The U.S. Coast Guard recently received a demonstration of two Spillaway brand bio-remediation products, which contain live bacteria or spores that "eat" oil and fuel. Spillaway products are distributed by MEM International. Bio-remediation uses naturally occurring microorganisms to degrade harmful chemicals into non-toxic compounds. Microorganisms break down a wide variety of organic compounds that are found in nature to obtain energy for their growth. In particular, these organisms will break down petroleum hydrocarbons and transform them into carbon dioxide and water. Bio-remediation harnesses this natural process by promoting the growth of microorganisms that can degrade contaminants and convert them into non-toxic by-products. The bio-remediation process is natural.