Nigeria oil cleanup could take 30 years, U.N. says

Lagos, Nigeria (CNN) -- Restoration of Nigeria's environmentally devastated oil-producing Niger Delta region could take up to 30 years, cost $1 billion and become the largest cleanup operation in history, the United Nations said Thursday.
A landmark report from the U.N. Environmental Program (UNEP) concluded that pollution from more than 50 years of oil operations in Nigeria's Ogoniland region is more far-reaching than thought. The assessment, commissioned by the Nigerian government and funded by oil giant Shell, comes on the heels of the company admitting liability for two spills in Nigeria.
Nigeria's Niger Delta, the world's third largest wetland, is diverse and rich with mangroves and fish-rich waterways. But oil drilling has turned it into one of the most oil-polluted places on Earth with more than 6,800 recorded oil spills, accounting for anywhere from 9 million to 13 million barrels of oil spilled, according to activist groups.
But the environmental disaster has never received the kind of attention paid to last year's oil catastrophe along the U.S. Gulf Coast. Amnesty International, which has researched the human rights impacts of pollution in the Delta, said people in the region have experienced oil spills on par with the Exxon Valdez disaster every year for the last half century.

I wonder why that is?mad Must be something to do with their aversion to cleaning up after themselves after raping the earth?!:banghead Hmm, maybe it's because they have a corrupt government and are poor.rolleyes

Hail to the corps. that suck our veins dry everyday!

CNN

 

Every time i read one of these stories i put my wallet in the safe because it is a certainty that a plea for money is coming.

While i feel for the inhabitants it should be the polluter that pays not overseas aid.

Maybe i am just cynical but that is how i feel.

 

Obviously the companies are responsible for their damages to the ecosystem but I know they won't cop to it. Shell's not going pay much for their infractions either and they know that everyone will have forgotten about this by next Monday and 'normal' business will continue.

It makes me want to cry yet buy an AK-47! I better stop before seal team #6 is sent after me.roflmao

 

Augie, in 1968 it was said there would be long lasting effects of a major US Oil Spill near Santa Barbara, CA. It disappated by nature.

Are you suggesting we also clean up the LaBrea tar pits also?

GE polluted thousands of sites in the last century, are you going to next ban all that you gain from this "evil company that never paid for it's infractions?"

 

Are the LaBrea tar pits a result of an industrial accident ? The earth is amazingly resilient .
That is not to say that pollution has no effect, but the fact is, if you are going to have industry, you are going to have pollution .

 

Just like car/diesel/coal emissions 'dissipate' into the now thick atmosphere?rolleyes

Mom always told me to clean up my own messes. Why is this any different? Imagine if this crap happened every day in the US, would you go swimming or fishing? Love Canal?

You've got to be baiting me for some reason.:confused