Information on Oil Spills
Oil spills are some of the most dangerous environmental disasters, but most spilled oil does not come from maritime tankers. In addition, some oil spills are a natural process. The average person can do their part to prevent the vast majority of spilled oil.
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History
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Evidence suggests natural oil spills going back hundreds of years, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). In the 1500s, Portuguese explorer Juan Cabrillo reportedly saw oil seeping out of the ground on the coast of California.
Misconceptions
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As a percentage, a majority of oil spills come from land-based sources such as pipe leaks. However, the most damaging and voluminous spills come from tankers, according to the NOAA.
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Fun Fact
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The Exxon-Valdez spill in 1989 was not the largest spill ever. That belongs to the 1991 Arab Gulf War spill that released 4 million to 6 million gallons into the Arab Gulf, according to State University College at Oneonta, N.Y.
Significance
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Estimates put the total volume of oil spills worldwide at more than 140 million gallons. About 70 percent of all oil spillage results from car engine leaks, moving up to 85 percent in North America, according to NASA.
Prevention/Solution
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About half of all Americans perform their own oil changes and only 33 percent dispose of used motor properly, according to Environmental Protection Agency statistics. Because oil does not breakdown, but merely becomes impure, drivers should recycle motor oil instead of throwing it out.
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References
- Photo Credit Image by Flickr.com, courtesy of Marine Photobank
