BP Must Stop Using Toxic Dispersant Now, Says Environmental Engineer (VIDEO)

Environmental engineer Joe Taylor has a dire warning for BP: they have to stop using their chemical dispersant, Corexit, immediately. Or else, according to a report from WKRG in Mobile, everything is going to die!

He says the sulfur and sulfuric acid based dispersant makes the oil spewing into the gulf sink, where its impossible to clean up--and where it depletes oxygen levels under the water, killing plankton and everything above plankton in the food chain. "Corexit is toxic, petroleum is toxic, and its depleting the oxygen levels," he says.

What's worse says Taylor, is that if he knows this information, so does BP. "They have a lot of chemists who are a lot smarter than I am, and they know this," he says.

Taylor told WKRG that BP is using Corexit "the wrong way," recommending they use an alternative, BioSolve, that is "bio-friendly" and usable on the beaches as well as in the Gulf.

WKRG.com News

The problems keep mounting for the Gulf, environmentally speaking. As USA Today reported today, BP's next problem is how to dispose of "millions of gallons of potentially toxic oil sludge." BP's plan, which has been endorsed by the Coast Guard and the EPD is to recycle as much of the sludge as possible, but experts say the toxic goop could actually "ruin refineries."

[H/T: Florida Oil Spill Law]

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Comments

[Snalf]

05:08 AM on 06/21/2010

i wonder how much of the $2billion to date in clean up costs is associated with the cost to buy the corexit. . .because Bp has ownership equity in the company that makes corexit which is why it was a mandatory part of all their cleanup plans. . .

[ecSurfer]

04:30 PM on 06/20/2010

Stop Dispersant Use Now

Contact Obama and congress and tell them directly:
http://www.contactingthecongress.org/

[Gelbert]

12:39 AM on 06/20/2010

Another thing the main stream media refuses to talk about is that marine life, like our blood chemistry, requires a relatively narrow ph range. Anyone who has ever tried to keep a salt water aquarium knows how delicate the ph balance needs to be to keep the fish healthy. We may see whole species of fish destroyed. There is NO WAY to recover from this. We are now in a post gusher world. 9/11 was nothing compared to this. And mark my words, the decision makers and higher ups will lie and deny to the end.

[plaidsportcoat]

11:03 AM on 06/19/2010

Why again, are we allowing a CORPORATION and the CORPORATIONS it hires to work for it to KILL OUR FOOD SUPPLY? I can only come to the conclusion that we are so stupid we deserve to die off.

[earto44]

10:23 AM on 06/19/2010

I wonder what would happen if BP were only allowed to deal with plugging the hole, in tandem with US engineers, and other large off shore drilling companies, and everything else were completely taken over by our government. We could then let OUR scientists decide what is good, what is bad, what is smart, what won't work. We could then insist on training and proper hazard protection, not just proper breathing masks, but eye and skin protection. We could acquire the biggest volunteer program ever, probably within two days. We could welcome people and help from all over the world. We would allow any reporters access to any point. We would kick ass if BP weren't in our way. It would be really neat-o if President Obama were to take BP out of the clean up part of this disaster.

[plaidsportcoat]

11:07 AM on 06/19/2010

Here's exactly what would happen. Corporations would mount a huge campaign against the government (they already have) because any time the government has ANY power--it threatens their bottom line. So, they would pay for huge teevee campaigns, they would pay for huge teaparty rallies(they already have through Dick Armey) and they would UP their purchase of Congressional seats. But Americans still wouldn't get it, they are disgustingly mentally ill. That is what the Bush admin was all about--weakening governmentto the point of irrelevance.

[CAHertzfe]

10:15 AM on 06/19/2010

BP does not care. Their objective is to get the oil to be not visible so they can argue with government and scientist that the spill has caused much less damage than it has, argue they can't see the oil so the underwater plumes and sunken oil doesn't exist. This way the Dems and Rethugs can argue and fight amongst themselves as they sneak out the back door Scott free.

[machivellianX]

03:39 AM on 06/20/2010

that's probably more or less true. BP cares about capping the well for future use, not sealing it, all this top kill, cement over nonsense was smoke and mirrors. And bp's corporate robot in the white house approved of the dispersant that will effectively sterilize the gulf against the wishes of many scientists and agencies that would choose an alternative route, such as sucking up the oil using ships WHICH BP is not using!!!!!!!

[Ravyn]

06:57 AM on 06/21/2010

I don't get why the White House is going along with the EPA in allowing BP to use it instead of ordering them to stop. I'm totally baffled by Obama's lack of response to the use of Corexit despite the reports in the print press, cable and network news. Also don't get why he's not objecting to BP preventing people working for them from wearing protective gear. But I'm going to hold him accountable when all hell breaks loose and some workers wind up hospitalized and more dead sea creatures turn up who are not oiled but died from contact with Corexit. He has a choice of stopping this, or his administration being held accountable for additional damage done to the environment, endangered wildlife and workers. I voted for Obama but I swear I'm losing patience with some of his environmental and conservation policies, particularly his seeming disinterest in doing all that can be done to protect wildlife. From the start his administration has moved very slowly on doing anything to protect the fragile marshes, ecosystem and wildlife (turtles, dolphins, sea birds, etc.) in the Gulf and keeps allowing BP to call the shots even when it is causing more wildlife than necessary to be imperiled by the oil or BP's burning of the oil. (Been recent reports this weekend that turtle rescuers were prevented from saving some turtles by BP contractors prior to their setting oil on fire, thus burning the turtles, too: appalling and horrifying.)

[zanzy]

07:41 AM on 06/19/2010

this article on corexit states that corexit is more toxic than the oil itself. Read and get more angry:

http://www.protecttheocean.com/gulf-oil-spill-bp/

[Ness38]

04:59 AM on 06/19/2010

They are STILL using Corexit????? WTF....BP are a law unto themselves. The use of Corexit is a travesty worse than the actual oil.....this thing is worse than a comedy of errors. Heaven help the gulf and its marine life.

[rtb61]

04:39 AM on 06/19/2010

The most worrying thing is, should children be evacuated from areas close to contaminated regions to avoid likely long term carcinogenic affects. Is this why oil companies are trying so hard to hide the level of contamination, they need families in the region to stay there to try to clean up the mess, whilst knowingly subjecting the family to sustained toxicology affects not only waterborne and airborne but also brought back to their homes by unknowing workers.

[floodberg]

02:51 AM on 06/19/2010

The dispersant is oddly enough owned by one of BP's 'friendly' companies, while Biosolve is not. Of course, if BP has to look as if they are 'cleaning up,' it's much better to have a friendly company make a profit off dispersing it than have strangers who specialize in these 'tragic accidents' make a profit off actually cleaning it up.

Instead, BP took this 'tragic accident' and with the greedy assistance of our Government has turned it into a bonanza for big oil. There's no more competing industries or employers, a captive and desperate workforce intentionally left unprotected by the US government, and no video or photos which aren't approved by BP.

This is Obama's and Congress' idea of 'making it right.' It's right for everyone but the gulf ecosystem, the wildlife, and the gulf residents who have the BP boot on their economic necks. As long as BP controls the media access and airspace, evidence of damage will be destroyed or hidden, and more Americans will begin to believe those BP-friendly rumors that the largest ecological disaster in US history is being 'exaggerated.

This is true capitalism...and it is definitely not 'God's Work.'

[wethepeople3884]

12:34 AM on 06/19/2010

The EPA MUST enforce the law - this is the problem with our country - the regulatory agencies are incompetent and the corporation are corrupt if not downright evil. Who do you blame? I blame both but congress and the courts decide not to blame anybody or hold them accountable at least (maybe put on a show for the public but no criminal charges have ever come out of those three ring circuses)

[playon]

11:12 PM on 06/18/2010

Why the feck is this criminal activity allowed to continue? Why isn't the government riding herd on this?

[alan of springcanyon]

03:45 AM on 06/19/2010

Perhaps our government is not of the people, by the people, or for the people any longer; since corporations are more equal than we small people are, why shouldn't this continue? After all, our representatives depend on BP for their incomes. Would you have them suffer? ;{

[Neets101]

09:52 PM on 06/18/2010

More interesting info, be sure to read Issac's and Sekar's posts on this forum:

http://askville.amazon.com/manufacturer-corexit-oil-dispersant-florida-spill/AnswerViewer.do?requestId=68941736

[Neets101]

09:46 PM on 06/18/2010

Wow. This article was chock full of info on the dispersant Corexit.

http://www.ufppc.org/us-a-world-news-mainmenu-35/9723-news-epa-reveals-toxic-corexit-ingredients.html

[James120756]

09:43 PM on 06/18/2010

I guess I should qualify that statement; I've worked in Environmental testing for over 15 years. I know there are people smarter than me, why won't someone listen?

[Bill in Virginia]

09:56 PM on 06/18/2010

James, I understand the President has established two commissions and three committees to study the issue. The results of these studies should be available in early January 2011.

[James120756]

01:16 PM on 06/19/2010

You know, I understand you are only agreeing with me in an attempt to belittle the President, but sadly I'm starting to find myself with the same opinion. I've given this President the benefit of doubt one too many times and been rewarded with nothing but dissappointment. The opportunity to make a courageous change to a broken health care system in this country- wasted, the opportunity to demonstrate a higher moral calling and pull our troops out of a immoral war- wasted, the chance to really show this country that we are still a government of the people, not a corporate welfare system- wasted, and finally allowing BP to poison the world's oceans with chemicals they aren't even requried to reveal- priceless. I'm certain the Republicans will use this opportunity to make political hay and continue their campaign of lies and half truths because that's what this country has come to, a broken political system where no one is moral or has any integrity, only money talks. But I for one will always remember we had a chance for real change in this country and wasted it.