
There are plenty of products available to help absorb errant spills in the bilge and on the water, but ones being sold by BoatSpills.com caught my attention. The reasons: They’re considered environmentally friendly, and they’ve been authorized by the Environmental Protection Agency for use on oil discharge since 1994.
Made by C.I.Agent, the products feature a mixture of U.S. Department of Agriculture-approved food-grade polymers. (Food-grade polymers are often used for water treatment, among other processes.) The polymers are in the form of a dry, granular powder, and they’re additionally reported to be nontoxic and noncarcinogenic to both sea life and birds. The product is used to solidify gasoline, diesel, and oils upon contact, turning them into a rubber-like material that floats, thereby making it easy to remove.
C.I.Agent makes a variety of materials used by marinas for fueling stations and to clean storm-water runoff, and through BoatSpills.com, it sells materials directed at boat and megayacht owners and crew as well as others in the marine industry. In fact, according to Aaron Kelly of BoatSpills.com, the 112-foot New Moon II and 282-foot Ecstasea are using its products, like the Bilge Bag.
The Bilge Bag is just what its name implies: a bag, which comes in a variety of sizes. After the crew places the bag in the bilge, it can float and absorb any fuel or oil, with the process apparently able to be repeated until the bilge water is rid of contaminants. In addition, Bilge Bags are permitted to be thrown in the trash in some locations (check your local EPA restrictions), versus other methods that always require special waste disposal.
For further details, e-mail BoatSpills.com.
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