This Popular Condiment Is Helping Save Sea Turtles From One of Israel’s Worst Oil Spills
25 February
Animals
A sea turtle rescued from Israel's devastating oil spill. MENAHEM KAHANA / AFP via Getty Images
Rescue workers in Israel are using a surprising cure to save the sea turtles harmed by a devastating oil spill: mayonnaise!
<p>The condiment can both help break down the tar that has coated even the turtles' insides and clean out their system, Guy Ivgy, a medical assistant at the National Sea Turtle Rescue Center in Michmoret, explained to <a href="https://apnews.com/article/mayonnaise-help-turtles-oil-spills-c5f679439e7a0f95fb79384978944cde" target="_blank">The Associated Press</a>.</p><p>"They came to us full of tar. All their trachea from inside and outside was full of tar," he said.</p>
<p>Tar from a mysterious oil spill began washing up on Israeli beaches last week, as EcoWatch reported previously. The spill is being called one of the worst ecological disasters in the nation's history, and has now covered most of Israel's 120 miles of coastline along the Mediterranean, according to The Associated Press. It has now also spread to the coastline of Lebanon.</p><p>The spill has generated around 1,000 tons of tar, which has seriously affected <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/wildlife" target="_self">wildlife</a>, including sea turtles. The injured turtles have been taken to the National Sea Turtle Rescue Center, which is north of Tel Aviv. Ivgy told The Associated Press Tuesday that the center was currently treating 11 turtles. Yaniv Levy, the center's founder and director, told <a href="https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/.premium.MAGAZINE-with-mayonnaise-and-q-tips-israelis-save-oil-drenched-turtles-1.9562907?v=1614269214502" target="_blank">Haaretz</a> the same day that the center was treating 27 turtles total and six for tar damage specifically.</p>
<p>The tar-coated turtles have to be cleaned both inside and out, Levy explained.</p><p>"They all got here with a coat of tar on their heads, and in their eyes, nostrils, mouth, digestive system and stomach," he said. "With this kind of damage they have no chance to survive without treatment. We removed the tar from their nostrils and eyes so they could breathe and see."</p><p>The mayonnaise helps clean the digestive system. First, volunteers use vegetable oil to thin the tar. Then, they use mayonnaise to dilute the tar and remove it from the stomach and intestinal lining. At the same time, the mayonnaise provides fats and proteins to the turtles while it is not safe for them to eat solid food.</p><p>"If they eat regular food, it turns into a lump with the tar and could cause blockages, which is why we don't give them solid foods during the first days," Levy said.</p>
<div id="69149" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="5c72399c478551575fe4f92bdb8d25dc"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1364507790841180160" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">At this Israeli turtles hospital, oil spill victims are saved with Q-tips and mayonnaise
https://t.co/XrmHbKrmHu https://t.co/bmmlcY4wTJ</div> — Haaretz.com (@Haaretz.com)<a href="https://twitter.com/haaretzcom/statuses/1364507790841180160">1614158983.0</a></blockquote></div>
<p>This isn't the first time mayonnaise has been used to treat sea turtles rescued from an oil spill. The Turtle Hospital in Florida also recommends it as a safe and effective treatment, according to <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-56194624" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">BBC News</a>.</p><p>Mayonnaise is an effective treatment because of its unique properties, <a href="https://www.livescience.com/mayonnaise-sea-turtle-treatment-after-isreal-oil-spill.html" target="_blank">Live Science explained</a>. That is because it is an emulsion, a mixture of two liquids that don't usually mix, in this case oil and water. The egg yolks in mayonnaise contain both water and lecithin, a molecule that is hydrophilic (water-attracting) on one side and hydrophobic (water-repelling) on the other. That means that, when the yolks are combined with acid (usually lemon juice or vinegar) and oil to make mayonnaise, the oil sticks to the hydrophobic sides of the lecithin molecules, and the hydrophilic sides stick out, sticking to the water and preventing it from separating from the oil.</p>
<p>Live Science explained why this is good news for tar-coated turtles:</p><blockquote>Because mayonnaise has both hydrophobic and hydrophilic properties, it can interact with both the oily, hydrophobic tar and hydrophilic molecules in a turtle's digestive tract. The hydrophobic oil can mix with the tar, making it thinner and less viscous; meanwhile, the hydrophobic ends of the lecithin molecules are also drawn towards the tar, with their hydrophilic ends facing out. This creates a barrier around the tar that better interacts with water, making the toxic substance less sticky.</blockquote><p>In Israel, the treatment appears to be working. Levy told Haaretz he thought the turtles in his care would be ready to be released in a month or two.</p><p>"A little more mayonnaise and they'll all recover and get back to natural food," he said.</p>
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A worker at the Israeli Sea Turtle Rescue Center removes oil from a sea turtle in Mikhmoret, Israel on February 21, 2021. Menahem Kahana / AFP / Getty Images
A mysterious oil spill began to wash up on Israel's coast last week, closing beaches and harming wildlife.
<p>The Israeli government urged people not to visit a wide stretch of beach on Sunday, <a href="https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/.premium-israel-tells-public-not-to-visit-beaches-after-worst-oil-spill-in-its-history-1.9556663" target="_blank">Haaretz reported</a>. Of Israel's 119 miles of beach, 105 were impacted by the disaster, <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2021/02/22/middleeast/israel-oil-spill-ecological-disaster-intl-hnk/index.html" target="_blank">according to CNN</a>. That's 40 percent of Israel's coastline, Haaretz noted.</p><p>"The enormous amounts of tar emitted in recent days to the shores of Israel from south to north caused one of the most severe ecological disasters to hit Israel," the country's Nature and Parks Authority said Sunday, CNN reported.</p>
<div class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="0423bbb6c4ed7e662f2564d7685e70ad"><div class="fb-post" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/IsraelNaturParks/posts/10159120844857899"></div></div>
<p><br>People first noticed the <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/oil" target="_self">oil</a> last Wednesday, according to Haaretz. It washed up as sticky, dark pieces of tar, <a href="https://www.npr.org/2021/02/21/969949310/mediterranean-oil-spill-injures-wildlife-closes-israels-beaches" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">NPR reported</a>. As of Monday, it had spread to the beaches of southern Lebanon, <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/israel-environment-oil-spill-lebanon-int/oil-spill-off-israel-reaches-south-lebanese-beaches-idUSKBN2AM1AZ" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Reuters reported</a>.</p><p><a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/animals/" target="_self">Animals</a> have also been found covered in tar, including a few <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/birds" target="_self">birds</a> and nine <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/sea-turtles" target="_self">sea turtles</a>, Haaretz added. Sadly, four of the turtles died. The rest have been taken to the National Sea Turtle Rescue Center to recover.</p><p>Additionally, a fin <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/whales" target="_self">whale</a> washed up dead on the Israeli coast on Thursday. Preliminary tests revealed that it did contain oil in its body, <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/israel-environment-oil-spill-int/israels-beaches-blackened-by-tar-after-offshore-oil-spill-idUSKBN2AL0AZ" target="_blank">Reuters reported</a>.</p><p>Not least, ecologists are worried about <em>Dendropoma petraeum, </em>a reef-building snail whose population is already declining because of the <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/climate-change/" target="_self">climate crisis</a>, NPR reported.</p>
<p>Volunteers have rallied to help with cleanup efforts, with more than 4,000 people from the non-profit EcoOcean working to remove the tar. However, the Israel Nature and Parks Authority said it would take years to remove all of it, Haaretz reported. Most of the work will have to be done by hand.</p><p>The government is currently investigating the cause of the spill with the help of European authorities, according to NPR. Israel thinks it likely spilled from a ship about a week ago during stormy weather in the Mediterranean. One candidate is a Feb. 11 oil spill from a ship passing about 21 miles from shore, Reuters reported.</p><p>Environmental Protection Minister Gila Gamliel said the investigation had pinpointed nine ships as potential culprits.</p><p>"There is a more than reasonable chance that we will be able to locate the specific ship," she told Ynet TV, Reuters reported.</p>
<p>Israel could take legal action if the responsible vessel is identified, such as suing insurance companies for the cost of the cleanup.<br></p><p>However, in a move journalists are calling irregular, a court placed details of the investigation under censor Monday following a request from the Environmental Protection Ministry, <a href="https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/israel-oil-spill-disaster-investigation-details-placed-under-censor-659765" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The Jerusalem Post reported</a>.</p><p>This has prompted criticism from environmental organizations.</p><p>"When the entities operating at sea and producing a risk of pollution are rich oil companies and shipping companies that have much influence on the regulator, Zalul demands a transparent investigation and that the [censor] order be lifted immediately," Maya Jacobs, director-general of the Zalul Environmental Association, told The Jerusalem Post.</p>
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Like many other plant-based foods and products, CBD oil is one dietary supplement where "organic" labels are very important to consumers. However, there are little to no regulations within the hemp industry when it comes to deeming a product as organic, which makes it increasingly difficult for shoppers to find the best CBD oil products available on the market.
<p>Here you can learn about the importance of organic hemp oil, why it's better for the environment, and which CBD companies actually make trustworthy products with sustainable farming processes. origins which weigh heavily on many consumers who want to buy a product that's produced in the best way possible for not only themselves to ingest, but for the environment as well through sustainable farming methods. </p><h2>What Is CBD Oil?</h2><p>First things first, CBD stands for cannabidiol, and it's a cannabinoid found within cannabis sativa plants. This plant compound is believed to have many potential benefits, and it is primarily derived from hemp plants via a CO2 extraction process. </p><p>Since CBD is extracted from industrial hemp, which contains only trace amounts of THC (the psychoactive component in cannabis plants), this means that CBD won't make you feel high like marijuana, which has much higher levels of THC that causes psychoactive effects. Instead, the effects of CBD are much more subtle and promote a general sense of calm and relaxation in most users.</p><h2>What Makes a CBD Oil Organic?</h2><p>In terms of organic labels, perhaps the most important (and prominent) certification comes from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). This government organization has been labeling foods as "organic" for many years, but what exactly does this certification entail? Essentially, a label indicating that a product is "USDA Organic" or "Certified Organic" means that at least 95% of the ingredients are obtained from organic sources.</p><p>For a crop to be considered organic by the USDA, it must be grown without the use of industrial solvents, irradiation, genetic engineering (GMOs), synthetic pesticides, or chemical fertilizer. Instead, farmers rely on natural substances and <a href="https://www.usda.gov/media/blog/2012/03/22/organic-101-what-usda-organic-label-means" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">mechanical, physical, or biologically based farming</a> techniques to cultivate healthy and organic crops.</p><p>Before the passage of the 2018 Farm Bill, no hemp-derived products could be dubbed as "certified organic" since the hemp plant and its extracts were still categorized as a Schedule I Controlled Substance. However, it's still difficult for CBD companies to obtain a USDA certified organic label for their products due to the legal grey area that still surrounds CBD extracts. </p><p>Because of these challenges, and due to the fact that industrial hemp has only recently become an agricultural crop, very few CBD oils are USDA certified organic. Rather, many CBD products contain hemp extracts from plants that were grown in organic conditions but may not be federally certified.</p><h2>What are the Best Organic CBD Oil Brands?</h2><p><em>Each product featured here has been independently selected by the writer. If you make a purchase using the links included, we may earn commission.</em></p><em><br></em>
<h2>Why Organic Hemp Oil Matters</h2><p>Hemp is a unique plant, not only for its rich cannabinoid content, but also for its ability to absorb a wide variety of components in soil. But this trait poses great risks when it comes to the creation of CBD products derived from hemp.</p><p>Because hemp has a high capacity for compound uptake, this means that the plants can retain <a href="https://www.remedyreview.com/industry/lab-test-results/" target="_blank">harmful chemicals like pesticides</a>, heavy metals, and other residual solvents. This is especially true when it comes to synthetic chemicals that are more toxic to humans, and difficult to remove once they have been absorbed by the hemp plant.</p><p>Organic farming practices help reduce the risk of hemp crops absorbing harsh chemicals that may later end up in CBD oil after extraction. When you're taking CBD as a wellness supplement to help alleviate your symptoms or improve your overall well-being, the last thing you want is to ingest compounds that might negatively outweigh the benefits of CBD. This is an important reason to look for third party lab test results when shopping for CBD products since these certificates of analysis can show the full cannabinoid and terpene profile of a hemp extract, as well as test results that search for the presence of any residual solvents.</p><p>In addition to creating a better end product, organic farming practices are also better for the environment. Sustainable and organic farming methods may <a href="https://www.helpguide.org/articles/healthy-eating/organic-foods.htm" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">reduce pollution, conserve water, reduce soil erosion, increase soil fertility, and use less energy</a>. The use of natural pest deterrents as opposed to chemical pesticides is also better for nearby animal populations and ecosystems.</p><h3>Organic vs. Natural</h3><p>While there are only a select few companies offering certified organic ingredients in their products, almost every brand in the CBD market creates "natural" products. The term "all-natural" or "plant-based" does not mean that a product is organic, and since hemp oil is a natural derivative of hemp plants, these products are often referred to as all-natural. However, there are some synthetic CBD oils that should be avoided because they are chemically constructed and may produce unwanted side effects that are not caused by naturally derived CBD extracts.</p><h2>What are the Benefits of Organic CBD Oil?</h2><p>There's a long list of potential CBD oil health benefits, and some of the most common wellness advantages include:</p><ul class="ee-ul"><li><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2503660/" target="_blank">Chronic pain relief</a></li><li><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4604171/" target="_blank">Anti-anxiety effects</a></li><li>Better sleep</li><li><a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/inner-source/201901/cbd-oil-mental-health-should-you-take-it-too" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Improvements in mood</a></li><li>Internal balance and regulation</li></ul><p>When dealing with pain, inflammation, sleep issues, and mental health struggles, it can be hard to find sufficient treatment options. The use of certain prescriptions can cause unwanted side effects, yet they are often the only solution for patients with these medical conditions. In search of other therapies, people have started to flock towards CBD oil as an alternative remedy for a variety of conditions. However, it should be noted that CBD products are not approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and you should seek your doctor's advice before using CBD if you have a serious medical condition.</p><h2>Look at the Labels Before You Buy CBD Oil</h2><p>When you go online to buy CBD oil, you'll quickly realize there is an overwhelming number of brands that are saturating the market. It can be difficult to determine which products are truly as good as they make themselves out to be. Always look for up-to-date third-party lab tests so you know you are getting a great product, and don't hesitate to contact the brand if you have any additional questions. And if you're intent on purchasing 100% organic CBD oil, it's best to look for certified products or brands that are held to strict regulatory standards.</p><p><strong>Melena Gurganus </strong>is the Reviews Editor at EcoWatch. She is passionate health and wellness and her writing aims to help others find products they can trust. Her work has been featured in publications such as Health, Shape, Huffington Post, Cannabis Business Times, and Bustle.<br></p>
Spruce
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDY4NjI3OC9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYyOTM2NzgzOX0.axY0HjeqRctJsR_KmDLctzDpUBLBN-oNIdqaXDb4caQ/img.jpg?width=980" id="774be" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="8379f35b1ca8a86d0e61b7d4bfc8b46e" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" alt="spruce organic cbd oil" data-width="710" data-height="959" /><p>As one of the best brands in the business, Spruce CBD is well-known for its potent CBD oils that feature many additional beneficial phytocannabinoids. This brand works with two family-owned, sustainably focused farms in the USA (one located in Kentucky and one in North Carolina) to create its organic, small product batches. The max potency Spruce CBD oil contains 2400mg of full-spectrum CBD extract, but the brand also offers a lower strength tincture with 750mg of CBD in total.</p>
$89
CBDistillery
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDcwMjkzNC9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYyMTU4OTM4Nn0.ypRdeDSBcE87slYrFfVrRwtJ2qGIK6FD5jBB4pndTMo/img.jpg?width=980" id="b473b" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="9930b53c9d58cb49774640a61c3e3e75" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" alt="cbdistillery cbd oil" data-width="1244" data-height="1244" /><p>All of the products from CBDistillery are <a href="https://ushempauthority.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">U.S. Hemp Authority Certified</a>, and for good reason. The company only uses non-GMO and pesticide-free industrial hemp that's grown organically on Colorado farms. Its hemp oils are some of the most affordable CBD products on the market, yet they still maintain a high standard of quality. CBDistillery has a wide variety of CBD potencies across its product line (ranging from 500mg to 5000mg per bottle) and offers both full-spectrum and broad-spectrum CBD oils to give customers a completely thc-free option.</p>
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FAB CBD
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDY4NjIyNS9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY2NDIwOTEyMn0.MlTjz096FJ0ev_-soK7_Z-FeQeJczWoeh9Qi9SSkHsY/img.jpg?width=980" id="04b26" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="76aa4862f44603242e318982acea6646" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" alt="fab cbd oil" data-width="800" data-height="800" /><p>For an organic CBD oil that has it all, FAB CBD offers plenty of variety for any type of consumer. All of its products are made with zero pesticides and extracted from organically grown Colorado industrial hemp. FAB CBD oil comes in five all-natural flavors (mint, vanilla, berry, citrus, and natural) and is also available in four strengths (300, 600, 1200, and 2400mg per bottle).</p>
$39
NuLeaf Naturals
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDY4NjIxOS9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY1NzExNTgyMX0.D6qMGYllKTsVhEkQ-L_GzpDHVu60a-tJKcio7M1Ssmc/img.jpg?width=980" id="94e4a" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="3609a52479675730893a45a82a03c71d" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" alt="nuleaf naturals organic cbd oil" data-width="600" data-height="600" /><p>As an industry-leading brand, it comes as no surprise that NuLeaf Naturals sources its CBD extract from organic hemp plants grown on licensed farms in Colorado. The comany's CBD oils only contain two ingredients: USDA certified organic hemp seed oil and full spectrum hemp extract.</p><p>NuLeaf Naturals uses one proprietary CBD oil formula for all of its products, so you will get the same CBD potency in each tincture (60mg per mL), but can purchase different bottle sizes depending on how much you intend to use.</p>
$38.50
Charlotte's Web
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$60
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Chevron and fire-agency crews respond to a five-gallon-per-minute petroleum product leak in the waters of Point Richmond next to the Chevron Richmond Long Wharf in Richmond, California on Feb. 9, 2021. Ray Chavez / MediaNews Group / The Mercury News via Getty Images
A Chevron oil refinery in Richmond, California dumped an estimated 600 gallons of petroleum into San Francisco Bay Tuesday.
<p>The leak was not detected until an oil sheen on the water near the refinery was noticed around 3 p.m. Many local residents complained of the fumes from the spill, which eventually washed up on shore.</p><p>"It smelled like somebody spilled gasoline in front of my house. It smelled very very badly for [the] whole day," Margaret Berczynski, told ABC7-KGO. "I'm really devastated. I cannot take my kids to the water... I'm really scared," she added. </p>
<p>Officials warned the fumes could cause ear, nose, and throat irritation. Contra Costa County Supervisor John Gioia harshly criticized the refinery. "It is unacceptable to have this happen in our community," he said. "It causes harm to people's health. It causes harm to bird life, <a href="http://www.ecowatch.com/tag/wildlife">wildlife</a> and <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/marine-life">marine life</a>." The cause of the spill is still unknown. </p>
<p>As reported by the <a href="https://www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/article/Oil-spill-reported-at-Chevron-Refinery-in-East-Bay-15938053.php?utm_campaign=Hot%20News&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=110420018&_hsenc=p2ANqtz--nES86otAhw5OlygFMY6Ib11HD-KgkY0DH7skfB8bR_kEAcbs3VlfWqdWPI_4iWVrNamr_j4d-0GPg2MNFYhBLj39NGA&utm_content=110420018&utm_source=hs_email" target="_blank">San Francisco Chronicle</a>:</p><blockquote>The investigation into the spill is a multi-agency effort involving Chevron, the U.S. Coast Guard, California Office of Spill Prevention and Response, California Department of Fish and Wildlife, and Contra Costa County, Chevron officials told The Chronicle. Other state and federal agencies "may elect to join the investigation," said Tyler Kruzich, a Chevron spokesperson.</blockquote><blockquote>Kruzich told The Chronicle that Chevron officials are "developing an estimate of how much hydrocarbon was released, in addition to testing the hydrocarbon to determine its composition."</blockquote><blockquote>County Supervisor John Gioia — who <a href="https://www.facebook.com/supervisorgioia/posts/10224816732470780" target="_blank">said on Facebook</a> that there was a 5 gallon-per-minute leak of a petroleum product at the Chevron Richmond Long Wharf — said the leak started around 2:40 p.m. and continued until about 4:30 p.m.</blockquote>
<p><strong>For a deeper dive:<br/></strong></p><p><a href="https://abc7news.com/live-health-advisory-issued-amid-chevron-oil-spill-in-richmond/10324620/?utm_campaign=Hot%20News&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=110420018&_hsenc=p2ANqtz--Qh1TzUghsy6Xc0-CCHU828w5NBdr_t9SWi2PVqcgIUnvMgKlO57FmhT0CNv3itWQ4zUhhlQIVjDWNhNv7fleWNKoJJQ&utm_content=110420018&utm_source=hs_email" target="_blank">ABC-7 KGO News</a>, <a href="https://www.eastbaytimes.com/2021/02/09/richmond-chevron-refinery-oil-spill-prompts-county-alert/?utm_campaign=Hot%20News&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=110420018&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-9UEkT77Q68ryf6p8-TD501PsMp76d_vEWEqkWI5PNV-joHp3r_WgI6n0xqI9TDF80H7wA8PSdP0m8k56HeZLNuX_7iPg&utm_content=110420018&utm_source=hs_email" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">East Bay Times</a>, <a href="https://www.ktvu.com/news/leak-at-richmond-chevron-refinery-contained-following-a-public-health-advisory?utm_campaign=Hot%20News&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=110420018&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-9E1olAfp7nDB683u9pGV3joAmI5HWfozIF5tB0gKXi7X6i3T1Cu-q0SsWOt48Oj2dkNbnieLe1RRtfqnnwqUrGPsX98w&utm_content=110420018&utm_source=hs_email" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">KTU</a>, <a href="https://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Oil-spill-Richmond-Chevron-San-Francisco-Bay-15938107.php?utm_campaign=Hot%20News&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=110420018&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-89zbhvQ7tUiQhHucB1LABbDfLWNGCX-76q0c_aiVM_O4skkVtD6RoUc3aP5aYkLrqNzXEcQjJqGgakmRWqoShUWbgdzw&utm_content=110420018&utm_source=hs_email" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">SFGate</a>, <a href="https://www.kcra.com/article/crews-work-contain-oil-spill-richmond-refinery/35465030?utm_campaign=Hot%20News&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=110420018&_hsenc=p2ANqtz--6-7m1ws4-GYduryMBdEmkgyOfBcIwXE3X44r9onzK2dRALtznbGskoT9TfO7f4plJE5ShAogTLFWjLFtRmrpxxV-KHg&utm_content=110420018&utm_source=hs_email" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">KCRA Sacramento</a>, <a href="https://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/2021/02/09/incident-at-chevron-richmond-refinery-prompts-health-alert/?utm_campaign=Hot%20News&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=110420018&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_Lpl7F6nfeehVZts76z33eynA639fng-bLYSOy41IsTS_OqmltALJFPCzNO9KRdlj8jG1Dw5SYTILILo5bbsaGXG_LYg&utm_content=110420018&utm_source=hs_email" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">KPIX-CBS5</a>, <a href="https://www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/article/Oil-spill-reported-at-Chevron-Refinery-in-East-Bay-15938053.php?utm_campaign=Hot%20News&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=110420018&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_RdbhH1TS74jiRKdF4DSixH0ALaTqmwm8C3ggxGvQulmvfx7UdfU6kh9ccXhIfTOfDKVi6VCcOXPp87SACoZke9gqkPg&utm_content=110420018&utm_source=hs_email" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">San Francisco Chronicle</a></p><p><em>For more </em><a href="http://ecowatch.com/climate-change-news/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>climate change</em></a><em> and </em><a href="http://ecowatch.com/business/renewables/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>clean energy</em></a><em> news, you can follow Climate Nexus on </em><a href="https://twitter.com/ClimateNexus" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>Twitter</em></a><em> and </em><a href="https://www.facebook.com/ClimateNexus/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>Facebook</em></a><em>, sign up for daily </em><a href="https://www.linktrack.live/hot-news-sign-up" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>Hot News</em></a><em>, and visit their news site, </em><a href="https://nexusmedianews.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>Nexus Media News</em></a><em>.</em></p>From Your Site Articles
- Oil Spills Pose Dire Threats to Marine Life - EcoWatch ›
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Donald Pols (R), director of Dutch environmental organisation, Milieudefensie, and Channa Samkalden (L), lawyer for Milieudefensie react following the court ruling in the case that the organisation, along with four Nigerian farmers, filed against Shell over oil leaks that have allegedly polluted their villages, in The Hague, on January 29, 2021. REMKO DE WAAL / ANP / AFP / Getty Images
By Andrea Germanos
Global environmental justice campaigners heralded a Dutch court's ruling Friday that Royal Dutch Shell's Nigerian subsidiary must pay punitive restitution to Nigerian villages for oil spill contamination that brought death, illness, and destruction to Nigerian farmers and communities.
<p>"After 13 years, justice!" <a href="https://twitter.com/foeeurope/status/1355111463912939524" target="_blank">tweeted</a> Friends of the Earth Europe.</p><p>The legal effort <a href="https://www.commondreams.org/news/2015/12/18/landslide-victory-farmers-court-rules-against-shell" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="" target="_blank">seeking</a> accountability for the oil pollution in the Niger Delta, as Agence France-Presse <a href="https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20210129-dutch-court-orders-shell-to-pay-nigerian-farmers-for-oil-spills" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="" target="_blank">noted</a>, was brought forth by the Netherlands branch of Friends of the Earth, and "has dragged on so long that two of the Nigerian farmers have died since it was first filed in 2008."</p>
<div id="10e8a" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="26e1b3df87019c18af56013147d02734"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1355146661715210240" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">#Shell has today been defeated in court by Nigerian farmers.
This is a hopeful day for all victims of oil compani… https://t.co/TGWfuhJGDT</div> — Friends of the Earth Europe🌍 #BlackLivesMatter (@Friends of the Earth Europe🌍 #BlackLivesMatter)<a href="https://twitter.com/foeeurope/statuses/1355146661715210240">1611927116.0</a></blockquote></div><p>One of those farmers was the father of Eric Dooh.</p><p>"Finally, there is some justice for the Nigerian people suffering the consequences of Shell's oil," Dooh, who became a plaintiff in the case, <a href="https://friendsoftheearth.eu/press-release/nigerian-farmers-and-friends-of-the-earth-win-oil-pollution-case/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">said</a> in a statement.</p><p>"It is a bittersweet victory," he continued, "since two of the plaintiffs, including my father, did not live to see the end of this trial. But this verdict brings hope for the future of the people in the Niger Delta."</p><p>As Reuters <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-shell-nigeria-court/environmentalists-farmers-win-dutch-court-case-over-shell-nigeria-spills-idUSKBN29Y1D2" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">reported</a>,</p><blockquote>Friday's decision went a step further than a 2013 ruling by a lower court, saying that Shell's Nigerian subsidiary was responsible for multiple cases of oil pollution.<br><br>The appeals judge sided with the farmers in four of six spills covered by the lawsuit and postponed a verdict in the remaining cases, where the lower court had previously found SPDC responsible.<br></blockquote><p>The appeals court "also held the Anglo-Dutch parent company Royal Dutch Shell liable for installing new pipeline equipment to prevent further devastating spills in the Niger Delta region," AFP added.</p><p>The devastation, as Friends of the Earth International (FOEI) has previously <a href="https://www.foei.org/news/oil-spills-ogoniland-nigeria-shell" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">described</a>, has been vast:</p><blockquote>Between 1976 and 1991, over two million barrels of oil polluted Ogoniland in 2,976 separate oil spills. While oil production has ceased, pipelines operated by Shell still traverse the land, creeks and waterways. Leakages—caused by corroded pipelines as well as bandits—mean that the area is still plagued by oil spills.<br></blockquote><blockquote>It is a painful example of corporate impunity that even when the tireless work of communities, individuals, and campaigners achieves some semblance of justice, it is rarely seen through. And nowhere is this more true than for the Ogoni people in the Niger Delta. As Michael Karikpo, from Environmental Rights Action explained to us: "The price for docility in our communities and country is the loss of liberty and sovereignty to rapacious and predatory multinational oil companies like Shell. Our communities must stand up and continuously demand accountability from Shell and the international system that nurtures it."<br></blockquote><p>Describing the scene in 2019 at a few of the sites affected by oil spills in the Niger Delta, FOEI added that the "horror of the vast stretch of black, lifeless landscape stretching out in front of us is something that has to be seen in order to be believed."</p><p>Nigerian environmental justice advocate Nnimmo Bassey, in a tweet welcoming the new ruling, drew attention to the late Ken Saro-Wiwa, who, along with other Ogoni rights activists, <a href="https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2017/06/shell-complicit-arbitrary-executions-ogoni-nine-writ-dutch-court/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">was</a> <a href="https://www.democracynow.org/1998/11/10/ken_saro_wiwas_final_testimony_b" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">executed</a> by the country's military in 1995 after leading an uprising against Shell's ecological damage in the region.</p>
<div id="7251f" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="d17fc3bdf03ed8d18c4089fe8c65042f"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1355112842228363265" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">Shell must pay, says the Dutch Court. Their day has come!
#RememberSaroWiwa https://t.co/PPz6zlKnwO</div> — Nnimmo (@Nnimmo)<a href="https://twitter.com/NnimmoB/statuses/1355112842228363265">1611919053.0</a></blockquote></div><p>According to Donald Pols, director of Milieudefensie/Friends of the Earth Netherlands, Friday's ruling represents "fantastic news." He called it "enormous that Shell has to compensate for the damage."</p><p>"This is also a warning for all Dutch transnational corporations involved in injustice worldwide," Pols continued. "Victims of environmental pollution, land grabbing, or exploitation now have a better chance to win a legal battle against the companies involved. People in developing countries are no longer without rights in the face of transnational corporations."</p><p>Shell, for its part, said it was "disappointed" in the ruling and blamed "sabotage" for the oil spills in question.</p><p><em>Reposted with permission from <a href="https://www.commondreams.org/news/2021/01/29/after-13-years-justice-dutch-court-orders-shell-oil-pay-harm-done-nigerian-farmers" target="_blank">Common Dreams</a>. </em></p>
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Researchers Warn of Looming Oil Spill Four Times Larger Than Exxon Valdez if Urgent Action Not Taken
17 December 2020
Oceans
A Maxar Satellite image shows the FSO Safer tanker moored in the Red Sea off Yemen on June 17, 2020. Satellite image (c) 2020 Maxar Technologies / Getty Images
By Andrea Germanos
A team of scientists issued a stark warning Tuesday that the possibility of averting an oil spill bigger than the 1989 Exxon Valdez catastrophe and "disastrous environmental and humanitarian consequences" posed by an abandoned oil tanker in the Red Sea are "quickly disappearing."
<p>At issue is the corroding <em>Safer</em>, moored off the coast of Yemen and under control of Houthi rebels since 2015.</p><p>After blocking such efforts for years, Houthi authorities last month <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/yemen-security-tanker/houthis-approve-un-technical-plan-to-assess-decaying-yemen-oil-tanker-idINL8N2IB218" target="_blank">approved</a> a United Nations plan to visit the tanker early in 2021. U.N. Environment Program executive director Inger Andersen <a href="https://www.commondreams.org/news/2020/07/16/massive-floating-time-bomb-warnings-ecological-humanitarian-disaster-tanker-risks" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">warned</a> in July that the vessel's deteriorating condition and the over 1 million barrels of oil it holds threaten long-term damage to local ecosystems.</p><p>In a <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmars.2020.615733/full" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">policy brief</a> published in <em>Frontiers in Marine Science</em>, researchers said the need to pump off the oil is urgent.</p><p>"A massive leak of over 1 million barrels of oil (4 times the Exxon Valdez tanker spill) is anticipated shortly off the coast of Yemen, in the Red Sea, where the <em>Safer</em> floating storage and offloading unit (FSO) is in the final stages of decay." That quantity, they continued, "guarantees a regional environmental and humanitarian disaster," with impacts certain to affect dozens of coastal countries and the sea's rich biodiversity, including its coral reefs.</p>
<p>Given the stakes, the paper called for the U.N. International Maritime Organization and U.N Secretary-General António Guterres to "take coordinated action and achieve access to the <em>Safer</em> by all means necessary in order to pump off the oil."</p><p>That action must happen before winter, they added, pointing to models showing that "winter oil dispersion will extend further north and into the center of the Red Sea as compared to a spill dispersing during summer."</p><p>"The time is now to prevent a potential devastation to the region's waters and the livelihoods and health of millions of people living in half a dozen countries along the Red Sea's coast," lead author Karine Kleinhaus, MD, MPH, an associate professor of the School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences (SoMAS) at Stony Brook University, said in a statement.</p><p>"If a spill from the Safer is allowed to occur," she continued, "the oil would spread via ocean currents to devastate a global ocean resource, as the coral reefs of the northern Red Sea and Gulf of Aqaba are projected to be among the last reef ecosystems in the world to survive the coming decades."</p>
<p><em>Reposted with permission from <a href="https://www.commondreams.org/news/2020/12/15/researchers-warn-looming-oil-spill-four-times-larger-exxon-valdez-if-urgent-action?cd-origin=rss" target="_blank">Common Dreams</a>.</em></p>From Your Site Articles
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Oil spills, such as the one in Mauritius in August 2020, could soon be among the ecological crimes considered ecocide. - / AFP / Getty Images
By Kenny Stancil
An expert panel of top international and environmental lawyers have begun working this month on a legal definition of "ecocide" with the goal of making mass ecological damage an enforceable international crime on par with war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide.
<p>Assembled by the Stop Ecocide Foundation at the request of several Swedish parliamentarians, the initiative to criminalize the destruction of ecosystems at the global level has already garnered support from European countries as well as small island nations highly vulnerable to rising sea levels.</p><p>The drafting panel is co-chaired by Philippe Sands QC, a professor at University College London, and Justice Florence Mumba, a former judge at the International Criminal Court (ICC). </p><p>The November 20 launch date of the project coincided with the 75th anniversary of the beginning of the Nuremberg trials of Nazi leaders, where the terms "crimes against humanity" and "genocide" were coined.</p>
<p>"The time is right," Sands <a href="https://www.stopecocide.earth/expert-drafting-panel" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">said </a>recently at an event commemorating the Nuremberg trials, "to harness the power of international criminal law to protect our global environment."</p><p>"Seventy five years ago, 'crimes against humanity' and 'genocide' were spoken for the first time, in Nuremberg's Courtroom 600," Sands added, "and my hope is that this group will be able to draw on experience since that day to forge a definition that is practical, effective, and sustainable, and that might attract support to allow an amendment to the ICC Statute to be made."</p><p>Charles Jalloh, a professor at Florida International University and member of the United Nations International Law Commission who is on the panel drafting a legally robust definition of ecocide, said that "states should use all tools at their disposal, including their criminal law power at the national and international levels, to protect our shared global environment and to bring the most responsible perpetrators to justice."</p>
<div id="a7786" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="1141146b6f6ee52f22c2ee4ca9b14037"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1331227090755215363" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">Professor Jalloh is a member of the UN International Law Commission & Editor in Chief of the Journal of African Leg… https://t.co/MAf3pR2tLV</div> — Stop Ecocide International (@Stop Ecocide International)<a href="https://twitter.com/EcocideLaw/statuses/1331227090755215363">1606224246.0</a></blockquote></div>
<p>The Stop Ecocide Foundation <a href="https://www.stopecocide.earth/expert-drafting-panel" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">noted </a>that the concept of criminalizing ecocide "has been steadily gaining traction in recent months since small island states Vanuatu and the Maldives called for 'serious consideration' of it at the ICC's annual assembly" in December 2019. According to the group, French President Emmanuel Macron "has actively promised to champion the idea," and the Belgian government has also "pledged diplomatic action to support it."</p><p>As<em> The Guardian </em><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/law/2020/nov/30/international-lawyers-draft-plan-to-criminalise-ecosystem-destruction" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">reported</a> Monday, the ICC "has previously promised to prioritize crimes that result in the 'destruction of the environment,' 'exploitation of natural resources,' and the 'illegal dispossession' of land."</p><p>"An <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/global/2016/sep/15/hague-court-widens-remit-to-include-environmental-destruction-cases" target="_blank">ICC policy paper in 2016</a> said it was not formally extending its jurisdiction but would assess existing offenses, such as crimes against humanity, in a broader context," <em>The Guardian </em>continued. Yet "there have been no formal investigations or charges of this type so far."</p>
<p>Panel member Pablo Fajardo, the Goldman prize-winning Ecuadorian lawyer who challenged Chevron for polluting the Amazon rainforest,<a href="https://www.stopecocide.earth/expert-drafting-panel" target="_blank"> said</a> that this "great legal vaccum that exists globally" results in "crimes... committed against nature, against life... go[ing] unpunished," even though "these crimes take their toll on humanity."</p><p>"We see... systemic, widespread, and deliberate destruction of the environment without any obvious consequences," <a href="https://www.stopecocide.earth/expert-drafting-panel" target="_blank">said </a>panelist Christina Voigt, a professor at the University of Oslo and expert in climate change law. A newly defined crime of ecocide, she added, "could not only bring those responsible to justice, but also more importantly prevent further destruction."</p><p>As <em>The Guardian</em><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/law/2020/nov/30/international-lawyers-draft-plan-to-criminalise-ecosystem-destruction" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"> pointed out</a>, "one challenge for the drafting panel would be to define at what point an ecocide offense would come into force. Chopping down a single tree on a village green would not be sufficient."</p>
<p>Jojo Mehta, chair of the Stop Ecocide Foundation, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/law/2020/nov/30/international-lawyers-draft-plan-to-criminalise-ecosystem-destruction" target="_blank">told </a><em>The Guardian</em> that "it would have to involve mass, systematic, or widespread destruction" of the world's ecosystems.</p><p>"We are probably talking about Amazon deforestation on a huge scale, deep sea bottom trawling, or oil spills," she said. "We want to place it at the same level as atrocities investigated by the ICC."</p><p>Mehta explained that "in most cases ecocide is likely to be a corporate crime."</p><p>"Criminalizing something at the ICC means that nations that have ratified it have to incorporate it into their own national legislation," she added. "That means there would be lots of options for prosecuting [offending corporations] around the world."</p><p>Preparatory work is now underway, and the panel plans to deliver a draft of a legally enforceable definition of ecocide in early 2021. </p>
<p><em>Reposted with permission from <a href="https://www.commondreams.org/news/2020/11/30/end-impunity-deliberate-destruction-planet-international-lawyers-drafting-plan" target="_blank">Common Dreams</a>.</em></p>From Your Site Articles
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Michigan Governor Moves to Prevent Great Lakes Oil Spill by Shutting Down Aging Pipeline
16 November 2020
Energy
Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer Celebrates Great Lakes and Fresh Water Week, on Aug. 14, 2020. Michigan EGLE / YouTube
Enbridge's aging Line 5 pipeline may finally be forced into retirement.
<p>Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and Michigan Department of Natural Resources Director Dan Eichinger informed Enbridge Friday that they were revoking the Canadian company's easement to run twin <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/pipelines" target="_self">pipelines</a> under the Straits of Mackinac, which divide Lakes Michigan and Huron, the <a href="https://eu.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/2020/11/13/whitmer-revoke-enbridge-line-5-oil-pipeline-easement/6277027002/" target="_blank">Detroit Free Press reported</a>.</p><p>"Here in Michigan, the Great Lakes define our borders, but they also define who we are as people," Whitmer said in a statement reported by the Detroit Free Press. "Enbridge has routinely refused to take action to protect our Great Lakes and the millions of Americans who depend on them for clean <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/drinking-water" target="_self">drinking water</a> and good jobs."</p><p>The Line 5 pipeline has carried <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/fossil-fuels" target="_self">fossil fuels</a> beneath the Straits since 1953, when it was granted an easement to do so by the state of Michigan. It currently carries 23 million gallons of <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/oil-and-gas" target="_self">oil and gas</a> each day through Michigan's Upper Peninsula, splits in two to transport it beneath the lakes and then carries it in another single pipeline through the Lower Peninsula into Ontario.</p>
<p>Whitmer argued that Enbridge had violated the terms of the easement by ignoring structural problems that increased the risk of a devastating <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/oil-spill" target="_self">oil spill</a> in the Lakes. For example, Enbridge was aware that a section of the underwater coating on the twin pipelines was damaged in 2014 but did not inform the state for three years. Whitmer is giving the company until May of 2021 to cease operations in the Straits.</p><p>At the same time, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel filed a complaint in Ingham County Circuit Court asking the judge to uphold the governor's action, <a href="https://www.mlive.com/public-interest/2020/11/enbridge-line-5-ordered-shut-down-by-michigan-gov-whitmer.html" target="_blank">Michigan Live reported</a>.</p><p>Whitmer contends that the pipelines violate the "public trust" doctrine, which entrusts Michigan with protecting the bottom of the Great Lakes for its residents.</p>
<p>"Transporting millions of gallons of petroleum products each day through two 67-year old pipelines that lie exposed in the Straits below uniquely vulnerable and busy shipping lanes presents an extraordinary, unreasonable threat to public rights because of the very real risk of further anchor strikes and other external impacts to the Pipelines, the inherent risks of pipeline operations, and the foreseeable, catastrophic effects if an oil spill occurs at the Straits," the notice she sent to the company read.<br></p><p>Enbridge, however, countered that the pipelines remained safe.</p><p>"This notice and the report from Michigan Department of Natural Resources are a distraction from the fundamental facts," Enbridge Liquids Pipelines Executive Vice President and President Vern Yu said in a statement reported by Michigan Live.</p><p>Alberta Premier Jason Kenney also opposed the move.</p><p>"The impact of this would be devastating," Kenney said, as <a href="https://globalnews.ca/news/7464389/enbridge-line-5-pipeline-michigan/" target="_blank">Global News reported</a>. "It is the single largest supply of gasoline ultimately in southern Ontario, for aviation fuel out of the Detroit airport, for heating fuel in northern Michigan, for the refineries in northern Ohio that fuel much of the midwest U.S. economy, so this is a very very big deal."</p>
<p>However, environmental groups, who have long raised alarms about the pipeline, praised Whitmer's decision.</p><p>"Line 5 should have never been built in the first place," Mike Shriberg, regional executive director of the <a href="https://www.nwf.org/great-lakes" target="_blank">National Wildlife Federation's Great Lakes Regional Center</a>, told the Detroit Free Press. "Gov. Whitmer is now bravely, and correctly, standing up for the Great Lakes. This is a legacy-defining action by the governor. She is standing on the side not only of clean water, but clean energy and the jobs that go along with the transition to a <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/renewable-energy" target="_self">renewable energy</a> economy."</p><p>The National Wildlife Federation <a href="https://blog.nwf.org/2020/11/a-win-a-decade-in-the-making-governor-whitmer-moves-to-shut-down-line-5/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">noted</a> that another Enbridge pipeline was responsible in 2010 for one of the worst inland oil spills in U.S. history, when its Line 6b spilled more than one million gallons of tar sands into 40 miles of the Kalamazoo River.</p>
<p>Whitmer's action will not immediately affect <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/enbridge-line-5-replacement-2609955963.html" target="_self">plans to replace</a> Line 5 with a new pipeline to be installed in a tunnel drilled into the bedrock beneath the Straits, according to Global News. The deal to build the replacement was struck between Enbridge and Whitmer's predecessor Republican Rick Snyder. However, Enbridge is still in the process of seeking state and federal permits for the project.</p><p>Environmental groups oppose the replacement as well, arguing that the Great Lakes would be vulnerable to spills during the seven to 10 year construction process and that there are better ways to meet Michigan's energy needs. Now, Shriberg argued that Whitmer's shutdown of the existing pipelines would bolster the case of those who oppose their replacement.</p><p>"Enbridge could still go ahead with their current tunnel proposal, but it's going to be much harder to prove to regulators there's a need if Line 5 is already shut down," he told the Detroit Free Press.</p>
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Coast Guard members work to clean an oil spill impacting Delaware beaches. U.S. Coast Guard District 5
Environmental officials and members of the U.S. Coast Guard are racing to clean up a mysterious oil spill that has spread to 11 miles of Delaware coastline.
<p>When the spill was first discovered Monday, it covered only three-fourths of a mile along Broadkill Beach, <a href="https://eu.delmarvanow.com/story/news/2020/10/21/delaware-bay-oil-spill-affects-wider-area-day-three/6004537002/" target="_blank">Delaware Now reported</a>. However, the tides have extended the reach of the <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/oil" target="_self">oil</a> every day, spreading it along seven miles of Delaware Bay coastline by Tuesday and 11 by Wednesday.</p><p>"We are focused on cleanup operations and getting the oil off our beaches and out of our coastal communities as quickly as possible," Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC) Secretary Shawn Garvin said in a <a href="https://news.delaware.gov/2020/10/21/unified-command-incident-command-post-established-for-oil-cleanup-efforts-on-delaware-shore/" target="_blank">Wednesday press release</a>. "Expediency is key. We want to capture as much of the oil as we can before it disperses further and causes more environmental harm."</p>
<p>DNREC is working under unified command with the U.S. Coast Guard to clean the spill, which now extends from Fowler Beach, which borders the Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge, to Cape Henlopen State Park. It was estimated initially that more than 215 gallons of oil had spilled, but the actual amount may be larger, <a href="https://philadelphia.cbslocal.com/2020/10/22/oil-spill-off-delaware-beach-appears-to-be-spreading/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">CBS Philly reported</a>.</p>
<div id="d251e" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="7e03c3596cb3f2b3cf90bb8da0df1a82"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1318672504018317314" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">The oil line from the spill now extends approximately 11 miles from Fowler Beach bordering Prime Hook National Wild… https://t.co/c4TfENSvGw</div> — DNREC (@DNREC)<a href="https://twitter.com/YourDNREC/statuses/1318672504018317314">1603230999.0</a></blockquote></div>
<p>As of Tuesday, recovery efforts had removed around two tons of oily sand and debris, according to DNREC. There are currently more than 75 contractors, DNREC workers and Coast Guard members responding to the spill.</p>
<div id="2bfe2" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="96675d12f78afda6e8606f0fb7d1fe93"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1319010494993358849" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">Approximately two tons of oily sand and debris was removed from the affected areas as of 7 p.m., Tuesday. https://t.co/bdCxr8ZNda</div> — DNREC (@DNREC)<a href="https://twitter.com/YourDNREC/statuses/1319010494993358849">1603311582.0</a></blockquote></div>
<p>The oil has already impacted some <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/wildlife" target="_self">wildlife</a>. <a href="https://tristatebird.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Tri-State Bird Rescue and Research</a> had responded to reports of 24 seagulls covered in oil as of Wednesday.<br></p><p>The spill has mostly taken the form of oil patties that range in size from a quarter to a manhole cover, the <a href="https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/USDHSCG/bulletins/2a6cad4?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=twitter&utm_term=01335c08-da44-4982-a064-9551c1d7e263&utm_content=&utm_campaign=" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Coast Guard said Tuesday</a>.</p><p>Cape Henlopen park watch volunteer Julie McCall got a first-hand view of the strange black blobs when she was conducting a bird count on Beach Plum Island Monday.</p><p>"On the way back, after the tide had gone out quite a bit, I started seeing these bigger patches, and I thought, 'That looks like oil,'" McCall <a href="https://whyy.org/articles/seven-mile-oil-spill-fouls-delaware-coastline/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">told WHYY</a>. "Some were bigger than my foot."</p><p>The Coast Guard said it would use the blobs to try and determine the source of the spill.</p><p>"Working with our partners at DNREC and state agencies, we will continue to monitor the future potential to the Broadkill Beach area, continue cleanup operations and conduct an investigation to try and determine the source," Capt. Jonathan Theel, the commanding officer of Sector Delaware Bay, said in a press release.</p><p>However, officials think the oil is probably heavy fuel oil that leaked from a vessel, WHYY reported.</p><p>McCall said she was worried about how the oil would impact people and animals.</p><p>"It's very scary," she told WHYY. "Of course, we're always concerned about the marine animals, and any kind of toxic material in the water. I'm also concerned about <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/birds" target="_self">birds</a>, any kind of wildlife. A lot of people fish at Beach Plum Island and people walk their dogs and there are kids on the beach. So I'm concerned about exposure to people and animals."</p>
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The Mauritius Oil Spill Cannot Be Cleaned Up, but Damages Must Be Paid
06 October 2020
Insights + Opinion
International Maritime Organization workers in hazmat suits stand in surf near the wreck of the MV Wakashio on August 13, 2020. imo.un / Wikimedia Commons / CC by 2.0
By Roshan Rajroop, Melita Steele and Hisayo Takada
Oil spills make visible the huge price being paid by the environment, wildlife and human communities for our reliance on fossil fuels. They are a harsh demonstration of the fragility of our oceans. They are a sad reminder of how urgent it is that we end our addiction to fossil fuels and make the transition to alternative renewable energy sources.
<p>On the 25th of July the Japanese bulk carrier MV Wakashio — chartered by Mitsui OSK and owned by Nagashiki Shipping — struck a beautiful and irreplaceable coral reef on Mauritius' southeast coast. The ship was sailing dangerously close to the reef, and ran aground. Twelve days later, the ship began leaking heavy fuel oil, devastating one of the most beautiful places in the world and ruining the livelihoods of coastal communities.</p><p>Over the past five weeks in Mauritius, we have witnessed long stretches of ocean, unique mangroves and pristine lagoons become quickly coated with oil. We have watched the people of Mauritius rushing to the beach, risking themselves as they attempt to remove the oil from every rock and grain of sand, desperately trying to recapture their homeland's beauty submerged by toxic waves, being brought relentlessly by the tide to the shore. Our hearts went out to the families of seamen who lost their lives in a salvage operation. Thousands of species around the pristine lagoons of Blue Bay, Pointe d'Esny and Mahebourg are at risk of suffocating or drowning in a sea of pollution, with dire consequences for Mauritius' tourism, and people's food security and health. </p><p>Furthermore, some of the most toxic components of the oil spill can build up as hidden contaminants in marine organisms, through which they can enter into the food-chain. Oil residues accumulate in sediments, especially on shores. The impacts of this oil spill — like any other oil spill — will be felt years after the surface oil has been removed. The people of Mauritius are going to have to live with this devastating reality for decades. </p>
<p>There is no question that Mitsui OSK and Nagashiki Shipping are jointly the cause of the devastating pollution in Mauritian waters. After the first 12 days of their silence, Mitsui OSK and Nagashiki Shipping apologized for this disaster. For that apology to mean anything, it must be backed up with action. This would require fully applying the "polluter pays" principle, which means the companies pay for all current and future damages.</p><p>At the same time, emerging reports suggest that the Japanese and Mauritian governments have entered into talks for the Japanese government to provide a mere 3.6 billion yen (almost 34 million USD) to the Mauritian government to support the local fisherfolk who have been impacted by the spill. </p><p>While steps by the Japanese government to help the government of Mauritius cope with the toxic impacts of the oil spill are welcome, Japanese taxpayers should not be liable for the actions of the Japanese companies, which were reckless enough to allow one of its largest vessels to travel so close to coral reefs and run aground. Ultimately, those who are responsible for the pollution must pay for the damage that their pollution has caused. Mitsui OSK and Nagashiki Shipping seem to be avoiding their responsibilities. </p>
<p>The "polluter pays" principle would require funding, among other things, a fully public independent investigation into the causes and consequences of the oil spill, and a commitment to stop using this shipping route.</p><p>This needs to account for the livelihoods of those dependent on fishing and tourism, the coral reefs, mangroves, wetlands and the entire, vulnerable ecosystem. A recent announcement by Mitsui OSK shows a positive early sign as it resolves to address the damages the company caused with a long-term view toward recovery. This goes beyond the charterer's liability, and the social responsibility of the company involved is clearly required in a case like this. </p><p>It is impossible to completely hold a company accountable through the law alone. The legal framework for environmental issues is under development. For this reason, Mitsui OSK and Nagashiki Shipping must proactively commit to their social responsibility, rather than taking advantage of legal loopholes.</p><p>Most importantly, Mitsui OSK and Nagashiki Shipping should use this disaster as an opportunity to finally break away from fossil fuels and to shift toward sustainable renewable energy. The two companies should give up transporting coal, oil and gas. Specifically Mitsui OSK should end any involvement in oil and gas production, including around LNG. </p>
<p>If it weren't for fossil fuels, none of this would have happened. Companies producing, carrying and burning oil would like us to think that with enough goodwill it can be cleaned up, like milk spilled on the kitchen floor. Unfortunately, that is not the case.</p><p>In addition to threatening the biodiversity of the oceans and the livelihoods of coastal communities, our use of oil is a driver of the global climate crisis. The world's foremost climate scientists have warned that we must urgently and radically minimize the use of oil, gas and coal in order to avoid the worst impacts of the climate emergency. The climate crisis is an existential threat and in response to it, there is a movement of millions of people across the world who are taking action. This oil spill is a tragic and devastating reminder that fossil fuels are toxic, and our reliance on them puts both people and the planet at risk. Now is the time to build a better future.</p>
<p><em>Roshan Rajroop is the President of human rights organization Dis Moi. Melita Steele and Hisayo Takada are the program directors for the environmental organization Greenpeace Africa and Greenpeace Japan.</em></p>
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A Japanese ship that ran aground on a coral reef off Mauritius may have changed course to get a mobile data signal for a birthday celebration on board. imo.un / Wikimedia Commons / CC by 2.0
A Japanese ship that wrecked off the coast of Mauritius in July and sparked one of the worst environmental disasters in the country's history may have run aground because of birthday celebrations on board at the time.
<p>That's according to a statement from the Panama Maritime Authority (AMP), in the latest development from the July 25 wrecking of the Panama-flagged and Japanese-owned M.V. Wakashio, a bulk carrier. The ship, bound for Brazil from Singapore, was sailing through Mauritian waters when it ran aground on a coral reef and <a href="https://news.mongabay.com/2020/08/mauritius-grapples-with-worst-environmental-crisis-in-a-generation/" target="_blank">leaked almost 1,000 tons</a> of fuel oil.</p><p>In its <a href="https://amp.gob.pa/notas-de-prensa/delegacion-panamena-de-expertos-en-accidentes-maritimos-asiste-en-investigaciones-sobre-el-accidente-de-la-embarcacion-wakashio-en-isla-mauricio/" target="_blank">statement</a> published in Spanish on Sept. 7, the AMP, which is collaborating in the investigation into the accident, said the ship diverted its navigation plan, possibly in relation to "the celebration of the birthday of one of the crew members."</p>
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<p>"[T]he change of course is produced by indications of the captain of the boat, who gave instructions to approach about 5 miles away from the coast of Mauritius, looking for a telephone and internet signal, so that the crew members could communicate with their families," the AMP said.</p><p>The Wakashio's captain was taken into custody on Aug. 18 for endangering safe navigation. According to the government, the ship had failed to respond to several calls from the Mauritian Coast Guard.</p><p>Mauritius's environment minister, Kavydass Ramano, called it an "unprecedented" crisis, and the prime minister declared a national emergency on Aug. 7, a day after oil began leaking from its tank.</p><p>The AMP said its investigation into the cause of the grounding was still in the preliminary phase. It also raised questions about the use of the electronic navigational chart (ENC). "It seems that the wrong chart was being used and with the wrong scale, which made it impossible to properly verify the approach to the coast and shallower waters," the AMP said.</p>
<p><span style="background-color: initial;">Satellite data analysis reported by Forbes shows the ship </span><u style="background-color: initial;"><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/nishandegnarain/2020/08/09/how-satellites-traced-the-fateful-journey-of-the-ship-that-led-to--mauritius-worst-oil-spill-disaster/#8c542495b428" target="_blank">changed course</a></u><span style="background-color: initial;"> on July 21, putting it on a direct collision path with the island. The outlet also reported that weather conditions in the days leading up to the crash were not adverse, discounting bad weather as a possible explanation for the move.</span><br></p><p>Some observers say the missteps could be linked to the stress that ship crews are under in the upheaval caused by the COVID-19 shutdowns. It has become challenging for shipping operators to make crew changes, leading many seafarers to be stranded at sea, away from their families for long periods.</p><p>The Wakashio ran aground on the reef close to at least three ecologically important sites: a Ramsar wetland, a coral island hosting rare and endemic birds, and a marine protected area. Environmentalists say they fear the spill will have lasting effects on the coral reefs, mangroves and fisheries in the region.</p><p>Last week, Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL), the Japanese company operating the ship, pledged 1 billion yen ($9.5 million) for environmental preservation efforts and to shore up local fisheries.</p><p>Nagashiki Shipping, the owner of the Wakashio, will also be contributing to this initiative, called the Mauritius Natural Environment Recovery Fund. The money will go toward mangrove recovery, coral reef protection and safeguarding Mauritius's rare flora and fauna, and for research work.</p>
<p>The Japanese government has also offered aid, but the value of its commitment is undecided. Japanese media have reported that Mauritius is seeking 1.34 billion Mauritian rupees ($34 million) from Tokyo.</p><p>Mauritius is also seeking compensation from Nagashiki Shipping. It has started the process of collecting claims from residents impacted by the crash and the spill.</p><p>Mauritian authorities have come under increasing scrutiny at home for letting the ship remain on the reef for more than 10 days, even as choppy waters damaged the vessel and ultimately led to a breach in the fuel tank. The ship broke into two on Aug. 15.</p>
<p>A controversial <u><a href="https://news.mongabay.com/2020/08/mauritiuss-plan-to-dump-part-of-wrecked-ship-sparks-controversy/" target="_blank">decision</a></u> to sink the front half of the ship on Aug. 25, and the beaching of dozens of dolphins and whales days just days later, fueled further discontent. The causes of the deaths of the cetaceans are yet to be determined.</p><p>On Aug. 29, <u><a href="https://news.mongabay.com/2020/09/mauritians-take-to-the-street-over-oil-spill-and-dolphin-and-whale-deaths/" target="_blank">thousands of people</a></u> marched in the streets of the capital, Port Louis, to protest what they see as the government's mishandling of the crisis. Another protest was held in Mahebourg, an important fishing village, on Sept. 12.</p><p>Meanwhile, the stern of the broken vessel remains lodged on the reef. Efforts are underway to remove it before the Indian Ocean storm season starts in November.</p>
<p><em>Reposted with permission from <a href="https://news.mongabay.com/2020/09/birthday-party-on-ship-may-have-led-to-oil-spill-in-mauritius-panama-regulator-says/#:~:text=A%20Japanese%20ship%20that%20ran,flag%20the%20vessel%20was%20sailing." target="_blank">Mongabay</a>.</em></p>From Your Site Articles
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A man scoops leaked oil from the Japanese-owned MV Wakashio that ran aground near Blue Bay Marine Park off the coast of Mauritius on August 8, 2020. Jean Aurelio Prudence / L'Express Maurice / AFP / Getty Images
By Seerat Chabba
Mauritius has asked Japan to pay close to 3.6 billion yen (€28.5 billion, $34 million) in order to support local fishermen whose livelihoods were adversely impacted by an oil leak last month, according to a Mauritian government document accessed by Japanese news agency Kyodo News.
<p><br/></p>
<p>The spill occurred when Japanese bulk carrier MV Wakashio, owned by Nagashiki Shipping Co., crashed into a reef off southeastern Mauritius in July. More than 1,000 tons of oil spilled into waters that are home to mangrove forests and endangered species, causing Mauritius to declare a "state of environmental emergency" on August 7.</p><p>As the island nation attempts to control the spread of the fuel, there has been considerable debate over who will pay for the damage inflicted on sea life and those who are dependent on it for their livelihoods.</p>
<p>According to the document cited by Kyodo, Mauritius has estimated a cost of over $30 million for constructing 100 fishing boats, while over $240,000 would be used for providing training to 475 fishermen and 60 skippers who may not have experience fishing in rough seas.</p><p>Over $3 million has been requested for renovating Mauritius' Albion Fisheries Research Center, which was built in the 1980s with Japanese assistance.</p><p>According to the Japanese agency, an official from the Embassy of Japan in Mauritius confirmed that various requests had been received. The official said, "It is true that we are currently receiving various requests. Japan is working to promptly do all that it can."</p>
<p>Over the weekend, Mauritius saw large scale demonstrations in the capital, the biggest protests the country has seen in 40 years. Close to 75,000 protesters marched against Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth's inaction in dealing with the crisis, calling for the leader and many top officials to step down.</p><p>Signs such as "Your incompetence is destroying our island," "You have no shame," and "I've seen better Cabinets at IKEA" were carried by protesters, who were also outraged over the alarming discovery of dozens of dead dolphins in recent days.</p>
<p><em>Reposted with permission from </em><em><a href="https://www.dw.com/en/mauritius-oil-spill-japan-asked-to-pay-34-million-support-local-fishermen/a-54789180?maca=en-VAM_volltext_ecowatch-28485-html-copypaste" target="_blank">Deutsche Welle</a>.</em><a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/r/entryeditor/2647435775#/" target="_self"></a></p>From Your Site Articles
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Protesters March Against Oil Spill 'Incompetence' in Mauritius as More Dead Dolphins Wash Ashore
31 August 2020
Animals
People protest against the government's response to the oil spill disaster in front of the prime minister's office in Port Louis, Mauritius on Aug. 29, 2020. FABIEN DUBESSAY / AFP via Getty Images
Protestors filled the streets of Mauritius's capital city, Port Louis, over the weekend to demand resignations of officials and an investigation into the oil spill that has jeopardized the future health of the country's marine reserves, according to Reuters. The protests were catalyzed by more than a dozen dead dolphins with traces of oil washing up on Mauritian beaches.
<p>After the initial wave of dead dolphins, the government revised the number of dead whales and dolphins, bringing the total up to 39, according to <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/nishandegnarain/2020/08/29/mauritius-sees-popular-protests-over-handling-of-the-wakashio-oil-spill-and-whale-deaths/#d2c5b7452531" target="_blank">Forbes</a>.</p><p>Roughly 100,000 people filled the streets on Saturday, according to <a href="https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/africa/mauritius-oil-spill-protests-dolphins-dead-port-louis-a9695591.html" target="_blank">The Independent</a>, marking it the largest protest the island nation has seen in 40 years. On Saturday, the protestors were dressed in black and held drawings of dolphins and signs saying, "citizens wake up citizens." Others held signs that said, "Dolphin Lives Matter."</p><p>Some protestors carried Mauritian flags and draped them around statues, including one of Queen Victoria.</p>
<p>The demand for the march came from an ordinary citizen, Jean Bruneau Laurette, a maritime security expert who has taken a strong stance against the country's prime minister. Laurette has insisted that the government is hiding information about the oil spill and has filed a case in court against the country's environmental ministry, according to <a href="https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3099425/massive-oil-spill-prompts-largest-protest-mauritius-40-years" target="_blank">Agence-France Presse</a> (AFP).</p><p>Some in the peaceful protest called for the government to step down. They wore t-shirts that read, "I love my country. I'm ashamed of my country," according to the <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-53959889" target="_blank">BBC</a>.</p><p>The normally idyllic island is a paradise tourist destination known for its warm waters and vibrant marine life. It seldom sees political movements rise up, underscoring the anger felt by the citizens over what some experts have called an ecological disaster.</p>
<p>One demonstrator told the BBC: "I am present today because we want the truth. They didn't do anything when the ship approached our coastline – 12 days they didn't do anything until the oil spill and now thousands of people and marine people are affected."</p><p>The ship the woman referred to is the Japanese cargo ship the MV Wakashio, which was awaiting instructions about its next port after delivering goods, when it struck a coral reef on July 25. The damage to the ship's hull caused the ship to leak roughly 1,000 tons of fuel and to break apart.</p><p>The larger part of the boat was dragged out to sea where it was allowed to sink, while the remaining third sunk where the ship struck the corals. The government's handling of the crash and the sinking of the ship have drawn anger from the public.</p>
<p>As The Independent reported, Christian Merle, 18, said, "This didn't have to happen. It is sheer incompetence. What did [the government] do during those nearly two weeks between [the bulk carrier MV] Wakashio running aground and the oil spill? Nothing! Nothing!"</p><p>"This rally is an occasion to send a message to tell [Prime Minister] Pravind Jugnauth he has messed up," marcher Jocelyne Leung, 35, told AFP.</p><p>"This is the first time that a citizens' demonstration has gathered such a big crowd," said Ajay Gunness who holds the number two post in the opposition party, as the AFP reported.</p><p>The demonstration was not just confined to Port Louis. Demonstrators who have a connection to Mauritius turned out in solidarity in cities around the work including in Canada, New Zealand, Australia, Switzerland, France, Luxembourg, Germany and the UK, as Forbes reported.</p><p>Hans Balgobin, 31, demonstrated in front of the High Commission of Mauritius in London. "Mauritian society is unique," he said, as The Independent reported. We all mix together and we live in mutual dignity. I was present today to show my support from abroad."</p>
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