Frequent small-scale oil spills in the United Kingdom are grossly underreported and causing environmental damage, according to one nonprofit environmental organization.
What's happening?
Conservation charity Oceana released a report that assessed the impacts of "chronic oiling events," or small-scale oil spills in the UK. As The Conversation explained, this report revealed that for many years, the North Sea has suffered the impacts of hundreds of these chronic oiling events.
According to the news site, a certain amount of oil and chemical pollution by oil and gas operations is permitted by the government. Companies apply for waste discharge permits, which allow them to release "produced water" — a byproduct of oil and gas operations — into the ocean. Though the produced water may be treated before its release, it still contains finely dispersed oil and toxic heavy metals like arsenic and mercury.
According to the report, companies regularly surpass their permitted amounts of produced water discharges — Oceana says there were 723 such permit-breaching incidents in the last 3.5 years alone. If these unaccounted incidents were factored into official data for accidental oil spills, estimates for the volume of oil spilling into the country's seas would increase by at least 43%, the organization said.
Why is this report important?
According to The Conversation, these chronic oiling events pose a major threat to both humans and the environment — it noted that while the amounts of oil released at a time are smaller, the incremental effects over time are still substantial. For instance, toxic oil and chemical byproducts can enter the food chain after being absorbed by animals like fish and can then be passed on to humans who eat them.
Plus, these spills pose direct threats to marine life — anything from cell and DNA damage, to disruption of reproductive functions, and the changing of gene expression, according to the publication. Oceana's report said that an estimated 248 chronic oiling events took place in marine-protected areas between January 2021 and May 2024, threatening rare, important, or threatened habitats and species.
What's being done about chronic oiling events?
The UK government has so far been lax in punishing violations, according to The Conversation. However, a new water (special measures) bill will force the country's water companies to clean up rivers and oceans, and the author advocated for similar actions to be taken with polluting oil and gas companies.
It also noted that there is widespread public support for holding polluters accountable. This is part of a worldwide trend, as people are becoming fed up with the oil and gas pollution problem. For instance, Vermont recently passed a law that requires Big Oil to pay for damages from the effects of climate change.
Plus, many major corporations are cutting ties with the industry. For instance, the ING Group, a Dutch multinational banking and financial services corporation, announced that it will stop financing oil and gas exploration and production by 2040.
One way you can help is by reducing your dependence on these dirty fuels, which will reduce the overall demand. For instance, you can ride your bike more or take public transit. You can also sign up for community solar, which will save you money on your utility bills.
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