Would dumping massive amounts of our paper by products along the gulf shore lines allow the oil to be absorbed and thus prevent it being absorbed into the marshes?
We have at our disposal huge amounts of recycled paper being collected by our existing recycling companies. Would it benefit us to send barges, trucks and trains to the gulf with this paper to dump along the gulf states coastlines?
The possible benefits of creating even more of a mess with the paper is that:
The paper will absorb the oil to some extent.
Oil will be prevented from getting into the very sandy bottom of the marshes where it will be very hard to decompose without sufficient oxygen. If it does get into the sediment it will be decades before it biodegrades.
The paper will biodegrade the oil quicker since the paper will encourage bacteria to attack the paper and the oil.
The paper contains oxygen which will be needed to degrade the oil.
Massive amounts of paper will act like natural booms, preventing the oil from being pushed further into marshes.
In shallow water the paper will be easier to collect than in deep water.
