can cause serious plant mortality (Pezeshki, et.al., 2000). All in all, this impact to vegetation is a serious blow on the general ecological balance of our seas and marine foliage. Oil spills are one of the most difficult issues to resolve. To this date, no effective methods have been effective enough in clearing these spills. Many methods have been proposed by oil companies and even scientists, however, most of these methods are still not completely effective in cleaning up oil spills (Hill, 2010). For the most part, these cleanup methods still leave much to be desired and the impact of oil spills still cannot be avoided despite the implementation of these methods. Nevertheless, clearing efforts have included four main methods. The first method is to leave the oil alone so that it breaks down naturally. If the oil spill would not harm any coastal communities and marine life, then it is often best to leave the oil alone and let it disperse naturally (University of Delaware, 2004). Another method is to contain the spill with the use of booms; then, skimmer equipment can be used to collect the oil from the water surface. Booms can take the form of neoprene tubes or other solid buoyant materials which can rise up the level of seawater for up to one meter. Some of these booms are designed to sit on tidal flats and others can be used in deeper waters (University of Delaware, 2004). Using these booms as a means of containing the spills is however more difficult to implement when the spill areas have high winds or are in high seas. A third method is the use of dispersants. These dispersants can be used to break up the oil and speed up its biodegradation (Peters, Walters, and Moldowan, 2005). Dispersants act by reducing the surface tension which prevents water and oil from mixing. Small water droplets are later formed in order to secure rapid dilution of the oil (University of Delaware, 2004). Droplets also increase the oil’s surface area, thereby increasing the air dispersion of the oil. In effect, “dispersants simply disperse the oil to accelerate the oil and separate it from the water by absorption” (Adebajo, et.al., 2003, p. 2). Dispersants work best when used within the first or second hour of the spill. There are major risks involved in the use of dispersants in cleaning up oil spills. One risk is that dispersing oil can impact on marine organisms like deep-water coals and sea grass; it can also cause oil to be temporarily accumulated by seafood (Peters, Walters, and Moldowan, 2005). This method of dispersing oil spills must therefore be made after considering the weather conditions, the environment involved, and the type of oil spilled (University of Delaware, 2004). A fourth method of cleaning up oil spills is through the introduction of biological agents which can speed up biodegradation (DuTemple, 1999). The elements of oil can be broken down by bacteria into simpler and harmless substances like fatty acids and carbon dioxide. Nitrogen and phosphorus can be added to the oil and these elements can stimulate the growth of bacteria (University of Delaware, 2004). The above methods of clearing oil spills can be costly and can have too many variables controlling effectiveness (Associated Foreign Press, 2010). Throughout the years, hard lessons have been learned – that most of these methods of cleanup are ineffective and that their effects are often seen for many years after the initial oil spills. The size of oil spills has also shown us that the available methods of clearing oil spills are insufficient. In the end, the efforts towards clean-up exerted by the oil companies cannot sufficiently address the oil spill problem. The contribution of the government seems to be a crucial element in the resolution process. Their contribution helps speed up the clean-up process and it also puts pressure on the oil companies in the efficient implementation of these processes (Cohen, 2009). The government must also oversee the cleanup process in order to ensure that the oil companies are complying with essential regulations in relation to environmental protection. Government authorities must also assist in oil spill management because the overall benefit for the people and for the future of humanity would be bigger (Pittman, 2010). In the end, the more people involved in the resolution of oil spills, the faster the clearing process would be and the less likely the oil would spread to larger areas. With more resources at the disposal of the oil cleanup crews, there is a greater possibility for better and more efficient ways of cleaning up oil spills (Kurtz, 2010). Moreover, it would be easier to coordinate services and efforts towards resolving oil spills, to ensure that efforts are not repeated and the expertise of skilled technicians and individuals can be tapped in order to ensure effective cleanup (Lambert, 2010). Many taxpayers and interest groups argue that BP alone should foot the bill for the cleanup; that it should alone be held liable for the oil spill (Pittman, 2010). British Petroleum is a one of the major petrochemical corporations servicing the world’s oil and energy needs. Its main headquarters are in London, UK and through its merger with the Amoco Corporation of the United States in the 1980s, it became the third largest oil company in the world (Britannica Encyclopedia, 2011). Although this company has the monetary capability to fully implement the oil cleanup, not allowing the government to monitor the process can open the way for unsupervised activities by the oil companies. These activities which may, in the end, not be in accordance with the legal requisites for environmental management (Krasner, 2002). One of the main things to cite in this case is the Exxon Valdez oil spill which happened almost 20 years ago. The cleanup was handled by Exxon Valdez; however, the impact of the spill is still felt to this very day. Tar balls are seen every now and then at the coastlines (Krasner, 2002). Coastal communities affected by the oil spill have never recovered from the spill. Many people have lost their livelihoods from the oil spills. The ecological balance for many of these areas was lost. The resolution of the oil spill was not supervised enough. The government has ceased efforts towards calling out Exxon Valdez to ensure that the coastal areas return to their original state before the oil spill (Krasner, 2002). In the wake of the recent Gulf Coast oil spill, President Barack Obama has expressed the fact that BP shall be footing the bill for the cleanup. However, various interest groups have pressured the federal government to assist in the clearing process in order to ensure that the process is done as quickly and as efficiently as possible (Gorman, Mason, and Dugan, 2010). So far, the federal government has depended on BP to support the cost of the cleanup. As a result, these efforts have not been wholly effective. BP has been ineffectively managing the clearing process, and has not been complying with the federal and the legal requisites for the cleanup. It took about three months until the leak was plugged and the oil slick caused by the oil leak has managed to cover a large area (Schwartz, 2010). Different methods for oil cleanup have been implemented in the past months, however, the damage to the coastlines, the environment, and the wildlife has already been done. There is still much work to be done. Regardless of who foots the bill for the cleanup, the time to allocate federal resources is more imperative than ever. Whatever impact the oil spill would have and is already having is not selective on BP’s profit margin alone. Its impact is and will also be on the people in general – the coastal communities and the marine life (Kurtz, 2010). Studies also point out that well-developed contingency plans for the management of oil spills include the delineation of spill sources and possible dispersal patterns; selection of boom, oil recovery and disposal sites; determination of possible oil clearing methods; and a coordinated system of response for oil spillage (Gundlach and Hayes, 1978). These processes cannot be carried out by the oil companies alone; the assistance of essential government agencies is needed in order to ensure the success of these processes. Beyond the cleanup drive involved in oil spills, the recovery process of affected areas is also an important consideration. In order to achieve success, this recovery process needs the extensive assistance of many agencies, from both the government and the private sector. This process includes the stages of initial colonization (migration of microscopic opportunists into the area); recovery (establishment of natural biota and range of diversity to support a diverse habitat); and recovered (establishment of biota within range of diversity for expected habitat) (Sell, et.al., 1995). These processes have yet to be implemented in the Gulf Coast oil spill and before an effective resolution of the issue to be clearly seen, the concerned authorities must coordinate well with each other. BP is not aggressively pursuing the resolution of the oil spill, and in a similar trend with the Exxon Valdez oil spill, with ineffective methods for cleanup and without any government intervention, the impact of the Gulf Coast oil spill will most likely be felt for years to come. Many countries have also offered to assist the US in the clearing process, and the different local governments of Louisiana have also offered to contribute their efforts to the cleanup (Kurtz, 2010). The contribution of these governments and countries must be welcomed because with many hands working on the cleanup, more coastlines and wildlife may successfully be saved. Conclusion The government must assist and supervise oil spill cleanups; these processes are responsibilities, not just of oil companies, but of governments as well. Their contribution in the oil clearing process is an important contribution in order to ensure that the oil company is doing everything it can to clean-up the oil spill and that the corporation is complying with the minimum legal and ethical requirements for environmental protection. Combined with federal resources, clean-ups can also be effectively and quickly carried out. Whatever benefits, which can be gained in the government’s contribution, are ones which can be felt by future generations to come. If the federal government fails in its responsibility, its failure will also impact, not just on the current generation, but on the future generations as well. The lessons from previous oil spills, such as the Exxon Valdez oil spill, have to be learned. In the Exxon Valdez oil spill, the failure of the government to clearly supervise and assist in the oil clearing process resulted in negative environmental effects felt in the Prince William Sound area to this very date – more than 20 years from the initial oil spill. The supervision and assistance of the government in these oil spills help to regulate the activities of oil companies, ensuring that they comply with the legal and environmental requisites for petrochemical processing and management. Works Cited Adebajo, M., Frost, R., Kloprogge, J., & Carmody, O. (2003) Porous Materials for Oil Spill Cleanup: A Review of Synthesis and Absorbing Properties. Journal of Porous Materials, volume 10, number 159, pp. 1-30. BP PLC. (2011). 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(2005) The Biomarker Guide: Biomarkers and isotopes in the environment and human history. New York: Cambridge University Press Piatt, J., Lensink, C., Butler, W., Kendziorek, M., & Nysewander, D., (1990) Immediate Impact of the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill on Marine Birds. The Auk, volume 107, pp. 387-397. Pittman, C. (2010) Should the government take over oil spill cleanup from BP? TampaBay. Retrieved 30 January 2011 from http://www.tampabay.com/news/environment/water/article1097360.ece Sell, D., Conway, L., Clark, T., & Picken, G. (1995) Scientific Criteria to optimize oil spill cleanup. Aberdeen University Research and Industrial Services. Retrieved 30 January 2011 from http://www.iosc.org/papers/01965.pdf Schwartz, A. (2010) Why Is BP Investing in a Bloated, Ineffective Oil Spill PR Coverup? Fastcompany. Retrieved 30 January 2010 from http://www.fastcompany.com/1652275/why-is-bp-investing-in-a-bloated-ineffective-oil-spill-pr-coverup US government sends oil clean-up bill to BP (2010) Associated Foreign Press. Retrieved 30 January 2011 from http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5hO_XsQ2r0lGsEZAQYGSiQs-2jk-w Wells, P., Butler, J., and Hughes, J. (1995) Exxon Valdez oil spill: fate and effects in Alaskan waters. Pennsylvania: American Society for Testing and Materials Read More