Researchers can then compare these results with information on samples taken before the oil spill, and with data collected from samples collected later to see recovery progress, he said. Sorbents used to absorb trace amounts of oil include organic substances like peat moss or sawdust, and synthetic materials such as polypropylene, polyester foam, polystyrene, and polyurethane. In either case, the material is applied to the spill by hand and recovered with rakes, nets, or other tools. Chemical dispersion of the oil involves spraying detergent-like material onto the spill to break it down. This method is not used near biologically sensitive areas.
Bioremediation involves applying oil-eating bacteria to the spill to break it down and disperse it.
Cleaning or restoring shorelines is one of the more difficult tasks of responding to a spill. Sand beaches can be graded and scraped free of oil, although this method doesn't usually work for pebble and cobble beaches, and can cause erosion. According to Green, recovered oil must be either disposed of or refined or recycled for future use. Oil can be burned on the surface of the water if it is thick enough, or it can be removed from the water and burned in boilers, he said. In some cases, cleanup of oil spilled in sensitive environments is left to nature.