Dr Naomi Rintoul-Hynes, Senior Lecturer in Soil Science and Environmental Management, discusses the environmental impact of the oil spill in the North Sea.

In the aftermath of the collision between the Solong cargo ship and Stena Immaculate oil tanker in the North Sea on Monday, attention now turns to the potential environmental impacts. It is understood that Stena Immaculate contained 220,000 barrels – or 35 million litres – of A-1 jet fuel when the incident occurred. However, experts don’t yet know how much of the oil has been released into the environment. Since the UK maritime minister has already alluded to the fact the vessel will likely sink in due to the damage it sustained, recovery of the oil will be extremely difficult, although not impossible.

The jet fuel on board is a kerosene-based product, rather than heavier petroleum-based fuels (the dark ‘goop’ you might picture from previous oil spills). This means that wildlife will not face such devastating issues, or at least not to the same extent, from thick oil. This would otherwise have led to the oil covering fir and feathers, causing animals to lose natural waterproofing, reduce buoyancy and reduce their flying ability. However, there are other environmental concerns.

One issue is the proximity of the spill to UK fishing grounds, where species that are regularly found on our dinner plates, such as cod, mackerel and plaice, are fished. The spill is toxic to fish and can be fatal to marine life, so fish stocks could decline. Another consideration is the potential exposure to people eating contaminated fish, as humans too suffer potentially fatal health implications from ingestion of the jet fuel. This will have to be monitored closely in the coming weeks and months.

Some of the UK’s rarest and best-loved species may also be affected by the spill. At nearby RSPB Bempton Cliffs Nature Reserve, birds such as Puffins, Gannets, Kittiwakes and Guillemots are found in large numbers. In fact, the Bempton Cliffs are home to the largest population of Gannets in England. As Puffins are already a protected species the UK and appear on the IUCN Red List, they are particularly vulnerable. They spend most of their lives at sea, coming inland only during March-August, so it is likely they will be affected. Other species at another nearby RSPB site, Tetney Marshes, might also be affected, such as the rare and threatened Lagoon Sand Shrimp. However, the impacts on birds and other marine life will not be fully understood for some time yet.

Dr Naomi Rintoul-Hynes is Senior Lecturer in Soil Science and Environmental Management.