We’re enjoying the benefits of the environmental movement, it’s now cheaper to warm the house, light bulbs are more energy efficient, and contaminated sites are being cleaned up instead of left to fester. The counter-balance has come in the form of new contaminant releases in the environment. If you remember the original energy saving light bulbs, what a waste of time, and the mercury in them made disposal expensive and risky, especially to the thousands of people who had no idea and just put them in the regular bin.
Are Biofuels next, please don’t get the wrong idea I am a big fan of biofuels (although admitedly I am a layman) as we need a solution to fuel oils.
At present biofuels are generally speaking a standard fuel with a low percentage mix of a plant derived fuel additive e.g. ethanol.
So what happens when biofuels are spilt onto the ground?
The ‘bio’ part of the fuel has been found to make biofuel spills much more hazardous. For example ethanol is highly toxic, a solvent, and dissolves very quickly in water.
Together with the fuel (and any other contaminants in the ground), biofuels spread quickly, over long distances, and cause significantly more damage to the environment.
On a plus note they’re easier to remediate (treat) and persist for less time than standard fuels in the environment.
Spills are already occurring as standard tanks fail to cope with the new constraints put on them.
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