An on-going study sponsored by the U.S. Coast Guard, Office of Research and Development, is being conducted by SCS Engineers to assess the capabilities and shortcomings of existing disposal systems for oils and oil-debris mixtures recovered from spills. Research objectives are to provide a comprehensive description of existing collection, storage, transfer, treatment, and disposal equipment for possible Coast Guard procurement and to conceptualize needed new equipment and systems for Coast Guard-sponsored research and development.

Project results indicate that developed systems have been designed for specific environmental and debris conditions and may not provide the flexibility for the various situations experienced during Coast Guard operations. Yet equipment is available that can be included in general systems for disposal of oil spill debris under a wide variety of environmental conditions. Seventeen systems utilizing such equipment are defined and assessed in terms of on-site capabilities, deployability, cost, and other factors.