Shoreline clean-upShoreline clean-uptechniquestechniques

General principlesGeneral principles

• Consider the shoreline typeConsider the shoreline type• Minimise oiled material recoveryMinimise oiled material recovery• Labour intensiveLabour intensive

– Restrict use of heavy equipmentRestrict use of heavy equipment– Maintain moraleMaintain morale

• Act quicklyAct quickly• Must be “technically reasonable” if costs are to Must be “technically reasonable” if costs are to

be recoveredbe recovered• Detailed record keepingDetailed record keeping• Rigourous H&S procedures Rigourous H&S procedures • Environmental consultation - EGEnvironmental consultation - EG

Major incident – OperationsMajor incident – Operations can be complex can be complex

Assessing the problemAssessing the problem

• EvaluationEvaluation– Estimate amount of oil is difficult, but rough Estimate amount of oil is difficult, but rough

estimates are usefulestimates are useful– Geographical extentGeographical extent– Length and nature of oiled shorelinesLength and nature of oiled shorelines– Has all spilt oil arrived onshore?Has all spilt oil arrived onshore?

• Shoreline surveyShoreline survey– Overall assessment from aircraftOverall assessment from aircraft– Detailed evaluation on footDetailed evaluation on foot

Phases of clean-upPhases of clean-up

• Stage 1Stage 1– Removal of heavy contamination and floating Removal of heavy contamination and floating

oiloil

• Stage 2Stage 2– Removal of moderate contamination and Removal of moderate contamination and

stranded oilstranded oil

• Stage 3Stage 3– Clean-up of light contamination and final Clean-up of light contamination and final

polishing where necessarypolishing where necessary

Resources required?Resources required?

• Estimates can be difficult in early daysEstimates can be difficult in early days– ManpowerManpower– EquipmentEquipment– Waste predictionsWaste predictions– Overall strategy and priorities (SRC)Overall strategy and priorities (SRC)

• Think reasonablenessThink reasonableness

REPORTING PROGRESS AND REPORTING PROGRESS AND PROBLEMSPROBLEMS

• Urgent reports to SRC- as soon as problems ariseUrgent reports to SRC- as soon as problems arise• Regular progress/status reports Regular progress/status reports

– Morning beach survey reportMorning beach survey report– End of work report End of work report – Success of techniques employed and suggested Success of techniques employed and suggested

improvementsimprovements • Maintain photographic record of the state of the beach Maintain photographic record of the state of the beach

that morningthat morning• Need to fine tune yesterdays plan Need to fine tune yesterdays plan

- oil can and will move! - oil can and will move!

Clean-up techniquesClean-up techniques

• Depends on shoreline typeDepends on shoreline type– Man made structuresMan made structures– Rocky shoresRocky shores– Boulder and cobblesBoulder and cobbles– ShingleShingle– SandSand

• Degree of oilingDegree of oiling• Environmental sensitivityEnvironmental sensitivity• Ease of accessEase of access

Cleaning rocky shoresCleaning rocky shores

H&S

Welfare

Risk Assessments

Cleaning rocky shoresCleaning rocky shores

• Mechanical - skimmers / vacuumMechanical - skimmers / vacuum

• Manual - buckets / rock wipingManual - buckets / rock wiping

• SorbentsSorbents

• High pressure washingHigh pressure washing

• High volume flushingHigh volume flushing

• Problems of accessProblems of access

Cleaning boulders and cobbleCleaning boulders and cobble

• Stage 1- Bulk oil removalStage 1- Bulk oil removal– Poor load bearing hinders movement of Poor load bearing hinders movement of

vehicles and personnelvehicles and personnel– Pumping bulk oil - mechanical/vacuumPumping bulk oil - mechanical/vacuum– Health and Safety issuesHealth and Safety issues

• Stage 2 – Removal of stranded oilStage 2 – Removal of stranded oil– High pressure / high volume flushingHigh pressure / high volume flushing– Stone removal for disposalStone removal for disposal– Push into sea for natural cleaningPush into sea for natural cleaning– Stone washingStone washing

Cleaning boulders and cobbleCleaning boulders and cobble

Early intervention may reduce downward penetration

Not easy to clean

Reasonable?

Mechanical washing in skipsMechanical washing in skips

Skips must be sealedSkips must be sealedRequires energyRequires energyReleasing agentReleasing agent

Oily water separationOily water separationReasonable?Reasonable?

Shingle washingShingle washing

• Suitable only for small pebble size• Costly, must have rationale

• 1/2 hour wash cycle, 4 tonne loads

• Strict housekeeping and record keeping required• Technically reasonable?• EU Waste directives may influence decision

Shingle washingShingle washing

Shingle washingShingle washing

Major advantage = shingle back to beach = minimising disposal quantities and costs

Reasonable?

Cleaning sand beachesCleaning sand beaches

• Mechanical clean-up, trenching and Mechanical clean-up, trenching and scrapingscraping– Only for bulk quantities of oilOnly for bulk quantities of oil– Only on hard sand beachesOnly on hard sand beaches– Aim to minimise beach material pick-upAim to minimise beach material pick-up– Avoid vehicle movements in oil – entrainment Avoid vehicle movements in oil – entrainment

in sandin sand– Work from clean end of beach upwardsWork from clean end of beach upwards– Work only manageable lengths of trenchWork only manageable lengths of trench

Mechanical scrapingMechanical scraping

• Rubber blade• Graded sided trench• Reduce obm pickup• Sand oil mixture in trench - unpumpable?

Ideal trench configurationIdeal trench configuration

Manual clean-upManual clean-up

• Can be supported by Can be supported by front end loaderfront end loader

• 1-2m1-2m33 per man per day per man per day• Minimises sand pick-upMinimises sand pick-up• Into bags or drumsInto bags or drums

Sand washingSand washing

70 tonnes per hour machine

Dispersants?Dispersants?

Only with approvalOnly with approval

Cleaning salt marsh and mud flatsCleaning salt marsh and mud flats

• Few optionsFew options• Small quantity of oil Small quantity of oil

– leave alone? Resist pressure to clean if no benefitleave alone? Resist pressure to clean if no benefit

• Bulk oil Bulk oil – Would we ignore 5,000 tonnes on a saltmarsh? What Would we ignore 5,000 tonnes on a saltmarsh? What

result?result?– Approach from seaward?Approach from seaward?– Shallow draft vesselsShallow draft vessels– Low pressure flushingLow pressure flushing– Vegetation cuttingVegetation cutting

Sensitive sites – always consult Sensitive sites – always consult with the EGwith the EG

BEACHMASTER ROLEBEACHMASTER ROLE

• He/She is the overall supervisor of a He/She is the overall supervisor of a specified section of a shoreline response specified section of a shoreline response operation.operation.

• Operation manager at the front line of the Operation manager at the front line of the response - levels of technical competence.response - levels of technical competence.

• Implements the cleanup strategy Implements the cleanup strategy • Reports back on progress and problemsReports back on progress and problems• Record keepingRecord keeping

Essential Issues to be addressed by the Beachmaster:

• Health and Safety• Environmental Sensitivity• Man Management• Welfare• Equipment Management• Optimal techniques• Waste Disposal• Public Safety • Decontamination• Record Keeping

Communications in shoreline clean-Communications in shoreline clean-upup

Management TeamManagement Team

Technical Technical TeamTeam

Procurement Procurement TeamTeam

SRC

BEACHMASTER

StrategyStrategy ReportsReports

Environment Environment GroupGroup

Equipment / Equipment / resourcesresources

Environmental Environmental adviceadvice

SummarySummary

• Shoreline type largely dictates techniqueShoreline type largely dictates technique• Strategy and stages of clean-upStrategy and stages of clean-up• Technical reasonablenessTechnical reasonableness• Mechanical versus ManualMechanical versus Manual• Sensitive shorelines are often best left Sensitive shorelines are often best left

alonealone• Logistics / organisation / record keepingLogistics / organisation / record keeping• Identify temporary storage sitesIdentify temporary storage sites