- Email: [email protected]
Treating oiled birds
than 0.5 mg/1. of ammoniacal nitrogen and at least 6-8 mg/1. of dissolved oxygen during 1965-67. In these healthy waters fish such as roach, gudgeon and trout thrive,
Air Bubble Barriers In February Savage reported that crude oil spilt at the Esso Marine Terminal, Fawley, escaped into Southampton Water in spite of the erection of booms around the terminal (Esso foots the Bill, 'Marine Pollution Bulletin' (1970) 1: 19). It is often because these booms take time to erect that oil escapes out to sea. One solution is to have a permanently installed air bubble barrier around the terminal, which can be brought into operation at the flick of a switch, Staff in the department of civil engineering at the University of Strathclyde have been interested in the use of air bubble barriers for fish farming (Allen and Milne, 1967) since 1964 and I have published an extensive review of the application of these barriers (Milne, 1970). In fish farming, because of turbulence and other ecological problems, their use is forseen in the protection of netting (Milne, 1969) rather than in the retention of fish. Air bubble barriers are also extremely useful for the prevention of oil pollution. One such barrier was installed in the Helford River Estuary near Falmouth at the time of the Torrey Canyon disaster (Fluid Power Internat., 1967). Again, a system for retaining oil within a terminal is currently in use at Sunderland, Co. Durham (Fluid Power Internat., 1968). As well as containing oil spills, air bubble barriers prevent the spread of burning oil and offer no hindrance to harbour traffic. It is these properties that have led to the recent construction of air bubble barriers at several oil terminals throughout the world (Milne, 1970). Department of Civil Engineering, University of Strathclyde, Montrose Street, Glasgow C. 1., Scotland.
P.H. Milne
Allen, J . H . and Milne, P.H. (1967) Enclosures for marine fish farming, 'Proc. Min. Technol. Conf. on The Technology of the Sea and Sea bed', HMSO, London: 144-156. Milne, P. H. (1969) Fish farm enclosures, 'World Fish.' series of six articles, started in 18 (12). Milne, P.H. (1970) The use of air bubble curtains in coastal waters, 'Fluid Power Internat.', 35 (410): 33. 'Fluid Power Internat.' (1967) Bubbles stop creeping, 32 (374): 61. 'Fluid Power Internat.' (1968) Pneumatic barrier at docks to prevent spread of oil fires, 33 (387): 55.
Plants thrive
on
Bath Water
Pollution of rivers and seas by phosphates might be reduced and fresh water conserved if all horticulturists followed Mr S. A. Searle's example in irrigating plants with waste water from a bath. Not only would this lower the load on sewage systems, it would also add phosphates to the soil where they could be used by plants - of particular value in severely leached soils, Mr Searle has had considerable success in growing various potted plants irrigated with cold bath water, as reported in a recent issue of 'Gardeners Chronicle' -- a British magazine for professional horticulturists (167 (18) : 28; 1970). Explaining his success Mr Searle says that one well known and beneficial effect of soapy water is to reduce surface tension, which means that plants can absorb this water more readily from the soil. Also, during the 84
winter of 1969 and early spring 1970 the soil in his soapy water pots froze at a lower temperature than in other pots, so that there was a shorter period of frozen soil and a quicker thaw. Improved growth of a calcifuge plant he attributes to the fact that much calcium had been removed from the soapy water by the time it reached the plants, partly as a result of prior heating of the bath water and partly as a result of precipitation of calcium by the soap. Finally, he lists the addition of phosphates and natural oils to the soil as a factor contributing to better growth. Mr Searle is now making use of the beneficial effect of warm bath water on growth. He has designed a system whereby the waste pipes of a house are connected to a filter box through which the soapy water passes into a storage tank. From here the warm water is siphoned automatically and flows out to the garden where it is applied to the plants through trickle irrigation lines. In winter when irrigation of garden plants is unnecessary, the water can run directly from the tank and through soil-warming grids which can be used in a greenhouse.
Treating Oiled
Birds
The problems of coping with large numbers of oiled seabirds are exemplified in the recent experience of the RSPCA Wild Birds'Hospital at Mousehole in Cornwall. The normal handful of oiled guillemots and razorbills were received at Mousehole during the early part of the year, including the first 3 days of March 1970, b u t on 4 March, forty-seven birds were admitted and a further 821 were admitted during the next 8 days. More than 90 per cent of the casualties were guillemots. After 12 March only a few birds were received on each day, although twenty-six were admitted on 24 April and eleven on 31 April. These figures are well above those for a normal year when between eighty and 200 oiled birds are received. The sudden increase in the number of oiled birds during the first half of March suggests that there was a major oil incident off the coast, b u t nothing is known of it. When small numbers of birds are received, cleaning and rehabilitation has some success. In 1969 only eighty-four birds were brought to the Mousehole centre and one-third of them were released, but with more than 1,100 birds handled already in 1970 there is high mortality which follows the general exponential pattern described by Beer (1968). Two hundred birds had to be destroyed immediately because of their very poor condition, and, between 5 and 12 March mortality was at its highest, when 495 birds died or had to be destroyed humanely. The sudden arrival of large numbers of oiled birds at a cleaning centre places a very severe strain on local resources. In order to cater for so many birds in March, the Mousehole centre was obliged to send some of the birds to other centres for treatment, but even so, at one time more than 500 birds had to be accommodated in a single pen 15 m 2 in area. Oiled plumage was cleaned with 'Tremalon B' or 'Fairy Liquid' followed by rinsing in warm water and drying in a stream of hot air. The Swedish product 'Larodan 127' was used on about thirty birds; although it proved to be an efficient cleanser, all the birds treated in this way died rather quickly and no further use was made of the product. Internal treatment consisted of dosing with a medicinal paraffin -- bismuth mixture to ameliorate the condition of the gut. Vitamin B complex was also administered to many birds, particularly the weaker ones. Their diet consisted of sprats and herring, which they took far more avidly than during the mass treatment of birds oiled during the Torrey Canyon incident. By the end of April about 120 of the birds were in a
reasonable condition, b u t others were emaciated and commonly becoming arthritic. Those that became very thin or paralysed were destroyed humanely; post-mortem examination revealed no special features other than emaciation and arthritis. At present (mid-May), the remaining birds are gaining strength and using the pond more and more frequently, but waterproofing of the plumage is slow to return, It is probable that the release rate for these birds will be higher than for those treated at the centre during the Torrey Canyon incident, but it is clear that the success rate is inversely related to the number of birds that have to be handled simultaneously. The birds need individual attention for much of the time and this means that a single person cannot deal with more than perhaps twenty birds at once. This n u m b e r could probably be greater for some ducks and swans if suitable accommodation is available; these birds respond better than auks to captivity. Nevertheless, auks can be kept successfully in captivity for long periods and may mate and lay eggs (Marsault, 1969). Individual attention, the use of wind-blown sea sand for flooring to reduce the incidence of arthritis, and the availability of very fresh fish for food are among the factors that lead to low mortality. The greatest problem remains the very long time needed for the re-establishment of a waterproof plumage, Oiled Seabird Research Unit, J . V . Beer Department of Zoology, University of Newcastle upon Tyne, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 7RU, England. Beer, J . V . (1968) Post-mortem findings in oiled auks dying during attempted rehabilitation, 'Field Studies', suppl. 2 : 123-129. Marsault, B.M. (1969) Guillemots at Salterton Road, Exmouth, Devon, 'Devon Birds', 22 : 23-26.
Mr Crosland's Cross Last October, the new ministerial post of Secretary of State for Local Government and Regional Planning was created in Britain with responsibility, among other things, for coordinating Government action on the control of environmental pollution. At the end of May, the Minister, Mr A n t h o n y Crosland, presented to Parliament a White Paper 'The Protection of our Environment' (Cmnd 4373, HMSO, London, price 3s), which represents a first progress report setting out in broad outline the nature of the problems, the current situation and proposals for Government action. Although the problem is urgent, 7 months is n o t a l o n g time in which to set up a machinery, to take advice and prepare a report. It had been expected that the White Paper would have been produced later in the year and would have been a fatter and more considered document. As it is, it is only twenty-nine pages long and it has been suggested in the daily press that it has been rushed out for the general election campaign. Understandably in these circumstances, many of the statements of intent are somewhat generalized and vague, and a good deal of hard work will have to be done before policy has crystallized to the point where it can form the basis of new legislation. One general statement which is of immediate value, however, is the promise that the Government is examining the scale of penalties for all illegal pollution so that they can be rationalized and adjusted to reflect the 'realities of m o d e m life'. Many statutory fines are now so low that they serve neither as a penalty nor as a deterrent, The White Paper emphasizes the need for scientific and technical knowledge, economic analysis and the assessment of economic priorities, and an appropriate legal and administrative framework to translate priorities and
Parliament in Britain Chlorinated hydro-carbon residues Mr James Hoy, J o i n t Parliamentary Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, told Mr Tam Dalyell that, under the voluntary arrangements operated by his department, agreement has been given to dump in very deep water, small quantites of chlorinated hydro-carbon residues sealed in containers. He assured Mr Dalyell that all applications are very carefully examined to ensure that the arrangements for disposal will not cause human or other biological hazards, and added that as well as advising on specific applications for dumping, scientists in his department are continually studying the effects of these substances on marine life, including matters such as the rate of dispersal in the sea. (Written answer, 13 May). Oil pollution (liability for damages) Replying to Mr Geoffrey Rhodes, Mr Goronwy Roberts, Minister of State, Board of Trade, said that the British Government intends to ratify the International Convention of Civil Liability for Oil Pollution Damage, signed under the auspices of the Inter-Governmental Maritime Consultative Organization at Brussels in November 1969. He said that, although it has some undesirable features, it provides a considerable improvement in the legal position of the claimant in the event of damage by oil pollution. (Written answer, 13 May). Water sources (toxic fluids) No estimate of the total quantity of potentially dangerous toxic fluids in water sources would be meaningful, Mr Anthony Crosland, Secretary of State for Local Government and Regional Planning, told Mr J o h n Hall. Methods of testing water are constantly being refined and improved, and there is no evidence to suggest that public water supplies are other than safe and wholesome (Oral answer, 5 May). decisions into action. Pollution by oil takes up the greater part of the report's section on pollution of the sea and beaches. The British Government is to ratify the amendments to the 1954 International Convention for the Prevention of the Pollution of the Sea by Oil, negotiated by IMCO (InterGovernmental Maritime Consultative Organization). Under the Oil in Navigable Waters Bill, which has been presented to Parliament the present maximum fine on summary conviction for the master of a ship which illegally discharges oil into the sea will be increased to £5,000. The Government has already ratified another IMCO Convention, agreed in 1969, making it easier for governments to intervene to protect their coasts in the event of a major oil spill, and has recently announced its decision to ratify a third convention, increasing the insurance which oil tankers are obliged to have. Work is in progress, the report says, to reduce the risks of accidents at sea causing oil pollution, and research on the methods of treating floating oil is continuing. The report makes it clear that the Government will continue, in consultation with the oil industry, to regulate the conditions of oil exploration and production around the coasts of Britain so as to prevent oil leaks. Concerning pollutants other than oil, the report says eleven sea fisheries committees make bylaws (confirmed by the Minister of Agriculture) about the pollution of territorial waters (a function performed to some degree in Scotland by river purification authorities). The Government exerts limited control over the way in which local authorities discharge sewage into the sea, and, depending on the findings of the Jeger Committee on sewage disposal will, if necessary, introduce new provisions on this matter. 85
Air Bubble Barriers In February Savage reported that crude oil spilt at the Esso Marine Terminal, Fawley, escaped into Southampton Water in spite of the erection of booms around the terminal (Esso foots the Bill, 'Marine Pollution Bulletin' (1970) 1: 19). It is often because these booms take time to erect that oil escapes out to sea. One solution is to have a permanently installed air bubble barrier around the terminal, which can be brought into operation at the flick of a switch, Staff in the department of civil engineering at the University of Strathclyde have been interested in the use of air bubble barriers for fish farming (Allen and Milne, 1967) since 1964 and I have published an extensive review of the application of these barriers (Milne, 1970). In fish farming, because of turbulence and other ecological problems, their use is forseen in the protection of netting (Milne, 1969) rather than in the retention of fish. Air bubble barriers are also extremely useful for the prevention of oil pollution. One such barrier was installed in the Helford River Estuary near Falmouth at the time of the Torrey Canyon disaster (Fluid Power Internat., 1967). Again, a system for retaining oil within a terminal is currently in use at Sunderland, Co. Durham (Fluid Power Internat., 1968). As well as containing oil spills, air bubble barriers prevent the spread of burning oil and offer no hindrance to harbour traffic. It is these properties that have led to the recent construction of air bubble barriers at several oil terminals throughout the world (Milne, 1970). Department of Civil Engineering, University of Strathclyde, Montrose Street, Glasgow C. 1., Scotland.
P.H. Milne
Allen, J . H . and Milne, P.H. (1967) Enclosures for marine fish farming, 'Proc. Min. Technol. Conf. on The Technology of the Sea and Sea bed', HMSO, London: 144-156. Milne, P. H. (1969) Fish farm enclosures, 'World Fish.' series of six articles, started in 18 (12). Milne, P.H. (1970) The use of air bubble curtains in coastal waters, 'Fluid Power Internat.', 35 (410): 33. 'Fluid Power Internat.' (1967) Bubbles stop creeping, 32 (374): 61. 'Fluid Power Internat.' (1968) Pneumatic barrier at docks to prevent spread of oil fires, 33 (387): 55.
Plants thrive
on
Bath Water
Pollution of rivers and seas by phosphates might be reduced and fresh water conserved if all horticulturists followed Mr S. A. Searle's example in irrigating plants with waste water from a bath. Not only would this lower the load on sewage systems, it would also add phosphates to the soil where they could be used by plants - of particular value in severely leached soils, Mr Searle has had considerable success in growing various potted plants irrigated with cold bath water, as reported in a recent issue of 'Gardeners Chronicle' -- a British magazine for professional horticulturists (167 (18) : 28; 1970). Explaining his success Mr Searle says that one well known and beneficial effect of soapy water is to reduce surface tension, which means that plants can absorb this water more readily from the soil. Also, during the 84
winter of 1969 and early spring 1970 the soil in his soapy water pots froze at a lower temperature than in other pots, so that there was a shorter period of frozen soil and a quicker thaw. Improved growth of a calcifuge plant he attributes to the fact that much calcium had been removed from the soapy water by the time it reached the plants, partly as a result of prior heating of the bath water and partly as a result of precipitation of calcium by the soap. Finally, he lists the addition of phosphates and natural oils to the soil as a factor contributing to better growth. Mr Searle is now making use of the beneficial effect of warm bath water on growth. He has designed a system whereby the waste pipes of a house are connected to a filter box through which the soapy water passes into a storage tank. From here the warm water is siphoned automatically and flows out to the garden where it is applied to the plants through trickle irrigation lines. In winter when irrigation of garden plants is unnecessary, the water can run directly from the tank and through soil-warming grids which can be used in a greenhouse.
Treating Oiled
Birds
The problems of coping with large numbers of oiled seabirds are exemplified in the recent experience of the RSPCA Wild Birds'Hospital at Mousehole in Cornwall. The normal handful of oiled guillemots and razorbills were received at Mousehole during the early part of the year, including the first 3 days of March 1970, b u t on 4 March, forty-seven birds were admitted and a further 821 were admitted during the next 8 days. More than 90 per cent of the casualties were guillemots. After 12 March only a few birds were received on each day, although twenty-six were admitted on 24 April and eleven on 31 April. These figures are well above those for a normal year when between eighty and 200 oiled birds are received. The sudden increase in the number of oiled birds during the first half of March suggests that there was a major oil incident off the coast, b u t nothing is known of it. When small numbers of birds are received, cleaning and rehabilitation has some success. In 1969 only eighty-four birds were brought to the Mousehole centre and one-third of them were released, but with more than 1,100 birds handled already in 1970 there is high mortality which follows the general exponential pattern described by Beer (1968). Two hundred birds had to be destroyed immediately because of their very poor condition, and, between 5 and 12 March mortality was at its highest, when 495 birds died or had to be destroyed humanely. The sudden arrival of large numbers of oiled birds at a cleaning centre places a very severe strain on local resources. In order to cater for so many birds in March, the Mousehole centre was obliged to send some of the birds to other centres for treatment, but even so, at one time more than 500 birds had to be accommodated in a single pen 15 m 2 in area. Oiled plumage was cleaned with 'Tremalon B' or 'Fairy Liquid' followed by rinsing in warm water and drying in a stream of hot air. The Swedish product 'Larodan 127' was used on about thirty birds; although it proved to be an efficient cleanser, all the birds treated in this way died rather quickly and no further use was made of the product. Internal treatment consisted of dosing with a medicinal paraffin -- bismuth mixture to ameliorate the condition of the gut. Vitamin B complex was also administered to many birds, particularly the weaker ones. Their diet consisted of sprats and herring, which they took far more avidly than during the mass treatment of birds oiled during the Torrey Canyon incident. By the end of April about 120 of the birds were in a
reasonable condition, b u t others were emaciated and commonly becoming arthritic. Those that became very thin or paralysed were destroyed humanely; post-mortem examination revealed no special features other than emaciation and arthritis. At present (mid-May), the remaining birds are gaining strength and using the pond more and more frequently, but waterproofing of the plumage is slow to return, It is probable that the release rate for these birds will be higher than for those treated at the centre during the Torrey Canyon incident, but it is clear that the success rate is inversely related to the number of birds that have to be handled simultaneously. The birds need individual attention for much of the time and this means that a single person cannot deal with more than perhaps twenty birds at once. This n u m b e r could probably be greater for some ducks and swans if suitable accommodation is available; these birds respond better than auks to captivity. Nevertheless, auks can be kept successfully in captivity for long periods and may mate and lay eggs (Marsault, 1969). Individual attention, the use of wind-blown sea sand for flooring to reduce the incidence of arthritis, and the availability of very fresh fish for food are among the factors that lead to low mortality. The greatest problem remains the very long time needed for the re-establishment of a waterproof plumage, Oiled Seabird Research Unit, J . V . Beer Department of Zoology, University of Newcastle upon Tyne, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 7RU, England. Beer, J . V . (1968) Post-mortem findings in oiled auks dying during attempted rehabilitation, 'Field Studies', suppl. 2 : 123-129. Marsault, B.M. (1969) Guillemots at Salterton Road, Exmouth, Devon, 'Devon Birds', 22 : 23-26.
Mr Crosland's Cross Last October, the new ministerial post of Secretary of State for Local Government and Regional Planning was created in Britain with responsibility, among other things, for coordinating Government action on the control of environmental pollution. At the end of May, the Minister, Mr A n t h o n y Crosland, presented to Parliament a White Paper 'The Protection of our Environment' (Cmnd 4373, HMSO, London, price 3s), which represents a first progress report setting out in broad outline the nature of the problems, the current situation and proposals for Government action. Although the problem is urgent, 7 months is n o t a l o n g time in which to set up a machinery, to take advice and prepare a report. It had been expected that the White Paper would have been produced later in the year and would have been a fatter and more considered document. As it is, it is only twenty-nine pages long and it has been suggested in the daily press that it has been rushed out for the general election campaign. Understandably in these circumstances, many of the statements of intent are somewhat generalized and vague, and a good deal of hard work will have to be done before policy has crystallized to the point where it can form the basis of new legislation. One general statement which is of immediate value, however, is the promise that the Government is examining the scale of penalties for all illegal pollution so that they can be rationalized and adjusted to reflect the 'realities of m o d e m life'. Many statutory fines are now so low that they serve neither as a penalty nor as a deterrent, The White Paper emphasizes the need for scientific and technical knowledge, economic analysis and the assessment of economic priorities, and an appropriate legal and administrative framework to translate priorities and
Parliament in Britain Chlorinated hydro-carbon residues Mr James Hoy, J o i n t Parliamentary Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, told Mr Tam Dalyell that, under the voluntary arrangements operated by his department, agreement has been given to dump in very deep water, small quantites of chlorinated hydro-carbon residues sealed in containers. He assured Mr Dalyell that all applications are very carefully examined to ensure that the arrangements for disposal will not cause human or other biological hazards, and added that as well as advising on specific applications for dumping, scientists in his department are continually studying the effects of these substances on marine life, including matters such as the rate of dispersal in the sea. (Written answer, 13 May). Oil pollution (liability for damages) Replying to Mr Geoffrey Rhodes, Mr Goronwy Roberts, Minister of State, Board of Trade, said that the British Government intends to ratify the International Convention of Civil Liability for Oil Pollution Damage, signed under the auspices of the Inter-Governmental Maritime Consultative Organization at Brussels in November 1969. He said that, although it has some undesirable features, it provides a considerable improvement in the legal position of the claimant in the event of damage by oil pollution. (Written answer, 13 May). Water sources (toxic fluids) No estimate of the total quantity of potentially dangerous toxic fluids in water sources would be meaningful, Mr Anthony Crosland, Secretary of State for Local Government and Regional Planning, told Mr J o h n Hall. Methods of testing water are constantly being refined and improved, and there is no evidence to suggest that public water supplies are other than safe and wholesome (Oral answer, 5 May). decisions into action. Pollution by oil takes up the greater part of the report's section on pollution of the sea and beaches. The British Government is to ratify the amendments to the 1954 International Convention for the Prevention of the Pollution of the Sea by Oil, negotiated by IMCO (InterGovernmental Maritime Consultative Organization). Under the Oil in Navigable Waters Bill, which has been presented to Parliament the present maximum fine on summary conviction for the master of a ship which illegally discharges oil into the sea will be increased to £5,000. The Government has already ratified another IMCO Convention, agreed in 1969, making it easier for governments to intervene to protect their coasts in the event of a major oil spill, and has recently announced its decision to ratify a third convention, increasing the insurance which oil tankers are obliged to have. Work is in progress, the report says, to reduce the risks of accidents at sea causing oil pollution, and research on the methods of treating floating oil is continuing. The report makes it clear that the Government will continue, in consultation with the oil industry, to regulate the conditions of oil exploration and production around the coasts of Britain so as to prevent oil leaks. Concerning pollutants other than oil, the report says eleven sea fisheries committees make bylaws (confirmed by the Minister of Agriculture) about the pollution of territorial waters (a function performed to some degree in Scotland by river purification authorities). The Government exerts limited control over the way in which local authorities discharge sewage into the sea, and, depending on the findings of the Jeger Committee on sewage disposal will, if necessary, introduce new provisions on this matter. 85