And while long-term damage estimates vary, a new study published in the Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences determined that over seven years, the oil spill could have a $8.7 billion impact on the economy of the Gulf of Mexico including losses in revenue, profit, wages , and close to 22,000 jobs.
How did the oil spill affect the economy?
The U.S. Travel Association estimated that the economic impact of the oil spill on tourism across the Gulf Coast over a three-year period could exceed approximately $23 billion, in a region that supports over 400,000 travel industry jobs generating $34 billion in revenue annually.
How do oil spills affect society?
Oil spills have major environmental and economic effects. Oil spills can also affect human health . ... People who clean up the spill are more at risk. Problems could include skin and eye irritation, neurologic and breathing problems, and stress.
What impacts do oil spills have?
Oil spills are harmful to marine birds and mammals as well as fish and shellfish. ... Without the ability to repel water and insulate from the cold water, birds and mammals will die from hypothermia. Juvenile sea turtles can also become trapped in oil and mistake it for food.
How do oil spills affect the ecosystem?
When oils rigs or machinery malfunction or break, thousands of tons of oil can seep into the environment. Oil spill effects on environments and habitats can be catastrophic: they can kill plants and animals, disturb salinity/pH levels, pollute air/water and more .
How do oil spills affect humans and the environment?
Oil spills have major environmental and economic effects. Oil spills can also affect human health . ... People who clean up the spill are more at risk. Problems could include skin and eye irritation, neurologic and breathing problems, and stress.
What are the long term impacts of oil spills?
Large scale persistent ecological effects included impacts to deep ocean corals, failed recruitment of oysters over multiple years , damage to coastal wetlands, and reduced dolphin, sea turtle, and seabird populations.
Are oil spills pollution?
An oil spill is the release of a liquid petroleum hydrocarbon into the environment, especially the marine ecosystem, due to human activity, and is a form of pollution .
Who is most affected by oil spills?
Since most oils float, the creatures most affected by oil are animals like sea otters and seabirds that are found on the sea surface or on shorelines if the oil comes ashore. During most oil spills, seabirds are harmed and killed in greater numbers than other kinds of creatures.
Is oil bad for the environment?
Impact of oil spills. Spilt oil can pollute streams, rivers and, if it soaks through the soil and rock, groundwater. ... We must protect them both from pollution. Oil is toxic and harmful to plants and animals and a threat to their habitats .
Why are oil spills such a problem?
Depending on the circumstances, oil spills can be very harmful to marine birds, sea turtles and mammals , and also can harm fish and shellfish. Oil destroys the insulating ability of fur-bearing mammals, such as sea otters, and the water-repelling abilities of a bird's feathers, exposing them to the harsh elements.
Which animal is killed for oil?
At least four species of marine mammals have been killed by the oil spill, including bottlenose dolphins, spinner dolphins, melon-headed whales and sperm whales .
How long does oil stay in the environment?
BP's annual report on proved global oil reserves says that as of the end of 2013, Earth has nearly 1.688 trillion barrels of crude, which will last 53.3 years at current rates of extraction. This figure is 1.1 percent higher than that of the previous year.
What happens to oil when it enters the water?
The day after it enters the water, chemicals in the oil begin to transform , both at the water's surface and farther into the water column. ... When components of crude oil evaporate and its lighter fractions dissolve or are chemically transformed, oil clumps form.
Do humans cause oil spills?
Oil spills into rivers, bays, and the ocean most often are caused by accidents involving tankers, barges, pipelines, refineries, drilling rigs, and storage facilities. Spills can be caused by: people making mistakes or being careless .
How does oil cause pollution?
Air pollutants result from burning oil and natural gas . In addition, pollutants can leak out of storage tanks during oil and gas production and distribution. ... For example, when oil is burned for electricity, sulfur dioxide, mercury compounds, and nitrogen oxides are produced.
