ASTM F1280-90(1999)

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Designation:F1280–90(Reapproved 1999)
Standard Guide for
Ecological Considerations for the Use of Oilspill
Dispersants in Freshwater and Other Inland Environments,
Impermeable Surfaces
This standard is issued under the fixed designation F 1280; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. A
superscript epsilon (e) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
1. Scope responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appro-
priate safety and health practices and determine the applica-
1.1 This guide covers the use of oilspill dispersants to assist
bility of regulatory limitations prior to use.
in the control of oil spills. This guide is written with the goal
of minimizing the environmental impacts of oil spills; this goal
2. Significance and Use
is the basis on which the recommendations are made.Aesthetic
2.1 This guide is meant to aid local and regional response
and socioeconomic factors are not considered although these
teams who may use it during spill response planning and spill
and other factors are often important in spill response.
events.
1.2 Spill responders have available several means to control
2.2 This guide should be adapted to site-specific circum-
or clean up spilled oil. In this guide, the use of dispersants is
stances.
given equal consideration with other spill countermeasures. It
is not considered as a last resort after all other methods have
3. Environment Covered—Impermeable Surfaces
failed.
3.1 Impermeable ground includes any soil, rock, hard pan or
1.3 This is a general guide only. If assumes the oil to be
other natural surface that does not readily permit the passage of
dispersible and the dispersant to be effective, available, applied
water and oil.
correctly, and in compliance with relevant government regula-
3.2 Impermeable structures include man-made surfaces
tions. In the case of impermeable surfaces, the dispersant may
such as paved roads and parking lots.
act as a detergent. In the assessment of environmental sensi-
tivity, it is assumed that the dispersant is nonpersistent in the
4. Background
natural environment. Oil, as used in this guide, includes crude
4.1 The effects of oil on animals inhabiting impermeable
oils and refined petroleum products. Differences between
ground is not fully known, but is suspected to be minimal as
individual dispersants or between different oil products are not
most animals on such surfaces are mobile and would avoid the
considered.
oil.
1.4 The guide is organized by habitat type, for example,
4.2 Plants inhabiting impermeable ground may be ecologi-
small ponds and lakes, rivers and streams, and land. It
cally important.
considers the use of dispersants primarily to protect habitats
4.3 Oil and dispersants will ultimately run off an imperme-
from impact (or to minimize impacts) and to clean them after
able surface. The environment receiving runoff should be
a spill takes place.
considered. As an example, experience with spills on imper-
1.5 This guide applies only to freshwater and other inland
meable surfaces included runoff into a permeable zone and
environments. It does not consider the direct application of
extensive groundwater contamination.
dispersants to subsurface waters.
4.4 A laboratory experiment has shown that explosion
1.6 In making dispersant use decisions, appropriate govern-
potential is increased by using dispersants on fuel spills in
ment authorities should be consulted as required by law.
1.7 This
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