Animal rescuers in Berkshire, England, are expressing frustration as frequent oil spills in a nearby river threaten local wildlife.
What's happening?
The BBC reported that more than 20 swans were rescued after being discovered wading in "thick black oil" in the River Kennet in July 2024 following a reported oil spill.
Wendy Hermon, who works with local charity Swan Support, told the BBC that it was "very frustrating and upsetting to have to deal with this especially as it could have been avoided." She added that oil spills were becoming an annual occurrence in the area and criticized the Environment Agency's response times to such events.
Why are oil spills concerning?
Per the BBC, the removal of the swans from the water for cleaning caused the birds distress. However, it was necessary for their survival, as oil in a bird's coat removes its natural waterproofing and can cause them to sink.
Meanwhile, the presence of oil in rivers and streams threatens the availability of clean, safe drinking water for people. In fact, oil spills in rivers can have more significant impacts on humans and ecosystems than ocean spills, according to Dam It Dams.
That's because oceans tend to have more unpredictable and fluctuating currents that can dilute the oil faster, and they also are much deeper than rivers, where pollutants can easily sink to the riverbed and mix into the sediment.
What's being done about oil spills?
A representative with Thames Water in nearby Reading told the BBC that the company had worked with the EA to place booms on the river to minimize the oil spill's impact on wildlife. They also completed cleanup on the pipework and are carrying out regular testing of the surface water sewer on the street.
One way we can help avoid these types of catastrophes is by relying less on oil in the first place. Oil is often used as a fuel source to power our cars and homes, but cleaner options include utilizing clean power sources like community solar and ditching gas-powered vehicles for EVs. Cutting our use of oil will also help to curb the warming of our planet, as the burning of this fuel source accounts for about a third of all carbon pollution.
Meanwhile, people across the world are coming together to clean up oil spills when they do occur. For instance, thousands of people in Venezuela donated their hair to clean a lake contaminated with oil — and it worked. Plus, one canine consultancy company is exploring how dogs can help sniff out any areas of stray oil missed after cleanups.
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