Webinar: Short-and long-term human health impacts of the Wakashio Oil spill (Aug. 25, 2020)
On August 25 at 12:30 PM EDT, Dr. Riki Ott participated in a free webinar panel discussion of short-and long-term human health impacts of the Wakashio oil spill in the Indian Ocean Island of Mauritius. This spill could be a game-changer for use of heavy fuel oil to propel the majority of large ships at sea — oil tankers, cruise ships, cargo ships, bulk carriers, ferries, etc. Use of heavy fuel oil is controversial. Heavy fuel oil causes air pollution when burned and long-term ecological damage when spilled. Instead of investing in cleaner alternative technologies, the global shipping industry has pressured international regulators to lower air emission standards and provide exemptions to the double-hull standards for oil tankers.
