Monday, May 31, 2010

QUESTIONS ABOUT THE DISPERSANT :HAVE DEADLY AMOUNTS BEEN USED IN THE GULF ?


Original Post on Dispersant COREXIT posted May14th, EPA,CDC,DHHS and OSHA have all been written regarding concerns about this Chemical Compound (both forms). BP is blaming Heat and Food Poisoning for workers illnesses and complaints. Yet the Illness complaints range from chest pain to nausea,vomiting,trouble breathing,rashes,headaches and dizzyness.BP has also not been allowing Workers to wear Respiratory Protection masks. BP has threatened the workers who complain of health issues or and has threatened to FIRE workers who want to wear masks. Workers, worker families, and residents of the Gulf have been having a variety of health complaints.

{ May29 Advoacy Update:::I have gotten NO response back from EPA or OSHA or DHHS.CDC did send me a Flu Shot update letter, and no other contacts or information to follow up with. When I called on the phone I got a Answering Service in India.}
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EPA Water Sampling Results up to May 7th
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EPA Sediment Samplings to May 7th
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Please see Dispersant Ingredients Below-Heavy Metals and Cyanide are extremely toxic to Sea Life and are not being tested for in the EPA results of Sampling Reports above.Necropsy Reports should be done on the dead fish,turtles,dolphins for the dispersant ingredients.
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According to the DeepWater Horizon Response website that was posted by GOSHEP ( Louisanna Governor's Office Reponse Center) COREXIT is being used as a Dispersant sprayed over the Gulf by lowflying planes to break up the Oil. On Thursday May 13th they posted they have used 476,000 gallons so far , with 275,000 gallons still available. Yet after reading the Literature from EPA this raises some concerning questions. ( Approximately 300 dead fish showed up at Dauphin Island,some of the fish were quite large, fullgrown adult fish, as they did not appear oily in appearance, it raised the question could the Dispersant have harmed them ? Could they be tested for the dispersants or their stomach contents, now we know they could be tested for Heavy Metals).

(1) The EPA literature says that the mixture has Solvents,Heavy Metals (arsenic,mercury in PPM that would be toxic to fish)and cyanide.

(2) 476,000 gallons have been used so far, was this amount diluted in any way or straight to surface of water ? The Literature states that small amounts are used per acres to be sprayed 2-10 gallons at a time within 24 hours of moderate spill. The Literature also does not say what happens with larger spill, it reads as though it has not been tested or used in this way before. ( See No5 below and ask has too much been used in the Gulf in a short time ?).

(3) Here is the EPA info about the COREXIT Dispersants EC9527A and EC9500A Dispersants. And more here from EPA is worth a closer read.

(4) Here is the information about the Heavy Metals concentrations ( from EPA info) ( which the fish should be tested)
(Please See Below the Toxins were measured in PPM:Parts per Million, yet for sensitive Aquatic Environments they should be measured in PPB-Parts Per Billion.)
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Compound Concentration (ppm)
Arsenic < 0.005
Cadmium < 0.01
Chromium < 1.0
Copper < 0.2
Lead < 0.1
Mercury < 0.003
Nickel < 0.1
Zinc 0.1
Cyanide < 0.01
Chlorinated Hydrocarbons < 0.01

*** HOW Dangerous is Cyanide to Birds,Mammals and fish Read THIS.

(5) The EPA info alson gives basic guidelines for Usage and Dispersal:

"2. Concentration/Application Rate:
A treatment rate of about 2 to 10 U.S. gallons per acre, or a dispersant to oil ratio of 1:50 to 1:10 is recommended. This rate varies depending on the type of oil, degree of weathering, temperature, and thickness of the slick.
3. Conditions for Use:
As with all dispersants, timely application ensures the highest degree of success. Early treatment with COREXIT® EC9500A, even at reduced treat rates, can also counter the "mousse" forming tendencies of the spilled oil. COREXIT® EC9500A is useful on oil spills in salt water."

(6) Army uses experiment chemical (Dauphin Island) (via Treehugger) Is there a possibility that this Dispersant combined with the Army chemicals ? Someone needs to investigate.
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More from the Post above with Dauphin Islands Updates:
(reported by @Treehugger) Damage is beginning to be measured and seen as it reaches different parts of the Shoreline and Gulf Islands and Barriers. The first Fish Kill is On Dauphin Island,Alabama from last night.
Here is the actual video and footage of the Fish Kill-more than 300 fish, mostly large in Size. The Question is what killed these full grown fish, was it the Oil ? The Fish they ate ? or the Dispersant ? or the Chemicals that were used by the Military near Dauphin Island.

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People in the Gulf are NOW being told to call BP with their finds of Injured or Dead or oily creatures. My Question is shouldn't Federal Fish and Wildlife be collecting the dead and performing Necropsies ? And hopefully before any more of the 217,000 remaining gallons is used Federal Fish and Wildlife will be consulted.
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ProRepbulica has a post up about the Concerns about the Gulf Dispersants ingredients and their effects.
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Updated Post May 29th : EPA still not testing Waters for the Dispersant.No Tests have been done on the Dead Animals that were tested that were not oily, but still should be tested. (It could also be that Independent Scientists or groups are testing. Clean Up workers have gotten ill and OSHA precautions were issued for Oil Products and Fumes, we have not seen OSHA at Conferences or addressing these concerns.
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Dr.Nyman from LSU speaking to the Dispersant issue.

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May 30th Update:
EPA issued an order to BP to stop using this compound on May24th, now BP has continued to use this toxic chemical over 750,000 gallons have now been used. ( or that is all that BP has reported). EPA is testing the Water, and Water Column ,yet they are NOT testing for the COREXIT ingredients in water or air,only Oil,Hydrocarbon compounds. To date OSHA has not issued a Dispersant Precaution Sheet, which raises questions as to whether BP has cleared this with them for training workers.)At this point why is BP being allowed to control the Health part of this Disaster, they have no credentials to handle this part of the Disaster and Clean Up Workers are now being threatened and feeling ill. Yet the DHHS or OSHA or EPA has not stepped in to protect ANY of the Workers Health. May 24th 7 Workers got sick while at sea, they were moved to shore for medical care, 7 were hospitalized, 2 with chest pain. One remains hospitalized. That night the Coast Guard pulled in the entire 125 boat Breton fleet.The Coast Guard did not issue any statements. Weekend Pressers BP and the Coast Guard tried to say it was "Heat" issues.Now tonight Tony Hayward is trying to say it is "Food Poisoning.

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(NewYorkDailyNews article linked) Here is more about Lisa P Jackson of EPA ordering EPA to use less toxic Dispersant, yet in BP Presser on Friday May28th BP announced they are still using Corexit and plan to keep using with EPA's APPROVAL. Coast Guard stood at this presser and nodded and stated that workers that were sick had suffered from the Heat. No OSHA or EPA was present at that presser. This linked NYT article is concerning as workers are already starting to have Health Complaints, it is reminding some of the NY 911 Workers.
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This weekend we also learned via a BP Presser that they intend to set up Floating Camps on the Contaminated Waters and Tent Cities near the Shorelines. They are making the workers work 12 hours shifts and then sleep and eat in the Toxic settings and yet OSHA has said nothing. ( Here is the link to the post on this issue About the Proposed plan for the Clean Up Workers. Before these BP Camps are set up Someone NIOSH or OSHA must have Physicians or Scientists evaluate the Safety of these "Camps" and "Floating Camps". The One Flotel that has been shown has limited Showering and bathroom Facilities, and raises questions about Workers being able to clean skin.But also is it wise to have the workers Sleep in Contaminated zones. And finally the BP CEO's said this weekend that the workers are working 12 Hour Shifts, it would seem that OSHA has rules about Length of Working Hours in Hazardous Contaminated Zones. )
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This weekend 2 Shrimpers that were working in an area and got sprayed by low flying planes have gotten sick. I could not find rules regarding Dispersant being sprayed on workers, good reason would say that Safe Practice does not allow workers to be in an area that is being Sprayed or has just been sprayed. In all photos seen there has been no Masks or respirators on any Clean Up Workers.

6 comments:

Mauigirl said...

The extent of this environmental disaster will be felt for years. I have no doubt the dispersants are as bad as the oil, and if they do the "junk shot" solution to the oil gusher, add in a lot of old tires and other junk that will clutter up that area - it is mind-boggling how bad this is, and no end in sight. I'm so sad and sick over this.

enigma4ever said...

so sorry...maui..
all I can do at this point is document the damage...track all this and try to get help to our friendds down south...

I have thought since day one that it was catastrophic....much worse than Valdez...

and that BP are criminally and knowingly negligent.

enigma4ever said...

RT @GOHSEP Validated #OilSpill environmental #air & #water sampling results: http://bit.ly/9DWvPR

( EPA results-no testing since May 6th,and they are not testing for Dispersant results- heavy metals, and cyanide.)

Also not sure if they actually tested near Dauphin Island Alabama.

Also technically the animals need to be tested-but if they are only testing for hydrocarbons ....they won't test for cyanide or heavy metals.

enigma4ever said...

http://www.epa.gov/bpspill/data/sedsamp-may4-6.pdf

( no heavy metals, no cyanide-no testing since the spraying, last tests may 6th)

enigma4ever said...

http://www.epa.gov/bpspill/data/water-may4-7.pdf


water sampling-no cyanide,no heavy metals NO samplings since dispersant sprayed

Distributorcap said...

i have a hard time reading about this - you know, i spoke to a reporter friend of mine who has interviewed the engineers - they are working day and night trying to fix this

sadly it is the BP corporate execs that have made this a spin war - with help from our govt. they use words to mitigate and pass the blame

as much as i hate BP and what they did - in reality it was the Bush administration which relaxed rules to allow this to happen - BP helped write the rules

they all should be in shackles