TIP 9 — DISPOSAL OF OIL AND DEBRIS

The technical information paper no. 9 issued by the ITOPF to cover the disposal of oil and debris during the oil spill clean-up operations. Most of such activities, and particularly the operations on shore, eventually result in collection of significant amounts of oil and oily wastes.

The storage of wastes and their disposal is one of the critically important aspects of the oil spill response operations and that is the reason why proper waste management provisions shall be highlighted in the oil spill contingency plans developed for the operation. It is also important to make all necessary arrangements at the very beginning of any spill incident in order to prevent any waste issues resulting from compromising the efforts and actually becoming a serious problem continuing long after the completion of the clean-up operation.

The present document is exploring the different options that are available today for the management of wastes normally generated in the course of the ship oil spills at sea. In fact, as the experience shows, the disposal and treatment of collected wastes is one of the most costly and time consuming components of any oil spill response activity. Its amount depends on type of the oil spilt and its quantity, and many other factors, including the extent to which the spilt oil spreads consequently affecting the shoreline...