Biodegradation / Aquatic Toxicity
Methanol biodegrades easily in water and soil. Methanol in high concentrations (>1%) in fresh or salt water can have short-term harmful effects on aquatic life within the immediate spill area.
Spill Response
If a spill occurs, stop or reduce discharge of material if this can be done without risk. Eliminate all sources of ignition. Avoid skin contact and inhalation. Do not walk through spilled product. Stay upwind; keep out of low-lying areas. Prevent spilled methanol from entering sewers, confined spaces, drains, or waterways. Maximize methanol recovery for recycling or reuse.
Leaking containers should be removed to the outdoors or to an isolated, well-ventilated area, and the contents transferred to a suitable container. Foam may be used for vapour suppression. Vapors can be knocked down using a water spray.
Whenever possible, contain land spills by forming mechanical or chemical barriers. Remove spilled product with explosion proof pumps or vacuum equipment. Treat the surface with sorbent materials, such as vermiculite or activated carbon, to remove the remaining methanol. Remove the sorbents after use. Soil contaminated with methanol should be removed and remediated.

Spills into large natural bodies of water, such as rivers and oceans, cannot be recovered. Whenever possible, contain spills to small surface waters using natural or mechanical barriers. Then remove the contained material with explosion proof pumps or vacuum equipment. Sorbents such as zeolite and activated carbon should also be considered for in situ clean up.

Treatment and Disposal
Possible treatment processes for spill countermeasures include biological degradation, reverse osmosis, carbon adsorption, steam stripping and air stripping.
Large quantities of waste methanol can either be disposed of at a licensed waste solvent company or reclaimed by filtration and distillation.
Waste methanol, or water contaminated with methanol, must never be discharged directly into sewers or surface waters.

If you live in the areas of Pennsylvania, Maryland, New Jersey, Delaware, and Lower New York State only, we recommend Greenleaf Environmental emergency response services if you need help with your cleanup. If you live outside of those areas contact an emergency response company in your area

Spill Prevention
An effective spill prevention program will include engineering controls, training and procedures, and spill response planning.
Effective engineering controls include overfill alarms, secondary containment for tanks, such as dikes or bunds to contain large spills, and hydrocarbon detectors within dikes.
Workers must be trained to handle methanol in a safe manner. Systems and procedures that protect the employees, the plant and the environment should be implemented.
To be prepared in the event of a spill, the facility should develop and implement spill response plans. Regular exercises of the plan will ensure that workers know how to respond safely and effectively to a release.