Rena oil clean-up tool reviewed

A research project involving the use of peat moss to remove Rena oil from rocks at Maketu is now complete.

Researcher Tania Gaborit-Haverkort (MSc), assisted by Summa Newdick, has completed the report this week. The project involved reviewing oil cleaning methods and a survey of the Maketu coastline one year on from the Rena grounding.

In the first few days following the Rena grounding, Maketu residents Tania and BSc student Jesse Bramley approached the Maketu Rena clean-up committee with the idea of using a Canadian peat moss (SpillSorb) to clean oil off the rocks at Okurei point.

A trial impressed and the committee agreed to using the peat moss as the primary cleaning method on Maketu rocks. With the support of local volunteers, they spent a number of weeks removing oil from rocks.

Source: Bay of Plenty Times, 16 September 2014