Cleaning oil spills is the job of oil spill response companies. Oil spill response companies use a number of different tools for oil clean up including oil skimmers, a floating turbidity barrier, dispersant, and a turbidity curtain. The particular equipment used in any given situation depends on the location and severity of the oil spill.
Oil spills are dangerous because fluids, for instance water, can contain suspended solid particles of many different sizes between molecules. If the oil spill has taken place in calm waters, oil spill response companies can use turbidity curtains, which can effectively control the release of oil and other pollutants into the water column. This is something that oil spill response companies are quite concerned about because at concentrated levels, these materials may be highly toxic to marine life. Turbidity curtains make it impossible for sediment to migrate into the larger body of water. In effect, turbidity curtains can keep the damage from an oil spill contained, as long as the body of water in which the oil spill occurred is not turbulent.
When deciding upon which turbidity curtains to use, oil spill response companies factor in job site variables and conditions. Depending on the size of the spill, the type of marine life affected, the calmness or roughness of the surrounding waters, and whether or not the spill has happened close to the shore, or is affecting people on the shore, oil spill response companies will determine proper protocols. References: www.abasco.com