Ocean scientists at the University of Wales, Bangor have devised a natural, inexpensive means of cleaning oil-polluted beaches. The biodiesel solvent is more effective and less toxic than current methods. It was hailed by environmentalist Jonathan Porritt as "a perfect example of the way academia can contribute solutions to the wider environmental issues facing industry", and it won Bangor's Harold Mudge the 1997 Heriot-Watt Enterprise Oil Environment Award.