End Oil Slicks: Oil Companies Take Responsibility

An oil slick 70 miles long and five miles wide in the rich fishery region was visible even before the rear of the tanker sank on Tuesday, threatening a large portion of the Spanish coastline. Damages were estimated at 90 million euros ($90 million) but were expected to spike following Tuesday's development. The accident has put around 1,000 fishermen temporarily out of work. Soldiers and volunteers rushed to dozens of beaches that were blanketed in thick sheets of oil to assess further damages. Meanwhile, environmental experts removed more than 150 oil-covered animals, primarily seabirds, for treatment. "We've seen many dead fish and birds and many others in agony when we rescue them," Ezequiel Navio, from the World Wildlife Fund, told MSNBC. The government warned that the oil spilled could continue to seep into some of the many inlets that penetrate the coastline.

The Oil companies need to take greater responsibility to avoid leakage in the case of accidents. We request that oil companies:

1. Create tanks that are held inside the ship tankers that will be strong enough to withstand a ship wreck.
2. Ensure that oil is carried in tanks that if sunk, will not allow leakage in 50 years when the tanks have rusted through OR find a way to ensure that tanks are not left at the bottom of the ocean to rust and leak.
3. Take all measures to ensure a ZERO tolerance approach to accidents.