Main content

How do you clean up an oil spill?

A tanker has sunk in the Philippines, creating a 3km long oil slick.

The Philippines is racing to contain the oil from a tanker that sank on Thursday in the midst of heavy rains from Typhoon Gaemi. It was carrying 1.5 million litres of oil, and the spread of it could cause an environmental catastrophe. We hear the latest on the coast guard operation from Jhesset Enano, a journalist based in Manila.

This incident has reminded people about the devastating impacts of previous major oil spills like BP’s Deepwater Horizon in 2012 and when MV Wakashio ran aground on a coral reef near Mauritius in 2020. We unpack how oil can be cleaned up and what these spills do to marine life with 91Èȱ¬ climate and science reporter Georgina Rannard.

We also hear from Vikash Tatayah, conservation director at Mauritian Wildlife Foundation, about how Mauritius’ biodiversity was affected by the country’s worst environmental disaster.

Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld
WhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6
Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk
Presenter: William Lee Adams
Producers: Julia Ross-Roy and Benita Barden
Editor: Verity Wilde

Available now

14 minutes

Last on

Sat 27 Jul 2024 02:50GMT

Broadcasts

  • Fri 26 Jul 2024 17:50GMT
  • Sat 27 Jul 2024 02:50GMT

Podcast