Gulf Oil Spill Is Public Health Risk, Environmental Scientists Warn

[Divine Discontent]

Scientists don't agree with this sentence - "Except for 3 beaches in LA., all of the Gulf's beaches are open; they are safe & they are clean" - take heed in listening to the scientists statement. I will not be venturing back into the water of the gulf like I did a few weeks ago. I will believe the people who are dealing with it, who are falling ill, and the scientists.


From the Guardian/UK 5/28/2010 ---

Gulf Oil Spill Is Public Health Risk, Environmental Scientists Warn

• Pollution could do lasting damage to locals' health

With no immediate end in sight, there were growing concerns over the effects on public health of a prolonged exposure to the oil as well as to the more than 800,000 gallons of chemical dispersants sprayed on the slick.

Environmentalists and fishing groups in Louisiana say prolonged exposure to the oil, in the form of tiny airborne particles as well as dispersants, could be wreaking devastating damage on public health.

They also accuse BP of threatening to sack workers who try to turn up for clean-up duty wearing protective respirators, and the Obama administration of refusing to release results of air and water quality tests that would show the impact of crude oil and dispersants on the environment.

Wilma Subra, a chemist who has served as a consultant to the Environmental Protection Agency, said there was growing anecdotal evidence that locals were falling ill after exposure to tiny airborne particles of crude. Air quality data released earlier by the EPA suggested the presence of chemicals that – while still within legal limits – could be dangerous. But Subra complained that the EPA was not releasing all data it had gathered from BP.

"Every time the wind blows from the south-east to the shore, people are being made sick," she said. "It causes severe headaches, nausea, respiratory problems, burning eyes and sore throats." Long-term health effects include neurological disorders and cancer.


Much more at link - - -
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2010/may/28/bp-gulf-oil-spill-pollution

[1776Forever]

1. MSNBC had a shrimp Captain on this morning saying that very thing! He had the fact sheet on the

dispersant that he said was poisonous and he couldn't understand why the U.S. Government had OK'd its use! The whole thing has been a tragic domino tragedy! There are a lot of terrible decisions by all concerned that need to be rethought quickly!

[Divine Discontent]

6. exactly, he couldn't undestand why they'd use it & just add an additional chemical to the mix by

nearly a million more gallons! We know why they did it, they wanted (and failed) to hide it from view, but as the OP by kpete showed, the photo from an airplane way overhead showed a massive sea of oil. They are a bunch of bastards at BP. The gov't better start prosecuting, or this will destroy our party in 2010&2012, and more importantly, will destroy the region if they don't take drastic measures to get the oil skimmed up by supertankers or whatever means they can. I wonder if Kevin Costner's idea can pull this out, too - I pray so.

[flyarm]

2. I heard this morning on CNN many out working on the water were getting even air lifted to

hospitals very very sick ..that are working out on the water..many with stomach illnesses and other illnesses.

I can tell you weeks ago I posted here at DU the burning of the throat and eyes that was happening in Clearwater Fla ..300 miles away from the gusher..that was making many people sick from Tampa area to Ft Meyers Fla..and the Black over our part of the Gulf.
The smells went inland and many inland were even having burning eyes and throats and stomach pains.

The smells were initially just over the beach area..and the beach and gulf are my back yard..we smelled it first for days before it went inland.

But don't worry, we were told to STFU by some here at DU and our media said BP said we were safe!! Wooo hooo..i have confidence in that ..damn sure.........!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:sarcasm: :sarcasm: :woohoo: :woohoo: :sarcasm: :sarcasm:

Our government deferred and capitulated to BP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You know the corp that greased repig and dem pockets and gave their biggest pay out to Obama!

I feel so good and safe now..so much so I have asked my son not to bring my grand daughter to my home this summer..because i fear for her lungs and health! Wow i have such a warm fuzzy feeling today..and about that CHANGE shit.......save that crap for the fools and dumb! Maybe this government can shove that pile of shit down the pipe that is destroying our eco system.

[lostnfound]

3. That's okay..Iwas told yesterday by an oil guy that BP would be compensating people for "everything"

To make you whole< seems that BP should be paying for you and your granddaughter to hang out in Hawaii for a while.. it's the closest I can think of with the gulf's frequent breezes..

[Divine Discontent]

7. Hi flyarm.

I was just at Clearwater Beach about a month ago. I knew it would probably be the last time I would get to go to that great beach for a long while. :( I'm sick of people who aren't here not listening to the experts who are here (not me, but dammit we count too, we're not ignorant for God's sake!) kpete's OP with that photo from the airplane was very damning! It's sickening how huge that one spot of oil on the sea is - and that's just one part of the mess! I believe our gov't didn't have a clue or capitulated as you said. Our ecosystem is going to continue greatly and suffer... bastards. BP execs needs locked up, not allowed to give interviews in their $2000 suits. I have had a good day to catch up on the news from real sources (not BP & govt) and it's getting ugly.

[Phx_Dem]

4. Duh. n/t

[niceypoo]

5. Hell, I could have told ya that...

[inna]

8. This is just criminal.

[Karenina]

9. . .

[Catherina]

10. Criminals. Shameless.

Whitley Strieber tweet on May 19


"The Gulf spill is out of control, the media has dropped it, BP is lying, the gov't is silent. Pray."

[TheKentuckian]

11. Whats really going on

[Divine Discontent]

13. questionable actions by the govt regarding BP for sure, that's 1 thing. They should have been

rounded up for their evasive lies during a national crisis emergency that THEY caused. They have repeatedly blocked the truth, and stopped others from finding it. I cannot believe they're being allowed to walk free after this. They are only after profit - they are in the damned business of making money off of finding oil - they are not an industry leader in safety and solving crisis! They have the worst safety record of all the oil giants, by far.



KICKED - SO THAT ALL KNOW THE TRUTH WHO LIVE NEAR THE WATER.

[Ned Bro]

12. Of course!

Several people are already wondering what'll happen during hurricane season!

[inna]

14. +