Oil spills can cause damage to the environment and the nature that depends on it. Often, we only hear about oil spills that are larger in scale or bodies of water. However, more minor, frequent oil spills on land can wreak havoc on the environment over time if no action is taken.

An oil spill releases a liquid petroleum hydrocarbon into the environment and is a form of pollution. Oil eventually spreads out, thinning as it dies, until it becomes widespread. Clean-up methods that are not environmentally friendly can produce toxic fumes and end up doing more harm than good.

Keep reading to find out the effects an oil spill can have on land and what the best product is to have on hand.

Farms and Grasslands

As spilled oil on lands prevents water absorption by the soil, spills on grasslands’ agricultural locations affect choking off plant life. If a spill occurs in these environments, the highest response priorities are to prevent oil from leaching into groundwater or entering waterways as a run-off and to return the soil to productive use as quickly as possible.

Urban Environments

In urban areas, spill response strategies place primary emphasis on protecting human health and restoring usability to the spill site as quickly as possible. Since the metropolitan area can encompass everything from paved surfaces to forests and parks, the specific response must be tailored to the affected ecosystem.

In these environments, recovery of spilled oil is a top priority, as it can leach into groundwater or enter rivers and streams as run-off. Because used oil should never be flushed into the sewage system, it’s essential to contain the spill as early as possible.

In some cases, the spilled area can be flooded to “float” the oil or move it to the water’s surface, as it is typically lighter than water to allow for recovery.

The Solution? ABC Absorbent

The impact of oil spills can be detrimental, so it’s crucial to have effective and convenient solutions. ABC Balancing Beads offers an absorbent made up of an organic blend that is safe for the environment with over twenty times the absorption rate of conventional absorbents.

The addition of oil and hydrocarbon digesting microbes allows for the disposal of the used sorbent contaminated with oil into the environment.

Oil spills on land that require a fast response or in locations difficult to reach by vehicle, the absorbent should be as light and compact as possible to facilitate transfer by personnel on foot. That requires a sorbent with a high pickup-to-weight ratio plus a high oil containment capability.

Once applied, ABC absorbent can be left without disposal as the microbes will bioremediate the contaminant and the sorbent itself. Our lightweight organic material makes transporting the absorbent quick and easy for spills not easily accessible.

The ABC Difference 

At ABC Balancing Beads, our mission is to bring great value and provide environmentally friendly solutions. If you find yourself facing an accidental oil spill on the road, you’ll want to make sure you have an ABC absorbent on hand for a quick, safe, and easy clean-up.