Presentation
The World Largest Nurdles Spill Incident "mv X-press Pearl" Response: Case Study, Lesson Learned for the Future.
SessionMicroplastics
DescriptionThe MV X-Press Pearl, a cutting-edge cargo vessel from Singapore, embarked on its journey from Hazira Port, India, on 15 May 2021, laden with 1,486 containers carrying various chemicals, including hazardous materials like nitric acid, urea fertilizer, sulfuric acid, ethanol, and plastic nurdles. Tragically, the vessel caught fire on 20 May while anchored near Colombo harbor, resulting in a week-long blaze, explosions, and container spillage. Despite efforts to tow the ship to deeper waters on 2 June, it sank to the seabed at a depth of 21 meters, causing extensive pollution along over 700 kilometers of the coastal belt.
This catastrophe, marked by plastic nurdles washing ashore and ongoing cargo spillage, stands as Sri Lanka's most significant marine ecological disaster and the world's largest ship-based nurdle pollution event. The incident remains active, with part of the vessel submerged, contributing to the accumulation of fresh plastic nurdles in nearby coastal areas, indicating long-term pollution repercussions. The MV Xpress Pearl incident poses multifaceted risks due to various chemicals, burned and unburned nurdles, and over 300 tons of bunker oil on board. The National Oil Spill Contingency plan has been employed to address the situation, involving response actions such as shoreline cleanup to mitigate nurdle accumulation. Managing this incident posed unique challenges, prompting a comprehensive analysis in five key areas.
Firstly, the paper explores the innovative approaches required for the shoreline cleanup operation. Secondly, it delves into how response strategies adapt to distinct shoreline characteristics and manage diverse waste generated during cleanup. Thirdly, the paper outlines response evaluation methods, emphasizing lessons learned and best practices for future planning efforts. The analysis underscores that the efficacy of shoreline cleanup strategies varies based on the shoreline type, emphasizing the need for improved standard operating procedures and multi-risk factor incident response capacities based on the lessons derived from this crisis.
This catastrophe, marked by plastic nurdles washing ashore and ongoing cargo spillage, stands as Sri Lanka's most significant marine ecological disaster and the world's largest ship-based nurdle pollution event. The incident remains active, with part of the vessel submerged, contributing to the accumulation of fresh plastic nurdles in nearby coastal areas, indicating long-term pollution repercussions. The MV Xpress Pearl incident poses multifaceted risks due to various chemicals, burned and unburned nurdles, and over 300 tons of bunker oil on board. The National Oil Spill Contingency plan has been employed to address the situation, involving response actions such as shoreline cleanup to mitigate nurdle accumulation. Managing this incident posed unique challenges, prompting a comprehensive analysis in five key areas.
Firstly, the paper explores the innovative approaches required for the shoreline cleanup operation. Secondly, it delves into how response strategies adapt to distinct shoreline characteristics and manage diverse waste generated during cleanup. Thirdly, the paper outlines response evaluation methods, emphasizing lessons learned and best practices for future planning efforts. The analysis underscores that the efficacy of shoreline cleanup strategies varies based on the shoreline type, emphasizing the need for improved standard operating procedures and multi-risk factor incident response capacities based on the lessons derived from this crisis.
Author
Event Type
Paper
TimeTuesday, May 14th1:50pm - 2:10pm CDT
Location291-292
Response