Sunflower oil pollution can remain at the bottom of the Black Sea for more than 6 years, Greenpeace Ukraine said, according to UNN.
Details
"After the Russian attacks on December 20, sunflower oil tanks were damaged in the Pivdennyi port near Odesa, causing significant and potentially devastating sea pollution. Witnesses reported that the oil quickly covered nearby areas and soon reached the Adzhalyk estuary. Unfortunately, the spill could not be contained within the estuary in time; by December 24, oil slicks had reached the coast within Odesa," Greenpeace Ukraine reported.
Waterfowl suffered from the pollution, the organization noted; approximately 300 birds were reported rescued and transferred to the Odesa Zoo for rehabilitation.
What this means for wildlife
According to Greenpeace Ukraine, in the initial stages, while the cooking oil is still liquid, the slick remains on the surface of the seawater. "Such slicks can lead to animal suffocation and physical contamination – similar to the consequences of oil or petroleum product spills (although sunflower oil is less toxic when ingested). Animals covered in oil can die from hypothermia, dehydration, diarrhea, starvation, and suffocation due to blocked nostrils, throat, or gills," the report says.
The number of birds rescued in such cases, it is noted, is usually only a fraction of all affected.
What to expect
As Greenpeace Ukraine pointed out, vegetable oil usually decomposes faster because bacteria and fungi can metabolize it more easily than oil and petroleum products. However, the speed of this process depends on temperature: at winter temperatures, sunflower oil can thicken and partially solidify, which slows down decomposition and prolongs the physical impact. If it decomposes in the sea, this process will consume oxygen from the water, leading to a decrease in oxygen levels available to fish and other aquatic fauna, the organization noted.
"After polymerization, oxidation, or mixing with debris, vegetable oils become denser than water. They sink to the seabed and form a layer on sedimentary rocks that deprives benthic species of oxygen for a certain period. This process can accelerate in salt water and in contact with fine particles, as well as due to partial decomposition (similar to fat deposits in sewers), as fats and oils solidify at low temperatures," Greenpeace Ukraine reported.
As Greenpeace Ukraine pointed out, "according to NOAA data, a marine spill of sunflower oil that sinks to the bottom and forms a crust and concrete-like lumps in sandy sediments can persist for more than 6 years." "At the same time, unpolymerized vegetable oils biodegrade quickly and completely even in anaerobic conditions (which would be possible if the accident happened in summer). Therefore, to understand what to expect, it is necessary to conduct research and find out whether polymerization has occurred," the report states.
What to do
"Although large cooking oil spills are not as toxic as fossil oil, they can be very harmful and require the same response as conventional oil spills. We cannot assess whether the relevant Ukrainian authorities had the opportunity for a more effective and timely response. And, of course, this large-scale accident would not have happened if not for the Russian attacks. However, the spread of pollution must be stopped as soon as possible, the oil must be removed as much as possible, and the restoration of the marine and coastal ecosystem must be ensured. Currently, Ukrainian services must prioritize not only eliminating the consequences of this accident but also preparing for similar accidents in the future," Greenpeace Ukraine emphasized.