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"Bugs That Eat Oil" |
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On
Monday 25th' November, 12 Noon, Harold and Christopher Ross decided
to travel to A. Coruna Spain to try to assist with the fuel oil disaster
caused by the spillage from the Prestige.
At 4.00 p.m. Ferry booked and Jeep loaded with bioremediation absorbent
and liquid clean-up they left Kidderminster for Portsmouth. Bad weather
en route delayed arrival until 9.30 p.m, but with plenty of time to
catch the 8.00 a.m. sailing for Cacti.
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| Arriving
in France at 3.00 p.m. they faced an enormous journey through France
and Northern Spain to the Disaster Area. The first 7 hours driving
took them to Bordeaux for an overnight rest and the following day
after another 11 hours on the road, stopping only for fuel and sandwiches
they reached their destination A. Coruna. Unfortunately the interpreter
arranged for Thursday was delayed but as time was at a premium they
decided to proceed alone. |
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The first
port of call was the wild life sanctuary where birds and animals were
taken for clean-up and recovery. This centre was manned by volunteers
including the vet in charge Joudi Colas - all with little or no experience
of the problems they faced. Harold and Chris cleaned-up a dead bird
to prove the effectiveness of their product and were promised by the
vet that the manager would receive a recommendation to use their product;
and to prove his good faith he provided them with other contacts and
phone numbers. Local press took literature and photographs |
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Meeting
up with the interpreter at 7.30 p.m. their next course of action was
planned - and phone calls were made to Emergency Centres being manned
24 hours per day. The local government officer agreed to a meeting
at 9.45 p.m. where the products were demonstrated sensationally.
So much so that the local officer immediately phoned the Director
General co-coordinating the spillage and apparently the only person
able to make decisions Sr. D. Jose Lopez Sor. He agreed the party
should visit his office based near by to repeat the demonstration.
At 10.30 p.m. they arrived but Jose had apparently changed his mind
telling reception that literature should be left; which would be assessed.
Now armed with the information that Jose would make the decisions,
a new cause of influence had to be agreed. |
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| The following
day it was decided to visit one of the worst affected areas Muxia.
On arrival many clean-up assistants were standing around wearing white
protection clothing covered in oil. They approached one of these assistants
and asked if they could clean up his dripping wet gloves. He was amazed
at the reaction but added, "I'm only a volunteer I have no influence".
By this time some French journalists had joined then to watch. They
were also impressed and asked for literature and took photos and directed
the party to the local clean-up headquarters. |
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Inside,
everywhere was covered with saw dust and oil!! After more demonstrations
Harold and Chris were told to visit the local mayor along with a volunteer
who had watched the demonstration of absorbing spillage oil and cleaning
contaminated items, boots! They were shown the cleaning liquid being
used which in large print said "CORROSIVE"!! The local mayor
agreed to a meeting saying that any demonstration would have to be
on site. He summoned a police car and the party followed. |
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| Parking on
the roadside some 30/40 yards from the sea wall they left the car
only to step into a heavy tar like substance several inches thick.
Chris immediately broke open a bag of Oil Sponge while Harold sorted
out a rake already black and sticky, Chris worked the absorbent into
the spillage, now over 1 week old with evidence of J.C.B. work over
it, The National TV started to film. After 5 minutes or so the bulk
of the demo area was drying out leaving the stone surface black. Eliminator
cleaner was then used and within another 5 minutes the surface was
as good as new. |
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| The mayor
asked some questions along with the press that had joined in, ending
in the mayor saying he would have to refer the matter to central government;
he dare not make a decision. The mayor left. |
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Across the
bay, the beach still covered in oil, another TV company were filming
so the party agreed to approach them. The TV Company were parked in
an area where there was no spilling but the roads and pavements were
covered in a film of oil from pedestrians shoes and the movement of
cars and lorries. Harold showed how this oil film could be removed
in seconds. A recording lasting several minutes was made. Having some
engine oil with them the party asked if they could demonstrate the
Oil Sponge. |
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The camera
rolled, Harold poured onto the road a spillage of the engine oil and
Chris absorbed it completely within one minute. The TV crew was very
impressed and asked for full details. Similarly another reporter who
had watched asked for all the literature. It was now getting late
in the day and as it was felt objectives had been achieved the party
returned to the Hotel.
Harold and Chris totally fatigued from the last five days decided
to take the ferry from Bilbao, Only 7 hours away. |
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| They duly
boarded the ferry for Portsmouth a mere 24 hours away. Regrettably
they virtually, immediately, sailed into a force 8 gale with swell
up to 10 metres, delaying arrival in Portsmouth by 11 hours and on
the sea for 35 hours!! And would you believe no one from Spain has
called yet!!! |
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