ASTM F2532-06
(Guide)Standard Guide for Determining Net Environmental Benefit of Dispersant Use
Standard Guide for Determining Net Environmental Benefit of Dispersant Use
SIGNIFICANCE AND USE
Net Environmental Benefit Analysis (NEBA) applied to oil spill response is the process of considering advantages and disadvantages of different spill response options (including no response) to arrive at a spill response decision resulting in the lowest overall environmental and socioeconomic impacts.
Spill response will likely involve some combination of response options. There are no response methods that are completely effective or risk-free. NEBA should be conducted with appropriate regulatory agencies and other organizations as part of spill contingency planning. NEBA is important for pre-spill planning since some response options have a limited window of opportunity.
SCOPE
1.1 This guide covers considerations in determining net environmental benefit of dispersant use on oil spills. The purpose of this guide is to minimize environmental and socioeconomic impacts of oil spills.
1.2 Net environmental benefit analysis (NEBA) should be conducted as part of oil spill contingency planning.
1.3 There are many methods to control or cleanup oil spills. Dispersants should be given equal consideration with other spill response options.
1.4 Only general guidance is provided here. It is assumed that the crude or fuel oil is dispersible. The dispersant is assumed to be effective, applied correctly, and in compliance with relevant government regulations. Differences between commercial dispersants or between different oils are not considered in this guide.
1.5 This guide applies to marine and estuarine environments only.
1.6 When making dispersant use decisions, appropriate government authorities should be consulted as required by law.
This standard does not purport to address all of the safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appropriate safety and health practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.
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Designation:F2532 −06
StandardGuide for
Determining Net Environmental Benefit of Dispersant Use
This standard is issued under the fixed designation F2532; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. A
superscript epsilon (´) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
1. Scope 3. Significance and Use
1.1 This guide covers considerations in determining net 3.1 Net Environmental BenefitAnalysis (NEBA) applied to
environmental benefit of dispersant use on oil spills. The oil spill response is the process of considering advantages and
purpose of this guide is to minimize environmental and disadvantages of different spill response options (including no
socioeconomic impacts of oil spills. response) to arrive at a spill response decision resulting in the
lowest overall environmental and socioeconomic impacts.
1.2 Net environmental benefit analysis (NEBA) should be
conducted as part of oil spill contingency planning. 3.2 Spill response will likely involve some combination of
response options. There are no response methods that are
1.3 There are many methods to control or cleanup oil spills.
completely effective or risk-free. NEBA should be conducted
Dispersants should be given equal consideration with other
withappropriateregulatoryagenciesandotherorganizationsas
spill response options.
part of spill contingency planning. NEBA is important for
1.4 Only general guidance is provided here. It is assumed
pre-spill planning since some response options have a limited
that the crude or fuel oil is dispersible. The dispersant is
window of opportunity.
assumed to be effective, applied correctly, and in compliance
with relevant government regulations. Differences between 4. Net Environmental Benefit Analysis for Oil Spill
commercial dispersants or between different oils are not Response
considered in this guide.
4.1 The objective of NEBA is to choose the oil spill
1.5 Thisguideappliestomarineandestuarineenvironments response option that will result in the lowest overall negative
only. impact on the environment. The NEBA should focus on local
and regional areas of concern and should result in decisions
1.6 When making dispersant use decisions, appropriate
based on what is best for a specific location. With NEBA
government authorities should be consulted as required by law.
comes the recognition that, regardless of the response option
1.7 This standard does not purport to address all of the
chosen, some impact will occur. Tables 1 and 2 and Appendix
safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the
X1 and Appendix X4 provide considerations for use in the
responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appro-
NEBA process. Appendix X2 and Appendix X3 present an
priate safety and health practices and determine the applica-
ecological risk assessment method for determining the net
bility of regulatory limitations prior to use.
environmental benefit of dispersant use.
2. Referenced Documents 4.2 The NEBA process involves several tasks (1, 2).
2 4.2.1 Gatherinformationonhabitatsandspeciesofconcern,
2.1 ASTM Standards:
physical and chemical characteristics of the spilled oil, shore-
F1788 Guide for In-Situ Burning of Oil Spills on Water:
line geomorphology, potential socioeconomic impacts, and
Environmental and Operational Considerations
spill response options. Resource trustees, area contingency
F2205 Guide for Ecological Considerations for the Use of
plans, and environmental sensitivity maps are good sources of
Chemical Dispersants in Oil Spill Response: Tropical
information.
Environments
4.2.2 Consider relative importance of natural resources.
4.2.3 Review oil spill case histories and experimental data
This guide is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee F20 on Hazardous
relevant to the spill location and response options being
Substances and Oil Spill Response and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee
assessed.
F20.13 on Treatment.
4.2.4 Compare advantages and disadvantages of response
Current edition approved April 1, 2006. Published April 2006. DOI: 10.1520/
options including no response (see Table 1).
F2532-06.
For referenced ASTM standards, visit the ASTM website, www.astm.org, or
contact ASTM Customer Service at service@astm.org. For Annual Book of ASTM
Standards volume information, refer to the standard’s Document Summary page on The boldface numbers in parentheses refer to the list of references at the end of
the ASTM website. this standard.
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F2532−06
TABLE 1 Pros and Cons of Spill Response Options
Response Method Advantages Disadvantages
No response appropriate for spills that do not threaten shorelines can be politically unacceptable
(monitor only) used when other response options may cause more damage than potential wildlife exposure
natural removal wind direction could shift resulting in oil stranding onshore
used when environmental conditions do not allow use of other
response methods
Mechanical removes oil from environment wind, waves, and currents can limit containment and recovery
on-water allows recycling and proper disposal of recovered oil debris and viscous oil problematic
recovery limited recovery of spilled oil due to encounter rates in large spills
storage and disposal of recovered oil may be limited
equipment and labor intensive
Dispersants prevents or reduces oiling of wildlife time frame for effective use may be limited due to slick thickness,
prevents or reduces oil stranding onshore weathering, emulsification
reduced or no storage and disposal of oil less effective on high viscosity oils or in highly emulsified oil
reduces or prevents formation of mousse oil concentrations in water column typically greater when dispersant
enhances natural degradation processes used than when oil is naturally dispersed resulting in increased
rapid treatment of large areas impacts on organisms in upper 10 m of water column
reduces adherence of oil to suspended particulates and inhibits exclusion zones may be created based on water depth, distance
sedimentation of oil from shore, limited water circulation, presence of marine sanctuary
or water intakes, etc.
can be politically unacceptable
In-situ Burning reduced or no storage and disposal of oil time frame for effective use may be limited due to slick thickness
may prevent or reduce oil stranding onshore and emulsification
prevents or reduces oiling of wildlife wind, waves, and currents may make ignition difficult
weathered oil difficult to ignite
2 to 3 mm minimum slick thickness for ignition
air pollution issues (smoke)
can have burn residues that sink
can be politically unacceptable
TABLE 2 Risk Considerations for Dispersant Use
Oil Location Risk Drivers Priorities
Water surface oil type birds, marine mammals, sea turtles, endangered/protected species
persistence
size of oil slick
time/distance before oil comes ashore
Water column oil type commercial or subsistence fisheries
oil concentrations coral reefs
advection seagrass beds
depth endangered/protected species
dilution potential tourist/recreational areas
exposure duration
food web contamination
proximity to water intakes
season
life stages of species of concern
biological recovery time
Shoreline oil type intertidal communities
persistence marshes
season mangroves
extent of oiled shoreline bird concentration areas
oil thickness marine mammals
natural cleansing (wave and tidal action) endangered/protected species
shoreline accessibility tourist/recreational areas
biological recovery time
4.2.5 Predict potential environmental impacts for chosen ecological habitat over another. Conflicts may occur between
response method.
environmental and socioeconomic interests. It is desirable that
4.2.6 Weigh advantages and disadvantages of response op- agreements are reached before a spill occurs. Some examples
tionsinrelationtoecologicalvalueandhumanuseofimpacted
of potential conflicts are presented here.
area.
4.3.1 Dispersing oil can decrease the potential for birds
4.2.7 Choose the optimum response method.
becoming oiled from surface slicks. Dispersant use can in-
crease the exposure of aquatic organisms to oil in the water
4.3 Conflicts during the NEBAprocess are inevitable (1, 2).
Conflicts may arise regarding protection of one species or column.
F2532−06
4.3.2 Dispersing oil can decrease the potential for adverse 5. Keywords
effects to marshes threatened by stranding oil. Dispersants can
5.1 benefit analysis; dispersant; ecological risk assessment;
increase the potential for adverse affects to seagrass beds
NEBA
exposed to chemically dispersed oil.
4.3.3 Dispersing oil can decrease the potential for adverse
effects to mangroves threatened by stranding oil. Oil chemi-
callydispersedinthewatercolumncancauseadverseeffectsto
coral reef organisms.
APPENDIXES
(Nonmandatory Information)
X1. FACTORS TO CONSIDER WITH DISPERSANT USE
Accessibility to the oil spill Oceanographic conditions (salinity, wave height, current velocity/direction,
Amount of oil spilled tides, water depth)
Aquatic toxicity of chemically dispersed oil Oil type, viscosity, weathered state
Areas of socioeconomic importance Presence of sensitive archaeological or historical sites
Commercial fisheries or subsistence fishing in spill area Regulatory approvals in place
Critical ecological habitats (feeding, migratory, nesting, spawning etc.) in Safety issues
spill area Shoreline type and vulnerability
Designated exclusion zones for certain response methods Shoreline accessibility
Effectiveness of other response methods Slick thickness
Equipment and trained personnel readily available Threatened/endangered species
Expected environmental recovery time for each respons
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