COMPARATIVE COSTS OF OIL SPILL CLEANUP TECHNIQUES1

ABSTRACT This paper examines the costs of various cleanup techniques, drawing mainly on information from recent oil spills from ships. Analyses of the costs for dispersant application and for the use of offshore mechanical recovery equipment are compared in relation to their effectiveness and scope for reducing shoreline cleanup costs and damage from oil pollution. Spill size, oil type, coastline character, and the extent of pollution all contribute to the observed differences in shoreline cleanup and disposal costs. The influence of these factors is evaluated and criteria are proposed for selecting the most appropriate cleanup response to suit the circumstancees of a particular oil spill. On occasions, a response at sea is both necessary and worthwhile, but for most spills shoreline cleanup, including protection of sensitive resources, is likely to be the most cost-effective option.