A Bank of Ireland data center had a significant oil spill, contaminating a public park, Raidió Teilifís Éireann reported last month.
What's happening?
On July 16, diesel oil was discovered in a Kilbogget Park lake. The oil originated from a data center in Cabinteely, a Dublin suburb.
Volunteers from Kildare Wildlife Rescue were called to the scene and rescued a family of swans. They also worked to rehabilitate other affected waterfowl.
Pearse Stokes, spokesperson and rescue coordinator for KWR, told RTÉ that this oil spill had the "most intense fumes" he had ever encountered.
"This is not just concerning for the wildlife affected," he said, "but also a public safety concern for people and their pets walking and exercising in the park." He added that this spill would greatly damage the park's biodiversity.
The cause of the spill remains unknown.
Why are oil spills concerning?
Oil spills devastate the environment.
In the short term, oil suffocates and poisons fish and waterfowl, killing them in large numbers. According to the World Economic Forum, oil also affects animals' natural buoyancy, causing them to drown.
The survivors aren't always better off. Oil pollution can remain in the affected area for years after the event, with toxic effects including compromised immune systems and reproductive health.
The long-term impacts on the animals' habitat at Kilbogget Park lake are still to be determined.
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Absolutely 👍 Whale and dolphin populations were still steadily declining 10 years after the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. While that spill was on a much larger scale, it shows just how ruinous these incidents can be.
What's being done about it?
A Bank of Ireland spokesperson told RTÉ that it worked with the Environmental Protection Agency and Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council. It issued a public apology. Efforts were made to contain and absorb the oil.
KWR has been monitoring the site and continues to nurse the birds in its care back to health. One of the swans is in intensive care.
If the world continues to rely on fossil fuels for energy, oil spills will continue to occur. The best way to help on an individual level is to lessen your own reliance on dirty fuels. Exploring alternative, renewable forms of energy, such as community solar, can be a great place to start.
You can also donate to Kildare Wildlife Rescue to support their care of the affected animals.
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