LABORATORY EXAMINATION OF MATERIALS SUBMITTED FOR TREATING THE TORREY CANYON OIL SPILL

From figures supplied by the manufacturers the production capacity of detergents in England is more than adequate to meet any future emergency similar to the wrecking of the Torrey Canyon, even if the oil released was greater by a factor of 2 or 3. An efficient detergent is likely to contain a mixed non- ionic/ionic surfactant dissolved in a hydrocarbon solvent of which a minimum of above 20% will be aromatic in nature. It would seem prudent to produce a specification, essentially based on performance tests, and to have an approved list of detergents before the next Torrey Canyon type of incident. Of the various other materials and suggestions submitted, only the use of sinking materials appeared a practical proposition for dealing with a large oil spill.