A membrane system isolates environment volume, contains hazards, enables detoxification, hazard removal, infrastructure restoration, and substance recovery. The flexible membrane system adjusts to advantageously shape its isolated volume and integrate existing infrastructure. Pollution and hazardous energy, including crude oil, toxic-gas, radioactive fallout, fire, and other hazards are isolated, while concurrently enabling access within the isolated volume. Pod encapsulated and readily deployed, the membrane system operates semi-autonomously, uses selective-filtering, specific gravity and substance differences to channel matter, mitigate hazards, protect the biosphere, preserve infrastructure and capture substances.

A method of containing a spill in an aqueous environment, comprises the steps of: placing a polymeric pipe under the surface level of the aqueous environment in the vicinity of a site of potential spillage; and raising the pipe from under the surface level to a containment level; wherein the pipe forms, when raised, at least a partial boundary around the spill for containing the spill.

A membrane system isolates environment volume, contains hazards, enables detoxification, hazard removal, infrastructure restoration, and substance recovery. The flexible membrane system adjusts to advantageously shape its isolated volume and integrate existing infrastructure. Pollution and hazardous energy, including crude oil, toxic-gas, radioactive fallout, fire, and other hazards are isolated, while concurrently enabling access within the isolated volume. Pod encapsulated and readily deployed, the membrane system operates semi-autonomously, uses selective-filtering, specific gravity and substance differences to channel matter, mitigate hazards, protect the biosphere, preserve infrastructure and capture substances.