514 Oil, Illness, and Human Rights
Oil Spills
Wherever there is oil, there are oil spills. Ships and trucks have accidents, and
pipelines leak. It is the oil companies’ responsibility to prevent spills and to
clean them up when they happen.
There is a saying: “Oil and water do not mix.” But when oil spills in
water, toxic chemicals from the oil do mix with the water and stay there
for a long time. The thicker part of the oil spreads over the surface and
prevents air from getting into the water. Fish, animals, and plants that live
in the water are not able to breathe. When oil spills in water, the chemicals
left behind may make the water unsafe to drink, even after the oil we can
see is removed.
When oil spills on land, it destroys the soil by choking out the air and
killing the living things that make soil healthy. Something similar happens
when oil gets on our skin or the skin of animals. The oil covers the skin and
blocks air from getting in. Toxins from the oil also enter the body through the
skin, causing illness.
Do obiclnabnxdncwb ater mix?
This activity can help people understand the effects of an oil spill in water.
Time: 11/2 hours
Materials: Clear glass jar, water, vegetable oil
➊ Fill a jar with water. Add 2 spoonfuls of vegetable oil. Shake the jar to mix the oil
and water. Leave the jar alone for an hour.
➋ Return to the jar. You will see that most of the oil has settled on top. Vegetable oil
is harmless, but imagine the jar is a river with an oil spill. Begin a group discussion
about the effects this might have. Imagine fish trying to survive in this river with a
layer of oil, blocking air and sunlight. Imagine what happens to birds trying to hunt
for fish in the river.
➌ Use a spoon to try to skim oil off the surface. After you have
skimmed off as much oil as you can, see if some bubbles
of oil remain in the water. This is oil that sinks into the
water. Consider the old saying, “Oil and water do not mix.”
Discuss with the group what happens when oil and water
do mix.
A Community Guide to Environmental Health 2012