Some solutions

Generally, the first attempt to clean up is to contain the raw using mobile barriers and, then, try to collect mechanically the hydrocarbons. Unfortunately, in many occasions these solutions can not be applied for the weather and sea conditions, often associated with the sinking; so, it can turn to the use of chemical solvents, which tend to separate the oil spot in micro aggregates which are more easy to eliminate, even if their opposite effects create a highly toxic content and a smaller control.
An other common system to control the oil spot is to burn the raw “in situ” to reduce its extension, even if in this case there is a lot of release of contaminants in the atmosphere.
More recent researches are directing to “biological remediation” using “tar eating” bacteria; the last mentioned are yet bound to a modest availability of nutritional compounds containing nitrogen and phosphorous.
In the beaches clean up operations, inevitably invaded by the raw, it’s necessary instead to avoid the mechanical means which collect a lot of sand and too much in the depth, because it would change the natural balance of the shoreline. On the contrary, it can be used waterproof basis to collect the tar and hot water to clean the rocks.
The acquired experience on the “oil spills” showed that, also several years later the release, sound biological effects can be registered, such as the decrease of animal and vegetable species let alone the number of individuals inside each species.
This effect seems to be conditioned by the long times necessary to the environment to auto depurate through evaporation and biodegradation mechanisms, the oily layer remaining for a lot time, causing heavy obstacles to the oxygenation and hindering light passage, which inhibit the life of photosynthetic organisms, the first ring in the trophic chain.