Opinion - Oil spills - the ten lessons we must learn

Today is the 25th anniversary of the Exxon Valdez oil spill. To help remember the spill, and to provide a dose of reality in the face of millions of dollars of advertising for the Enbridge Northern Gateway pipeline, here are 10 truths about oil spills that every British Columbian should know: 1. Oil spill cleanup is a myth: Once oil is spilled, the battle is lost. Exxon spent more than $2 billion trying to clean up its Alaska spill, but recovered less than seven per cent. BP spent $14 billion on the Deepwater Horizon spill, but recovered only three per cent from the sea surface and beaches. Rarely is more than 10 per cent of a marine spill ever recovered.