Case History
Canary Islands - Fuerteventura
Support to the NBCR group in Brescia with FoamFlex for embankment of a spillage
AREA
CHALLENGE
The fire brigade intervened following Hurricane Emma in 2018. Despite the large size of the oil spill at sea and the very adverse environmental conditions, the fire brigade and the people who intervened on the spot quickly cleaned up the area.
In February 2018, the island of Fuerteventura was hit by Hurricane Emma, a devastating weather phenomenon. It left behind a grim aftermath, including structural damage and economic losses. In addition to structural damage and economic losses, the hurricane caused the sinking of numerous vessels in the port of Gran Tarajal. Among them were four tugboats, six pontoons, and several small boats, all of which suffered irreparable damage, resulting in a significant oil spill into the sea.
A staggering 150 tonnes of various hydrocarbons, including diesel oil, hydraulic oil, motor oil, and lubricating oil, posed a threat to both the marine ecosystem and port safety..Faced with this emergency, the Specific Contingency Plan for Accidental Marine Pollution (Pecmar) Level 3 was activated, which included the use of FoamFlex, an innovative solution for oil spill management.
Thanks to the effectiveness of FoamFlex, with only 70 kg of the product, the help of two hand wringers and the intervention of 8 operators, it was possible to recover 55% of the oil spilled.
This meant the collection and reuse of 57 tons of hydrocarbons, greatly reducing the environmental impact of the incident. FoamFlex proved to be a swift and efficient solution, resulting in substantial savings in resource utilization and disposal expenses.
THE SOLUTION
T1 Piezometer
However, it is important to note that even earlier intervention and the implementation of a specific contingency plan utilizing FoamFlex, developed in collaboration with engineers by the T1 Solutions team, could have significantly enhanced the recovery rate. This, in turn, would have further minimized damage to the environment and the local economy. This incident underscores the importance of preparedness and availability of effective solutions for environmental emergencies.
ALL CASE HISTORY:
150 Tons of oil recovered.
