HISTORY OF OIL SPILL CLEANUP DEMONSTRATIONS USING WAX BRIEF OVERVIEW OF NELSONS ONGOING EFFORTS

Timeline:

1970’s

June 21st 1974 - Passage Island Oil Spill

o June 28th 1974 –Oil Spill Cleanup A Success

Confirmation Letter from Head of Canadian

Environmental Emergencies Technology Division

Summary Report from the Emergency Response Division of the US EPA via Environment

Canada

March 12th 1974 – Secretary of State for External Affairs Acknowledges Wax Method “Would be of

Great Importance to Humanity”, but explains department has no athority to take action

June 3, 1979 – Campeche Oil Spill (Ixtoc Oil Spill)

o July 1979 - Oil Spill Demonstration performed for US Coast Guard

Confirmation Letter (Campeche Oil Spill Coordinator) in Aransas, Texas on Oct5 1979

1980’s

1984 - Corpus Christie / Nueces Bay - Texas Oil Spill

o Months Later – Successful Demonstration performed in Corpus Christie

March 15th 1987 – Oil Spill Removal Demonstration Perfomed in Honolulu using Hot Wax

June 1988 – Oil Spill Demonstration forformed to Remove Bunker Oil from Water and Gravel for

Ontario Hydro.

Confirmation Letter (Mr B. Sidock Fuel, Ash & Site Supervisor, Lennox T.G.S. Ontario Hydro)

March 24th 1989 - Exxon Oil Spill, Valdex Alaska (Exxon Valdez Oil Spill)

o Late March 1989 – Confirmations Faxed to Exxon on Succussfull Demonstrations & Cleanups

One of the Many Letters Sent Much Later do deal with remaining oil and „damage control‟

o April 17th 1989 – Exxon Replies, “It does not Appear that there will be an immediate need for your

material in our cleanup work and rescue of wildlife in the area”. .

o Summer 1989 – TV Demonstration Performed of small oil spill cleanup for CJOH TV Newsday in

a response to the Exxon Spill Valdez Alaska

September 1989 – Oil Spill Cleanup Demonstration Performed for Ontario Hydro, Perth, Ontario.

Confirmation Letter (J.A. West, Manager, Perth Area, Ontario Hydro)

May 1989 - Oil Spill Cleanup Demonstration performed for the Toronto Star newspaper in Toronto,

Canada. The oil spill is removed using the 'hot wax method' from water and beach sand.

1990’s May 1990 - Demonstration performed for CTV and the Canadian Coast Guard in Toronto Canada to

show the process of an oil spill cleanup using wax. (The spill was a mixture of Gasoline, Fuel Oil and

Diesel the hot wax solidified all the oil and the oil spill was removed and placed into plastic garbage

bags)

April 1994 – Sussecfull Demonstration performed for Ontario Hydro to remove, Residual Oil, Gasoline,

Fuel Oil, Turbine Lube Oil, Mineral oil, and Thermal Oil using Granulated Wax.

Confirmation Letter (Fred N. Berrie, Planning Officer, Lennox GS, Ontario Hydro, Bath,

Ontario)

2000’s

April 20th 2010 – Deepwater Horizon (BP of Oil Disaster)

o June 2010 – Willy Travels to Lousiana to Perform Demonstration on Despersed Oil Samples.

Demonstration Extremly Successful: See The Video (CNN, Fox cancelled appointment to be

present for demo due to Obamas supprise visit to the area)

Other References:

Letters & Confirmations

Newspaper Articles

Online Articles

o Http://Www.Ukrweekly.Com/Old/Archive/1996/169618.Shtml o Perth's Willy Nelson to help with gulf oil cleanup o Nelson returns to Perth after successful wax demonstration o Willy Nelson to help in oil clean-up o BP Oil Spill Cleanup Possible with William Nelson's Wax Method o http://www.runge.net/papers/pc-100520.pdf o Ottawa inventor claims he can soak up Gulf oil

Online Video Demonstrations o Louisiana Demo

o Cjoh Tv Oil Spill Cleanup

o Canada AM, Wax Fax Demo

Web Blog: Waxforpollution.Com

Facebook Group: Wax For Oil Spills

Demonstration Photo’s

Application of Oil

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Spraying on Hot Wax

Removal

Removal Suing Rake

Pealing off Beach Sand

LETTERS &

CONFIRMATIONS

•• E;l.oo'i'Cil((ICI'II C-.aflada·

Erwfcfmemehl Gtl.Ol'lda

River Ro.ad Env' l Te~hnology Centre. Ottawa, CK!tariO

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t:N.•If()('.O'l6i)\~l Prc;l:~!ion · '

Prolooi:.n de 4e<!· .. ir~enl

l~r ; llfl 11 am tle lson P.O. Sox tz t~aber·ly, cit~~ arlo KOH ·280

O~ar ~1r. ~e 1 son .. :

~lA OH3 1elex: 053-3510 Tel,: (613) 998-9.622

' . January '12, 1988

4808-13-1

use of Wax for Spill Countermeasures

This is tQ .~o.ofi rm that Mr. Wlll ian• t~elson used \vax as a countermeasure for sp illed ol'l In Passage· IslaM, British colum~ i a in the early l97Q's . The method was beneficia l In cleaning up the· oil spi ll among t~e crevas.ses an<! rocb of the Island.

An: i f'i t el'il<\ 1 r~por-t was prepared on this c 1 ean~p and Mr . ·ne l sol) has a copy·.

Can d ... a a •

1~,. F. fi n.gas He~d, Chemistry and Physics . Section Environmental Emer.genetes· Technology

Dfvh1on

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•• Erv~·ironm;;rt Erl•.·('(t'l{lcfrGll C;:u-1.~ ;C:it-.a:::t&

f.l f' • . J. E. Ri1 cy Emer·geocy fles.ponse W,i siqn_ (!~115488) U,'S: ~r1vl roinmental p,·ot~ct i~n AgP-~cy '401 }1 Street, S.I:J~ I·Jaslll ng.to_n_. D.C. 204~0,. 0 .~ •. A.

Dea r flr. ~ i rey : . '

111 'let· RO<JI.l E::Yn1 ' 1 ,Techn<) logy Centre Ottawa , .Ontl.'lf' i o. ,. · t l ,, 0 113 role'x : Q53-3510

Tot . : (6U)" 99\l-9622

June I, 1987

480g· IO

Thfs \<Jfl l ~rer'ie. ~s tf~suffiir>j).ry reiHlrt of t.e'sts on t 'ne, use ·Of "'"'" fol oil s·p.u \.s •. :rhr ee tes.-ts· ; .:er e CoOducted pnor to 1974. ~ r~-.~o );,•ere l,,lbor.atory tr-t al s on the use of the llrl).d~•ct t~t protrict · san<1 ff-Qin oH pe~etratJon~ The thi'rd "as a· f •j ll sta 1« ·~est · d~ri ng t he Pass'~9e l~l<in(l ~n spi \ 1 tn Urtt ish , ,Co \tJmbt.a. Ou.ri ng t tufse- tes-ts '~CJ~ waS Sj.wayed on :be<ICh{1-$ ~nd oi 1 put on~ The ~Viax pre,/.f:mt~d ptineti'atton ~nd atdad• m11riu~l reCo·{ery bf iti9 oil as. i t wuuhl <nat ·Or ro11 :u.p ;,:,1 th tht> wax. ' · ·

A Sn\a1 1 repGrt ~IdS p·r epared on Che · Pas~age lsl,:~nd ot.l sp·it\, but due to a: siiut't fe tO our fHe ~ystcm, ·~u \ d be. dH:f·i c,ult to retri e.v.e. at . t,he. fuilln~nt .

1 _pros:urne thcat our pa.th.s · wi 1' Ggai ~ cr~osS i'll t~l)e f•tt.tJ.r~ - p~rh~.f) S.< at the nt.tl(t NAS meP.ti ng. Greet t rigs ul"it i-1 t tlfin 1

( , ' d''i•l Xl'.na a

Yours truly 1

11.F . fi nyas. " . lit) ad\, Gn~~li s:t,rY. & ~h:.· ~:;i cs .. !>et.:'t i 01'1 [nVi f'o rimen·t·a i ~mc rge·nc·i es

rechno 1 O!JY \)'i" •Ji :; l CO

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JJe'at' 1•1;r . lleckerm~.n,

Or.tawa; ontario· KlA. 0~}2

.Ha.rch 12 , l-974

On ·behllAt' of the Sec3:etary of State for Exterll,al Affairs, tl'le Honourab],e l<litchell Sharp., ;I: ,.isl) to thp.nk you :!'or y<>iJl· l~t-tc:r ·ot February conc~rnirll,'; the ~/e.gogen G:ooup• s work on a new

.'l'~t!io<:.l ot' . c J,eapine up on spi,lls. i\ 100 perc¢nt ·ef.fectiv<J · mea.ns of. c:!,eal)ing' , up oil npilla would, indeed, be "of &r.ea:t :I.Jliport&I)P0· ·~o humanity.

U'n:Cor·tunately, th" J)ep!:'rtmel-lt of . -Extern(U Ai?fairR has no o,u·thori ty i;o 'fund nor .e?;pertise to evaluate apP.lied sci~ntifi¢ rese$,rch, r .b~"!l · al'ranged, tl)e:ret'o~.. to haye copies pf y9ur :!;!otter ,pa'ss~d to &nvironment C,a.hMa an,tl,

• the. NiniRtl'Y of Transport in order 'i;l>·'l.t your "·c.il'~opoxide 'Method" arid request :f.Qr.~!.f·:lnancia:J. asst91!1._ance· .can be given appropriate ekp.,rt. . co'' "ide>o::a.tiGn; Y01~ $h01.ild;, th'e:refore, be hearing fur.th91' .f'~o:i .... those depa.rtm.ents in· (:Jue course ..

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(~abOgen Group (J/o Al an. 'Eeclun.,na'n

General DeJ ·' ory• ·Rohe.r :ts l~k, :a;c.

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: ct-1 ?4 ·~ J8 : ::-2 I ~ICHIGQ'~

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S Qctobe•· 1979

This lflt~r servts to vorlfy th<t Hr. Al e• FJ61!ER and J.lr. 1/llli~ HELSON of Finders Group International demonstNt•d the ir oil sp1 i l cl•on-up process "flot Wax Hctho<l" this dot•. ~o the U. S. Coas t G•~arcl in Port Aransas, Texos.

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Xelephone(613)267-2723

EXXON VAJ,OEZ Porchas i ng Co-ordinator Hous t on, Texas Pax #707-745-·1514

ONIVERSIIL WI\XRS 9 l. OJ.uounond SL.W.

Perth, Ont . K7R · 2K6

Facsimile(6l3)267-7935

July 26,1989

RP. :St.abili:dng o f Oil Spil ls with wax

Artention: Kay Pa~ks

we wi ll stabilze any oil left <bn rock crevices, on beaches, and cliffs af ter Sept. !, 1989 . This will ensure

t hat any remaining oil will have no effect <m birds or marine

l ife, once the oil has chan9ed to a solid. Please ackno.,;ledge receipt of this facsinile and

a r epl y t o above statement would be app r ·eciated .

Y0~rs Truly,

q) ' '<{~~-----Will iam E. Nelson

E)f{ON SHIPPING COMPANY POST OFFICE OOX. IS l~ • •«>uSI'OII, Tt.I<.AS 772~ 1· 1$12 'fl<XSUII' llCVSiCW

Apr i l 17, 19~9

llr. 1-ll l l lam E. Nelson ~~a:<09en fnterna t tonal Lal:)oratories P. o. Sox 22 Haber ly, Ontar io CANADA KOH 280

Dear Mr . lie 1 sen:

Thank. you fot your offEH' of your .. hot wax me thod" f or shore: l l ne oi 1 claanup ~hi ch we have revie~~d for poss ible use ln our ongoi ng operat ions in Prince fil 11 lam Sound .

It does not appear that there wi ll be an immediate ne~d fot your materi a l i n our c leanup wor k and r escue o f •t~l l dli fe 1 n the area .

We have retained a complete copy of your of fering ln Houston with our Valdez Purchas ing Coordi nation Group for future reference and poss ible use. Any fur thor corresponder,c~ you may ..,.\ sh to have on thI s sh.ou 1 d bt addre ssed to:

t.xxon va 1 ae_.c: Pu 1 (has i ng Co¢r-d i n<~. t \on P. o. Box ~552 . Houston . TX 77210-~552

;!!ll.,~~ y yours . . -:- i./ ":. /.

0 ./~ Richard F. Sl lloway

RFS:cbm tl~ 7 ....

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l:enroK G.S .. Bnx l{>:'JO. ~~n-~. 0!"!1.$iio KGH 10~

' {G13) 352·3G25

t\PJil 15, 1994

Mx. Wmiam N'ets~n Uni\'ersal WaxeS R.R. #7 ·rerm, (:>nrario 1(7!1 3C9

Dear M.r, Nelspn,

This leu:tr is 10 ~lunmru:ize yoor IK..1)·vi;ic.s at f:..cnnox ~nd to recommend your services to. pot!:ntJal clle'nts 'in pursuit of an unflagging ei;fo(r ro .solve en.yir<)J)mcntat 'm:obl~.n,l.s.

Activiti.cs;

• Demonstrate<! resiillial Oil spil.l {Jean up· u.sing .hPi \\•ax.,ao~ gradullled 1.9 a superior· gtanulated wai in $-lub~t((J!Cn~ \•h>its '0 l.eUJ)OX.,

· • oemonsl(ated· oil stabiiil::Jtion using gr~nolated \\'ait on· g:\soHn!t;, Jl2 'fuel oif, t;urbilte-h~be oil, nlineral oiJ and thetmal oil, provin.g tlle :succ.ess M tJ)e new pr(>iluct.

• Ex}>efimented usiO:g wa~ t<J MC:i(>$uiaw: flyash. This d\ISt ~lipp.ressiou (:).pe-rimem dcmon:str-atett-~ceJlen.t qualities an.d a coSt et'fecri\.:e ijtethod foi oontrolli:lg:, fugiaive dust Oil Cl)al 'al\d Oyash st()rftge l)i!e..;..

Cor.g~:~t,.ttl~ku~s On· your j;wit.·dion tO· C!ler;;.ob'yJ, all ttl~ be;sr .Q( Juck! I :ock fC:,t'~·a:td lo·ll¢arh:.,g from yoU on )·our tetunt. ·

Sincerely.

Pred N. Berrie l, l:twling Offioor Lennox GS Ontatio HydrQ

Doc: :5647/busin~s

99 Of.ummond Stroot WHt. Perth, OntariO K7H 3E7

SEPTEMBER 2~1 1989.

UNIVERSAL WAXES 91 DRU~"OND STREOT W. PERil< . ONiTARIO, k7U JE7.

ATT£NT10NI : MR . WtLLlE NELSON

DEAR MR. NELSON,

I WANTED TO PASS ALONG OUR THANkS FOR YOUR RECENT DEMONSTRATION TO SOLID I FY OIL IN VARIOUS MED.IUII S USI NG WAX.

THE CONCEPT YOU PROPOSE HOLDS n LOT OF PRO"ISE AND THE RESULTS YOU WERE ADLE TO DE"ONSTRATE WERE J "PRESSJVE . THE ClEAN- UP OF Oll. SPILLG IS ALWAYS A CONCERN AND ANY NEW DEVELOPfltNTS HIAT Will AID OUR EfFOR TS ARE WELCO"E. ADDIT !ONS TO OUR ARSENAL.

WE ENCOURAGE YOU TO CONT ! >UE YOUR RESEARCH AND DEVE LOPHENT !N TH!S DI RECliON. AND LOOK FORWARD TOI THE ADVAI.JCEHENT OF YOUR 11ETHODS. !N TilE IIEANTIIIE IF WE CAN nSSISt I N ANY WAY PLEASE D!lW I HESrTATE TO CONTACT US .

!IIANKS AGAIN.

YOURS "lRULY,

J .A. WEST MNAOER PERTH AREA.

C. C. B. CDLUNS .

T- (813) 267·3380

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L011nox T.G.S. Box 1000. B<:~tll, 0\la•io K01'"11GO

Hr. William Nel son Bcx 22 Ma.herly Ont. KOl! 2BO

Oi 1 Snill Stabiliz.ation Test

Dear H~. Nelson:

'l'hil nk you for the demonstration of your oi l spill $"tDbili~ati on method.

Your process of apply i ng hot · .. :ax to bunker oil on water a nd o n gravel, seemed to be quite effective in sol i difying the spi l l s into a nanageable semi 7 solid.

currcnt:·.y J Lennox 'l'GS i s investigating several al ternoti ve methods ot c l eaning oil spi l ls, but our · o~phasis i s on prevent~ on.

Should we encounter a spill one day , where ·we feel your method would be most effect i v;e, we won't hes i t ate to call on your servi ces.

A9ain, on behalf of Lennox TGS thanK you for your t i me and e fcort; it was a pleasure meeti ng you.

n C' '0. \..:::X.vvv"'\ :::::i tQ ~~)C. ~lr. B. Sldock Fuel, Ash & Sit e Super-~isor Lennox TGS

BL! l g

docillg-028

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NEWSPAPER

ARTICLES

;-···-·························· ·.Willy···The Wax···Man~s mission: To melt away world's oil spills By Jack Miller Star science editor

Willy The Wax Man Nelson may be the unsung hero of environmcn· Ill lists the world over.

But so far no one in authority seems very excited about his ncr muss, no· fuss way to clean up oil spills, from land or water.

The method soundl'd so simple it seemed there just had to be a catch - some reason this man could have kept preaching his idea for al· most20 years and gotten nowhere.

So The Star said, "Show us," and he did.

It worked.

Special report For our test, he buill two model

beaches and l wo model lagoons in simply assembled wooden frames about 3 metres (10 feet) long by a metre (3.25 feet) wide.

Next, he poured black oil a II across their sand and water sur­races and let it settle into a U1ick cover. Then he poured molten wax - heated to just over 175 C (350 F) - on top of that.

Within 15 minutes the wax cool· ed, soaking up the-oil like a blotter, congealing into a smooth black

coating on the sand and water. Xcl· son lifted and slid parts or these covers away, revealing mostly clear water or clean sand beneath them.

Exactl'y as he had predicted. "Wax comes from crude oil," he

said. "And the two will rejoin, if tl:)e conditions are right."

Moreover, he said, this amalgam can be processed to separate the oil and wax, so both can be used again.

"I've been working \\'ilh wax since I was 12 years okl,'' said Ncl· son. who admits to being "around P lease see HlSipag

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T HE WAX mAD OF PERTH During the Jreadful cold snap of January '94, I was in

Ottawa Valley area doing three stories. O n the first day I did a sto;y on General Store Publishing House in the

of Bums town near Renfrew. This is the publishing

that produced the book you're holding in your hands.

the second day, I went to the Word Farm, forty-five east of Ottawa. The husband and wife team of

Grignon and Morley Seaver 11ad left the nation's

with their children to start a business in the country.

doing the story and having lunch with Gisele and

I headed west on Highway 417 for Ottawa. I was

time to listen to one of my favorite CBC Radio programs,

. Vicki .:;abereau's guest was a man named Willy

not th..: singer, but the wax man &om Perth,

I scratched down a few points in my trusty

noteFad as I drove. Willy told Vicki that he'd invited by the Ukrainian government to see if he could

stop the leak of radiation at the nucle::tr ret~ctor at

the time I heard Willy until the date I'd set up to

him at his 1ab in Perth, he travelled to Russia twice.

self-taught wax technician and environmentalist is

that paraffin wax can stop radiation k:<:~ks in the

s~rcoph.1gus that contains the stricke~ reactor.

showed me J letter from the, Russian a~thorities him back. rhe olflcials told him that he was the first

to come to them \vith something useful. "My wax

solve four of the main problems,'' said Willy. "It will

airborne c'ust and solidifY dust inside the sarcopha-

The wax wi!l prevent water from leaking into the

!.tX>l~hagus walls, then down into the basement. It could

to prevent further rusting of the steel structure and

within the sarcophagus. And I've invented a mem­

that could he used for reclaiming polluted land. It

would cost about sixteen cents an inch, but it would enable

the people to grow food again." For an experiment on his second visit, Willy laid a IS x 30 foot membrane down in

back of a Chernobyl home, covered the membrane in

pollution-free topsoil and· planted with seeds. When he

returns for a third visit, he'll be able to assess the mem­

brane's effectiveness.

At twelve, Willy was making candles of wax and by the

late fifties he'd found that wax could be used to reduce air

pollution from automobiles and chimney stacks. The sci­

entific world doesn't always take him seriously, as he has

no formal training, although there are scientists who think he doesn't get the recognition he deserves. When the

American oil tanker Exxon Valdez ran aground off AJaska in 'd " th ks "Th' 1989, he offered his services. Exxon sat , no an . ts

sort of negative response upsets the wax man from Perth.

In his lab, Willy demonstrated on camera for me eX3:ctly

how his wax process works. He kP.ows that his system

would have been useful in the Exxon Valdez crisis and that it

would have cost a fraction of what they spent. He also

strongly belie·1es that most of the wildlife could have been

spared.

For the pas~ fifteen years, IGI International Waxes of

Toronto has provided Willy with wax at no charge because

they believe in him. He's had absolutely no fi:1ancial sup­

port &om the Canadian government. School classes fre­

quently stop by to see Willy as he demonstrates the

importance of wax. His long-term goal is to build an

institute of w:lx technology, "a school for the betterment

of mankind," he calls it. Willy's not looking for praise or

recognition; he gives all the credit to wax, which has been

around for millions of years.

Answer within · month on ~hot wax' :method Inventor returns from Texas oi I spi II By RALPH WILLSEY Staff writer

PERTH - Maberly inventor Willie Nelson hopes to learn some time within the next month if his hot wax method will be put to use on oil-fouled beaches along the Gulf of Mexico.

Nelson returned last week from Corpus Christi, Tex .• where he and his partner, Alex Fisher, a Toronto promotor, showed U.S. officials Nelson's method for cleaning up spilled oil.

Nelson says hot wax sprayed over oil combines with it. As the wax begins to solidify, it is rolled up and the oil comes with it. The mixture can then be reheated and used to pick up more oil until it becomes sat1Jiated. Then it is all refin~ and the WaJC can be used again.

Fisher, in a telephone interview from Toronto yesterday, said he and Nelson succeede'd in getting the U.S. Coast Guard's oil clean-up co-ordinator to see a demonstrat ion. He has authority to use any method he chooses almost at once, Fisher said. Other routes involve "red tape" and a decision can be slow in coming.

Fisher said he thinks no time wiU be wasted in selecting a clean-up method. Slicks of oil 50 miles by 150 are floating in the Gulf and could be brought ashore over a wide area when gulf currents change as winter approaches.

He said oil could reach beaches in northern Florida.

Oil has been gushing from the well under the sea all swruner.

WILLIE NELSON

According to Nelson. the "bell" that was built to cap the well won't work because oil will escape from beneath it before it can be pumped oUL

Canadian investors are interested in Nelson's idea. according to Fisher, and he is attempting to form a compa ny consist ing of Nelson, the investors, himself and a designer of all-terrain vehicles.

The firm would set itself up as oil spill specialists.

06 ·Saturday. Jonuary 7.3, 1993 rt iE l OHONT() STAf!

~THE ENVIRONMENT-----------------------

Oil-spill bosses bypass Willy again For 20 fmstmting years big oil ltas bm sltcd off Canadian s claims his wax techni<JIICS ca n easily clean lip clots of cmdc

Oy J~c;k Miller SP&CI/1~ 10 111F. STAR

Willy Nelson •Its by t he phone 01 his h ome In rerth. Onl.. bul nobody !rom big oU or big go"ernment caJis.

Some 90 million lltres of light crude oiJ clot Lhe shore nround t he wre<:l<ed I8Jtker llr~er In the Shetland Js:bndt off the nonh tip of Scollnnd. And t he F..$toni&n t;mker Klhnu wof>. bles on the rocks In the Gulf of Fin-

~ lnnd. lh rt31tn lng t Q brea k \II) oHd .... dump a miJiion more.

.. • And once " '-"'"· n<Wo<.ly h~o; C"'lled ill .. '\ \ 'ill)' th~ \V1ut Mnn," lh~ o COte:ll

• Cant\dl81n who hu spenl 20 yc.us claiming he Co"n cteon up the mess !1010 oil ~pills with his wax ' ech­nique~.

Nelson lmpr tssc:s t'llmost every· bed)' who bOthers 10 W3tCh hiS ~em• onstra tions 1'hM includes engineers from Ontario JlycJro nnd Canada l·t ort gogo And f-toush'lg Corp. (CM ~lCj, which hovo helped him with his t t$eat('h. Su he tJoes h:we som~ boo.sttu with IJir.·leav.ue ere· denllals. !Jut lhc real mo)Qrs io the fit!~ - th"" oil comp:'!f'Ht:s. lanker 0¥~11~ts. htSurtnct fir ln.~. 11nd ~O\'em· mtnU - Kl\'f! him 5)01ile bnashoHs at

. btsl. ' T el like to p.et ov ... r I t) Scotl~n(l."

Nelson <;n}'~ whrfull\>• fn lht w:.kc. ot I he O:mtr di&1$1('r . " I'd like to see tJ1e .situl'.l ion. sec wh;lt I could do. I

• .should be able to heiJ?: wicl 1 the rocks o n lh~ C:O:l"l t I( the 0 11 i'On' t too def'p into the beache!l, I sho\lld be rtUh:~ to help lheft , 100."

NclsQn y o;("<: w:.x to ~op \IJ) oil like .-, b1<Jtttr. '"Wn ~~t comes !ro m CnJde

- .. o\1." he's bttn sayinra ro r two de­c-ndts " ArM.1 1ht two wth rtjoin. if the conditions ftrt rig111."

In te!'l :t !IC~r l~!' t. he hAS $hnwn h"' can make II hnpptu. lie hcal.s ordi· nl'!ry wax unril 1t mell$ 1'1 0\1 sprays it on oil·col'lted rocks nnd S-"ttd. The

• : w~x nnl.l oil join - about fh-e pl'lrts -~ oil 10 one pnrt W:tilt - and h:m.lcn :::. ia;o :'1 ~mooth bl:.ck w.1Xy shtct I hat's: . ·::. not .stiekv ami Uoesn' t s1nin hnndlen. : • It C3n ·l),. lift ed orf, 1Nwing r~k<: • .. :md :t~raJ dcnn b~nrt'l lh. Or it (:m be

left ln piece, immobllfzlnr. l!v: <~il3ud inhllilt111g u:trn d:tmag~.

He- dic.l l hi$ in lhc t 3rly 19i0s uu hllle Passage tslaucJ. ne"' the Urill!th Colu mbi:. coao:t, when :.n oil \hck

I'T-'0) $J~ 1V1 ~ ft'!"'CHTT liM

O FFEniNG AN ANSWER: Willy N ol•on holds out new form o f fluffy w:..x. right, thl't he says Jo ins with oil when sprond w.--to r to form a rubbory eoHd thftt cftn bo •cooped up.

foul('d J'I'II IS of t he .shorel ine and I•M<'hto.~ After corw cntio n:\1 d ea.n·\IP n~ethv<Js f~i1ecJ. Ncl5on was ~lied in. '11u)m~s Cn~rnddcn. who w~s there for Euvirorune nt Cnnnda, says lhc wn;( method "worked \'try w ell."

Ndo;on ~how,.d hie; stu(f l'lg:tln In f vt1 1 tlcrnon~trntions fo r The Sl at l n I!P89. when the Exxoh Vallkz. ! illllln Ala .. k:l w:ls IO(tping the news.

Siuc:e then, he II'C:IlOt Is h~'s de\·el­opc() :'1 new w.lY of ruminr. wax into A ~~~ht~ powder-y fu rm, whtch h<' S:t)'S

works evtn betttr. He u.1;es " f'Ol)'lnt'r c:hemic:al to ketl) lhe fluffy m"$$ rrom cornpo<.1Jnr, back into solid wruc:.

.. I c:nn $ptcnd this on open wnt~r . where it's not prpctical lo spray mol· ten wnx." he S<lys. "It join.·~ wh h th~" oil nnd mnket l\ rubbery solitl conting tht\t Oo:at!. In thl" form. I've hro~d the wttx lock up t'S much as 10 lime$ IU own weight ln o il.''

'rhe powdered wruc:, he .say~. hM workf!(l Also M geltlnp, oil off th~ hidt$ Of Anim :tls a mJ lhC! f~.:'llhcr~ ol

bird$. He rubs It on 1ht m like ,.,,.r sud$ And the powder com~s 111w-ey bl• ck and tbe birds and a.nlmo.ls come awAY de~tn.

Nelson'' probl~m has al"Na)~ b«n r.ettlng p~ple who ts.kt them~~h·e-J vrry nriou.sly to take hlm vtry atrl·· ou•ly. The mM could pn .. for the lovable old prospector. just In from the d~aert In 11 t>bney f•mll)• movie nbout the Old Wool, we~~.rln~ ~ Wide. eyed grin And stroking h lo mou.tlothe (wnxed. or course).

!Jut mony who h- P"ld •tteotloo h.ve ~ lmp~ed. St>IT nt Onto do llydro's Lenno• Gen•rlllnK S tatton M Both, ncar K.lng.ton. h•ve ht lped him set up experlmrnt• to t .. t his evolving m-aterial$ and t«:hnlqut'S. lie rao lms with "about 20" types of oil theA . pourlnft It on to pools ol wa1er a.nd lhtn alntns hiJ powdered wax on to the surfAce •

llydro'• Fred Deny, who .. ,.. l~h· nle31 supNYI!Or 1111 lhe $lt\lfOn whtn the work wu golng: on. connrmed 1hM tcchnlqu~ worked u Nt-lson s nys. forming & floating, nc.~~tlble , non·~talning ml'tl.

Nelson uses wax to tackle o ther environmenta l messes, Including keeping down dust bv tonttng pll•s of ash and o ther Jndo.Jttl"l c.febd '-1-lydro Is r~porttd l o bo con.Jidering the method now for sorne of lls coal· but nlntc slt~tions.

In tests n naoeed by C~HIC, he u~ wax to seal ~ks ftnd $lOp the b\liiUup o r r:1dfo:tcilw• m don r,M In bMemtnts of three hom6 nenr Ottft· wa. Radon seeps out of the gr'Ound nl'lturally almos-t evt rywhcre hut tn some Jll&~s the concenlnUion b higlh tnough to cr.use worry. pe11lcultu y ln poorly venUinted bMtmtnts Ulf\1 hn\~ c-:mck.~ In thtlr nOOf~ ftnd wnlloc,

CM IIC engineer l'cttr RU$$CII SO) 'S h took Ntlson o while to Rdrtrt hi:t technique to th l.5 problem. "llut he .stuck a t It, and he Dltld~ It work."

ltis tcchniqut$ hcwt 11lso won hlm " citation (rom the (~tra1 Envir on · mental ProledJon Agency In tht U.S.

51111, no one hns C'OIIed I he loo•· •orne ln...,ntor lor advi~~ or htlp With lh e Shetlond blonds dls•S1er lie hosn'l coiled the oil componles. •I· lhrr. He soys ht dr.lned his honk tlC('OUOt, rnx!ng )'tl\r'S Of flits tO Exxo l'l during tile Va1det crl$ls thr« yel.lrs ~p:o and got nothlnf. for It but A th~nk-you note month1 Inter.

"I ju:5t hop~ tht y don't us e the \ IP:tm method to drnn the rock-c. th,. w•y lhcy did ot Valdez.'' he snys or the Shtt ht nt! SJ'ill ... 111nt ktu' ell plllnt life on the C:O:\St . My mNhod d<>Hn' t."

T

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PAGE 10 - PERTH COURIER WEEKENDER - NOVEMBER 23, 2007

I --------~------------------,..-----------------------NEWs

I ! Willy Nelson has-answer to California oil spil

BY WILLY NELSON

Water is the most pre­cious and abundant liquid on the face of our precious planet Earth, of which all life forms are dependent for their existence.

It quenches thirst, nur­tures growth, hosts a mnlti­tude of life forms essential to the delicate fooil chains through which we exist, and when harnessed, provides the energy so essential to modem civilization.

Oil, which is the next­most abundant liquid, has become a vital commod­ity utilized and solicited by almost every country, in the world. It serves not only as an essential fuel, but

' its derivatives are used as components for a myriad of many toxic liquid hydrocar­bon byproducts. WILLY NELSON

I often ponder upon what left unattended or uncon­they 'are thinking when this trolled, resulted in immense happens. devastation. These threats

The extent of damage to are recognized by environ­marine life and shorelines mentalists, oil coijlpanies is immeasurable and unfath- and the shipping industry. omable for decades follow- They have the responsibility ing an oil spill and in most to prevent.or clean up the instances, irreplaceable and enormity of consequences. irreparable. As the demand Environmentalists are for oil continues to surge, now combating more oil the amount of oil in transit spills around the globe is growing rapidly and pres- than at any "other period in ents a constant inevitable history, yet little has been threat to all life forms. The achieved iti-devising meth­unforeseeable consequenc- ods to prevent or rectify ·es of an oil spill will go on the damage incurred by oil and go on. More spills and. spills. Current technology leakages at sea or along har- cannot control an oil spill's

· bours, sea ports or coastal devastation. shores may never cease to Once inner tidal zones, exist. "cliff faces, swamps, estuar-

. ~ d~e of entropy ies, beaches or" hidden tidal of .... "E"arth, or the ·measure pools have been coated in of disorder on our planet, oil, the prospect of success­is steadily increasing and it ful restoration to its natu-

Since oil is bountiful in only select countries and locations, the growing mar­ket has necessitated the foimation of transportation alternatives to evolve. These consist of shipping- routes serving the colossal tankers that are filled with deadly oil, plying havoc with the

Both liquids are benefi­cial to life and for the stan­dard of living in today's world, yet when oil spill accidents occur, the results are catastrophic and the spills engulf everything in their wake, leaving a trail of destruction and devasta­tion that can take centuries to recover from.

llons of dollars and· cents; it is counted in the life it con­sumes.

Envision in your mind worlds of sea creatures being suddenly engulfed by oil, killing many, and the remainder forced to vacate to locations that are unin­habitable lind die anyway. Helpless birds with their

is the objective, and indeed ral habitat, using present the responsibility of man's methods and technology, technology to control or fix are only an attempt to com, it before it becomes irre- pletely remove most of the versible. Or do we leave this oil. The remainder hardens legacy and problem for our and gets sucked into the sea grandchildren to figure out? and through our ecosystem.

For many years, spills Wax technolo gy, such as crude, bunker or explained in a simplified diesel f'!el, resulting from manner, can depict how oil the collision of ships into removal from water, sand one another or crashing into and rocks can be achieved ,...~fs and shorelines, or pipe- by utilizing these basic fun-

..._ _____ _..,~!!c':~bee~n~_;d~a~m~e:!!n!'ta~l~p~incip!es: oils

Willy's wax works wonder on oil spills bJ Sltn ranan-

·speoa~ R.rpon.· wmpc:lCd the TOI'OftiO sw on the iron1 pqe ot iu M.ay 24 issue. -wllly 11& Wu. ~bn's m1a.an; To mdt •• ...,. .. 'OfSd's oil ipilts.• Narcd the hcadllno.

The ...,. Nt rol)o+.ed ... about t.11berty's Willy NclJon and hll method r~ cbn1111 up Dll sp1Us usm, molll:n wu.. Tht Jt,CI'f was 'l'nUcn by lhe Stat ~etcnce edaiOr Jack ~1llkr •bo 1tt"ltnCSKd Willy p..-in& a il<mcNinlxJn.

•Jt ,.,U'tttd; said Mr. MiUcr. Willy pyt. the Cauner • 11m1t. dc:mon.s:ultion t.t

v.et.L 11'1 Mabetly •hen he pouttd a ~hick mixun ot ~~er. c:rudc and crankcase: oat oYC.r 1 pool or watU ,...Ccaio-.

h was &he r1111 ume he had uJCd such • mu.1ure VI 1ft upc.nmc.nL H~ also powt4 the bbck subs&lnce O\'ft 1 pol<h o( owby 100<1.

Over the wastr and sand w.ny d1JO'i~ntd mollcn ~-u and then kl Lhc "' cool 1-lo.• I'm toi.n& 10 roU ._ up hb 1 10rtilla..~ wd w,u,.

Anw.l.ngly, he p~bbed l.he ed~e ol lhe bi.M:t film connng lhe pool and do•ly polled off 1 5hcct ol 111 L\

lnd ot1. tavma 1he • .., ck.aa On the ..t he limply poe~ off lhe • "JA and od cOitJng, leavin& &he era-ad ,,...,

The Stat ~e'ence writer ,.. riJhl. h really worled.

For yc:n Willy bu kno-ft,., &hat mol1a1 wu • iD clean up oil opilb JOd ho oppl""' hd "-7 00 I 11'1 M hJ.a&c. Wind 1n Briush Columbia. lc wor'kt.d-

GOio-cmmm&. ho.,..~, has bca. sJow tO accqx Willy's eonc::tf" al\d provtde needed fuftds 10 cteall: lbe ICdlnoqy ooe<led ., r"""" lhe ooocept o( ....,. mohcn wu 10 clean up oil spills.

Ln tddltioa. lht oel can be lfJ.'*'lWJ rrom the wu af~ thccleanup. Dewa.tcanabo bc-u.scd-.;altl.ll kas1 three or raur umcs.

The pric( of lll l t is aboul 51 ctnU I kik>crJm, y,Wdl: wdl to\U Q'\·et J.IA square feet ol water or gnd, T1le "Pffl icalion on 1 Wee o•l Jpll nu&hl be ~Apc.Mift, .:.lrnovoteees w,u,.. · ou1 our cnvitontnea1 i.s •·onh avina 11 any cosc.·

l.ocal bul:lnmman Cohn WiiiOI"' hat been t..bl& WaDy's ideas and helped Willy ctcmon.waze lht '* oJ wu to tonUIII' Ul'1ftium m•nc: taaltncs. Tbe apmmtlll lOOk pl.u ll Elhou Lake .n February Me! chc miRina indu.stry haJ uprc.s._ted in~BU~.

ln the laiC 1970'S, W1lly "'" IIJO VIYOiw:d in dtmon$111h0ftl Ul AlbeN. L~ 811t1sh Columba eOII COUntry, USII'C In ippliea!ICWI fA mohc:n III"U 10 b:cp dl;w;a eael du• in nulwa)' CMt.

In L'lc Star aruc:Je, one rormu pcmmeru e~ SIJd M thoultlt p"ttll.n'l(nt orfteaal:s •'UC tppre~w:

~aUy's deu bciCI:.~se W1lly il 1 ooloudul

Commentm1 oa lhe a.ct d ~ am privar. iadUitt)' ruponK.. w.ny a ys. ~, ... JtlbDi a kM ol. ~:=~~taltd.' bw: I 'm stiU pl)'ll'll (or IIIJ O'lo1&

Stnee Lhe anidc. apptan:d tn lhe TCIIOIII&o St~t, Wilty has bcea flooded Wltb RqUCSU rot media mlaVic:ws. 6¥C:ft &he. C8C popvn. 'Tbt Jaunal.. ... ~ 1

- · uys W~ly. He speaa S300 on rn mc:uace- 10 Ala1b foiJoot.in& lhe woo IPU whet oiUs )...,. buc lhe -commwue100n • uti &he: oil Jbnt •-as a kler ,.htcb •ld: . , croes ""' orr- lhll !her< ...ru be ., immt.daase need lor your malenal ln our cleanup MJrt. • h .. 'U sipcd by RJchard $1lk).'l) , ~ ro­ordu\MOr f(/11 b10111 V&Jdu.

·Maybe if dley ,...., !~oro' k • ort.s die1'd be iture.sled." .uysWllly.

RUidc.nu ol -.h&J wea ba''C: lonJ; lllow.n abiM 'WLIIJ NdlOfl and his oncoln, prooccur-Uon wtdl ..,.... He •as • cancUem3kct and uys hil r._~n~tkll •idll ,. ..... """" .... 12. ........ - The~ f!Uro,y o( a Cardc, by ~bclud F..tay.

Pa\aps widJ &be a.n.nt med.a auaato. Willy Ntbon'• Idea • ill be Ci\Ctl I cb'u. 'They Jbould, bctau.sc lhc:y • 'Ott.

Srn•invthrCommunill Since 11134 .:.?{-. Wedne<day, May31, 1989 Price 50'

wax. When pouring or

ing hot liquid join and become like reuniting the wax its origins, oil. As the cools, it hardens; it fies, trapping the oils fuels, creating a solid can be removed from water surface, sand, faces or trapped oil hidden tide pools.

This technology has proven to be cost effective, exJ:x:a~e~•I, and oil in

· lions. Furthermore, its

cation poses no marine life or and the oiVwax COilgl•om~r­ate Cal\ easily refined and these reasons this technology implemented in all cleanup activities.

We must not forget the multitudes of winding, crossing ing through long of our pristine derness, and worlds of animals and life.

June I. 2. s July e & g

I

waxes eloquent but no one's listening as he rolls up oil spills MABERLY - Willy 'Tbo Wu

Man' Nelloa baa a method of eleaalD& ap oil opills, but DO -- to be lllleDiac-

Tbe day aile< tbe Valdes, Al»­u , oilopill.WUiywuflriJIIoll lu _. ... oaUIDlaa bll cleu-

up~told by Euoo, politely, tbaJ1b bot DO Ulaob.

A - t of WI 1wn1et aboat 101 ba ..U.weot of Ottawa, WU· ly ........ - lllat molten wu wW remoft oil from water.

Ill fact Willy oays be made lbe

clilconry Ia tbe ·-Tbe federal ...- blew WWJ'I method worted Ia Jaly of 1114, wben, uade:r IO•ernme nt coalract, be belped clean ap an oil op111 oa Pasoace ll1ud 1a Brit-1111 Columbi.o.

At bll borne Willy -•ted bll oU lfllll removal method. Flnt be c1ac a ....,........., oqure bole ud IWed It with wale<.

Tbea be poured a Wd< bl.ock mbtare of bunker, c:nde aad ~ oil over tbe wale<. He a11o _.,c1 tbe oil over a omall moand of uod neany

Nut, Willy dblrlbeted molten waz Oftl" t.be oil covered water aod tbe u od. Be IIIOd a maple u p becket with bolel Ia tbe bot· tam.

Be walled lor tbe wu to cool ud lbeD oald, ''I'm COiDI to ron

Wls.:~~-ud palled tbe - 111m from tbe poad ..tace. It slid off ...Uy, leavlac oaly cleaa water.

011 tile uod pile, Willy almply

peeled off tbe WU/ oil mlslare, with DO lip of oil left 011 tbe ......

lllolber-,IIW<wited. Willy u a fired off 1etten to

••rloel-ta_...aod prlnle .-y, bat bu bad lillie

~pUla& lob of, 'Gee, W'e're Ia-.' bat I'm atiU paylac lor 1111 on demooltnlloaa," uys Willy.

A luciDatloe willa wu IIepa - Willy, at ace II, ,..j" a - 1llled Tbt ~ &-,. of a Cudlo, by lollcllae1 Faraday. 'ftotbopna~­

witll tbe .,._u. of wu .... be -a....U.mabr.

Ba baa co.-...1 baco -.. 1.-wuudaet-alllueoa

:e::. ::: :::.:r.:= pie aflllc:ted with artbrilll.

Willy clo .. n bave _,to de­velop appllcatloe metbodo lor lar­cer opU1I. lienee tbe - of • u p - Ia bll demooltntloo.

Wu coald be e,._twe to -oo u oil aplll; It coati - 51 ceoll a ldlo, willcb wiU cleaD up a-·- metre ofwa .... or ......

"But our eaviroameDt.." aays Willy, "II wortb aavlac at any 0011." -. DOtea Willy, tbe oil cu

:".-;era,~ = = '::.:: t.bree-

Somt compulel are lllarllac to tau- of Willy uc1 bll -EarUerwa,.,... ....... .._ to _....... Oatarlo to .......... llrate tbe - of wu .. a melboc1 of coatalldac orulum miBe taU· lap.

THE OTTAWA C'T'.~~N • TUESDAY, JUNE 8, 1989 C17

!.ROROROROROROROROROROROROO_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O _________________________ _