How was cleanup accomplished?
Various methods were used to remove oil from the beaches. Workers sprayed beaches with water from high-pressure hoses. The water, with floating oil, would trickle down to the shore, where the oil was trapped within several layers of boom and then removed. Hot-water beach treatment was popular until it was determined that small organisms were being cooked; cold water was then used. Mechanical methods were also employed. Backhoes and other heavy equipment tilled the beaches to expose oil underneath so that it could be washed out. In a bioremediation effort, beaches were fertilized to promote growth of bacteria that eat hydrocarbons. This was successful on several beaches where the oil was not too thick. Some solvents and chemical agents were also used, although none extensively.
