Bio-dispersants from Guj to clean oil traces in mangroves

CHENNAI: A month after the Ennore oil spill incident, bio-dispersants have been airlifted from Gujarat to clean oil traces in mangroves, Chennai Petroleum Corporation Limited (CPCL) has told National Green Tribunal (NGT).
Apart from coastal villages and adjoining beaches, oil traces were found along the outer line of the ecologically sensitive mangroved, near the mouth of Buckingham Canal.
State pollution control board had directed CPCL to clean it under National Institute of Oceanography, Goa's guidance.
Skimmers and sorbents were used to remove oil from affected areas. But such traditional methods can't be used to clean oil from mangroves. So, since January 9 NIO has been using herbal nano bio-dispersants, CPCL told the tribunal last week.
Lab test results suggest that total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH) value in these affected areas is on the decline, indicating that there is no fresh contamination.
"Though the photographs produced by the CPCL would make it appear that the surface water is cleaned, apart from it, the sediments have to be examined and oil has to be removed," said the tribunal on November 11.
The case was adjourned to February 27 as the entire process would take a minimum of three months.
Over one lakh litres of oily water and 393 tonnes of oil sludge were removed in Ennore and sent to CPCL's local plant for treatment and disposal. Besides this, around 740 tonnes of solid waste debris, containing very minimal oil content, were also processed at the plant.