Disposal of oil in sandy coastal soils

A combination of survey and experimental studies is being conducted to determine the ecological risks associated with disposal of oiled beach material (OBM) in coastal sand dunes and dune pastures. Past incidence of burial close to shoreline spill locations was less than expected and the two sites located in Britain showed very different patterns of oil degradation and site recovery. Field scale experiments revealed that breakdown of hydrocarbons within OBM began very quickly after deposition, even in nutrient-poor sand, leading to almost complete degradation of crude oil. There appears to be no lateral or vertical loss of oil or its breakdown products and recolonization of deposited OBM does occur naturally, though supplementary planting helps in stabilizing the sand surface. The application of this method in practical terms is constrained by the availability of suitable sites where it is possible to minimize physical disturbance to dune systems by lorries or other equipment employed in the removal process.