The Observer, July 2006

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Council seeks ban on dispersant use

The board of directors of the citizens’ council voted at its May meeting in Valdez to oppose any use of chemical dispersants for responding to North Slope crude oil spills in Prince William Sound and nearby waters affected by the Exxon Valdez oil spill of 1989.

Previously, the council position had been that dispersants could be used on an oil spill as a last resort if mechanical recovery efforts with booms and skimmers proved ineffective.

In theory, the chemicals disperse surface oil into the water column, thereby diluting it, preventing it from fouling shorelines, and speeding up the process by which bacterial action renders it harmless.

But, the council concluded, research has failed to bear out the claims of dispersant proponents. The new position is as follows:

“After years of observing dispersant trials, dispersant effectiveness monitoring, advising and sponsoring independent research regarding chemical dispersant use, it is the position of the Prince William Sound Regional Citizens’ Advisory Council (the Council) that dispersants should not be used on Alaska North Slope crude oil spills in the waters of our region. Until such time as chemical dispersant effectiveness is demonstrated in our region and shown to minimize adverse effects on the environment, the Council does not support dispersant use as an oil spill response option.  Mechanical recovery and containment of crude oil spilled at sea should remain the primary methodology employed in our region.”

“Dispersants have been tried once in the Sound,” said John Devens, executive director of the council. “That was on oil from the Exxon Valdez, and they failed so spectacularly that Exxon wasn’t allowed to try them again. We’ve seen nothing to persuade us dispersants will work any better the next time.”

The council does not expect its action to result in an immediate ban on dispersants and for now they remain approved for use on Prince William Sound oil spills. According to Devens, the intent is to foster scientifically sound research that will settle the questions about dispersants once and for all.

“If it turns out they can be proven to be an effective tool for oil-spill response, we’ll happily see them restored to the toolbox,” Devens said. “If not, we’ll be well rid of them. Then all of us – citizens, industry, and regulators – can focus our efforts on cleanup tactics that actually work.”