Oil Spill Containment and Removal in Arctic Ecosystems

Statistics on 16 arctic and subarctic oil spills, their locations, the amount of oil spilled, combatant schemes used, and causes for the spills were culled from the literature. This information has been used to analyze the effectiveness of available chemical, mechanical, and destructive means of oil recovery or disposal under arctic and subarctic conditions. The choice of the best cleanup procedures to follow in any particular instance is clouded by a number of variables and must be weighed against such considerations as wind, sea, and ice conditions, properties of the oil, and effects of chemicals on marine and wildlife. Access to remote arctic sites may well create a major difficulty. Some recommendations for further research on these problems are also given