Philippines asks for hair, feathers to soak oil spill

[Robbien]

CONCEPCION, Philippines (Reuters) - The Philippine Coast Guard appealed on Thursday for chicken feathers and human hair to help sponge up the country's worst oil spill. A tanker chartered by refiner Petron Corp. sank in heavy seas on August 11, oozing about a 10th of its 2 million liter cargo of industrial fuel off the central island of Guimaras, affecting 40,000 people and 200 km (120 miles) of coastline.

. . .

Jarder said San Miguel Corp., Southeast Asia's largest food and beverage conglomerate, promised to donate one tonne of chicken feathers a day from its plants in Iloilo and nearby Bacolod City. Officials at San Miguel, the Philippines largest seller of poultry products, confirmed the plan but said details were still being worked out.

Les Reyes, owner of one of the country's largest hairdressing chains, said his 200 shops had started collecting hair clippings on Tuesday.

. . .

Jarder said chicken feathers and human hair will be placed in sacks tied to bamboo poles and placed along the coastlines of affected villages.

Some communities in Guimaras are already using rice straw in sacks to try to contain the spill, which has affected 27 coastal villages and a marine reserve and is spreading in a northeast direction toward the islands of Negros, Cebu and Masbate.

http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?chanID=sa003&articleID=1F029C1E1ABAAF0605807B7F91552D36

and in a related article

Japanese ship for Philippine spill cleanup delayed

JORDAN, Philippines, Aug 25 (Reuters) - A Japanese salvage ship hired to help clean up the Philippines' worst oil spill has developed mechanical problems, delaying its scheduled Saturday arrival by at least three days, officials said on Friday.

. . .

The 998-tonne Solar 1 is believed to be lying 640 metres (2,100 feet) under water off Guimaras island, beyond the reach of Philippine divers. The developing Southeast Asian country also lacks the heavy equipment to reach the tanker.

"We need to determine the exact location and condition of Solar 1 so we can decide whether to siphon the oil, lift the ship entirely with the remaining fuel or entomb the tanker using cement or sediment," said Carlos Tan, Petron's health, safety and environment manager.

The Japanese salvage ship has equipment that provides images of the ocean floor from a remotely operated vehicle. The cost of its mission will be paid by the insurance firm of the tanker's owner, Sunshine Maritime Development Corp.

An inquiry into the ship's sinking has called on Sunshine to explain why Solar 1's captain was allowed to sail without any advanced training on oil tanker operations. The captain's licence was revoked earlier this week.

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/MAN343450.htm

[Viva_La_Revolution]

1. shit.

when are we going to stop killing the planet!?!

[silverweb]

2. When there are none of us left to continue?

:shrug:

[oblivious]

3. Petron is 40% owned by the Philippines govt and 40% by Saudi Arabia.

They chartered a 56-year-old relic to transport the oil. The people of Guimaras depend on the sea for their food and livelihood. They are doomed. They are going hungry and no one will buy the fish they can catch.

Petron is paying them US$4 per day to help clean up the oil.

http://www.visayandailystar.com/2006/August/25/topstory1.htm

Oil-spill related diseases up in Guimaras
http://www.thenewstoday.info/2006/08/23/oil.spill.related.diseases.up.in.guimaras.html

Health exec allays fears of Guimaras residents over rising oil spill-related cases
http://www.thenewstoday.info/2006/08/25/health.exec.allays.fears.of.guimaras.residents.over.rising.oil.spill.related.cases.html

Oil spill a calamity, says Arroyo
The Guimaras provincial government has reported that more than 26 000 people - directly and indirectly dependent on fishing - have been affected.

The slick has damaged about 220km of coastline, 450 hectares of mangroves, 1144 hectares of marine reserves and 116 hectares of seaweed plantations.

Several beach resorts have been affected.

Officials have reported a growing number of villagers suffering from illnesses - such as skin diseases and respiratory ailments - resulting from exposure to the sludge.
http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=31&art_id=qw1156495163541S141

Paradise lost - Guimaras before the oil spill

GUIMARAS AFTER

[Blue_Tires]

4. sad to see

[Robbien]

5. What a horrific story those pictures tell

Reading the original articles just doesn't bring into mind how disasterous this spill is. To think they are fighting this mess with hair and feathers!

Thanks for the pics oblivious.