Posted by Melissa Burlaga
As work continues in the Gulf of Mexico to contain what could be America's worst oil spill two Iron Rangers say they have a way to mop up oil and reduce the environmental damage.
Hundreds of ships are struggling to clean-up the enormous spill from the Deepwater Horizon Rig.
Using primitive booms, they're only skimming the surface.
Scientists say the real problem lies beneath, where thousands of gallons of oil are leaking from the sea bed each day.
Iron Rangers Bill Whiteside and Gene Ferweda say the solution could come from deep within Minnesota's peat bogs.
"It's phenomenal. It's revolutionary. It'll save so much environmental damage."
It's called reed sedge peat, a highly-absorbent material capable of soaking up gigantic oil spills...without absorbing water.
"We can produce enough product to suck up all the oil that came out of the Exxon Valdeez oil spill. That's 11 million barrels of oil that he has in his reserves that can be processed into oil-absorbent to do this job."
Ferweda discovered these extraordinary properties while experimenting with peat moss as fertilizer in 1980.
This is the plant where I process my material. We bring it out of the bog back there where were at.
The cell structure is great, so it absorbs quick and now it's one of the best things for the environment.
And after spending time in the peat bog refining his process, the master of moss knew he needed a way to get his product to the people.
And that's where Bill Whiteside comes in. Whiteside operates a rental company Hibbing.
However, in 1994, he worked on the team that cleaned up the Exxon Valdez oil spill.
It would coat the beaches in some places, and then they would bring in steamers and steam the beaches and all the living things, and all the vegetation would be killed.
And you don't forget something like that.
Both men knew their product would have to be safe for animals.
They began producing A-Plus absorbent a few years ago.
They say it's organic and tested by the EPA.
Birds can swim through it, as long as it's contained all the oil, and they won't become fouled.
You can put it on beaches, and frogs, amphibians, and mammals, can crawl through it, even if it's sucked up all the oil, because it will not let it go.
The men are trying to get the attention of oil giant B.P. but so far there's been no response.
It's environmentally friendly, and it's organic. It's just a dream come true for oil spill clean-up.
It's right here. Everybody's overlooking it.
A new, oil spill fighting tool, made right here in the Northland.
Once used, Whiteside and Ferweda say their product breaks down to an organic fertilizer.
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