The Effects of Oil Spills in the Ocean – Accident or Not

Leaks, accidental spills and other unexpected or intentional careless actions of oil in the water are big problems to deal with. When the ocean is affected because of oil spills, it is not something easy and quick to resolve. Time becomes relevant and important once an area of the ocean has oil spills in it.

What are the effects of oil spill in the ocean that everyone must know? Why do we need to care for the water in the ocean? Is the marine life greatly affected?

How Oil is Spilled in the Water

There are ships that mainly transport oil from one continent to another, or country to the other. This is the kind of ship that has to be careful when running in the water. One mistake is able to make oil spill and it’s contagious.

Other ships, whether passenger or cargo of other items, can also spill oil if there are leaks or accidents that cause the floating transportation to roll. These circumstances are common causes why the ocean and the marine life suffer from the effects of oil spills.

If not directly in the water, oil spill may begin from offshore. Yet, it may still trigger results wherein the marine life and seashore are affected. These can be from factories nearby the beach, industrial or commercial buildings by the seashore, etc.

Where Oil Spills are Affected

Oil spills definitely affect everything in the water and on the seashore. This can cause problems with all the sediments on the beach, which include the sand, the pebbles and gravel, rocks, as well as boulders, vegetation, and sea creatures. It also triggers contamination and erosion, which eventually do not only harm the marine life, but also humans and land animals.

The water is also able to move oil onto the shore of the beach through waves. When it does, this is how the sand and gravel are affected. Not to mention, the animals living nearby, including birds, are prone to danger.

Of course, oil spill in the water greatly damages the ocean and every living thing in it. Fish and other sea creatures, including plants in the water are very much affected. This is when fishing becomes not productive, because any dead fish caused by oil spill is poisoned, and it’s not recommended for food consumption by people.

Hypothermia is also one of the effects brought by oil spill. All wildlife and marine life can be poisoned by oil waste. When oil is mixed with water, “mousse” is formed, a substance that stick to animal furs and feathers. This can make them die in time due to hypothermia. In addition, ingesting toxins and poisons can lead to thermal insulation and reproductive system damage.

People also suffer due to oil spill. We won’t be able to enjoy swimming in the water, snorkeling, surfing, scuba diving, and other ocean or beach activities if it is spilled with oil. It takes some time before the water is announced to be clear for these fun habits.

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