Guidance

How to use oil spill treatment products and equipment

Information on spraying oil spill dispersants, different products and equipment, training, and keeping records.

Documents

Spraying

Protocol for efficacy testing – Report LR448

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Details

You must consider the effects of any intervention. Some of these techniques are poorly-suited to marine conditions around the coast of UK. Unless the oil can be physically recovered, the choice is often between leaving the oil alone or using dispersants.

You should let the Marine Management Organisation (MMO) and the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) know your intended response to a pollution incident. You should seek any approval and continue to consult throughout your response to the incident.

You should keep a record of the type and volume of dispersant used at specific times in specific, identifiable areas. Keep MCA and MMO informed of developments following the use of dispersants.

Once the operation has been completed, you must prepare a report detailing how the dispersant was used and send it to MMO. This will be used to monitor the product’s ability to do its job (efficacy) of particular actions and products.

Further information

How to clean an oil spill at sea

Approved oil spill treatment products

Report and respond to a marine pollution incident

Get an oil spill treatment product approved

Contact information

Marine Conservation Team

Telephone: 0300 123 1032

dispersants@marinemanagement.org.uk

Updates to this page

Published 11 June 2014
Last updated 29 April 2015 + show all updates
  1. Telephone number changed

  2. First published.

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