What is BP Putting in the Gulf?

[Bragi]

Chemicals Meant To Break Up BP Oil Spill Present New Environmental Concerns

The chemicals BP is now relying on to break up the steady flow of leaking oil from deep below the Gulf of Mexico could create a new set of environmental problems.

Even if the materials, called dispersants, are effective, BP has already bought up more than a third of the world’s supply. If the leak from 5,000 feet beneath the surface continues for weeks, or months, that stockpile could run out...

The exact makeup of the dispersants is kept secret under competitive trade laws, but a worker safety sheet for one product, called Corexit, says it includes 2-butoxyethanol, a compound associated with headaches, vomiting and reproductive problems at high doses.

http://www.propublica.org/article/bp-gulf-oil-spill-dispersants-0430

[no_hypocrisy]

1. Death

On many levels.

[SammyWinstonJack]

2. Yep.

x(

[TacticalPeek]

3. Sweep it under the water.

Out of sight, out of mind.

[liberal N proud]

4. Either way the Gulf of Mexico ecosystem faces a dire future

[brendan120678]

5. My local rag had an article today about...

a company in the area that manufactures/sells some of the clean-up equipment:
-------------------
Boom time for Seymour company
Local manufacturer makes oil containment booms to mop up spill in Gulf of Mexico
BY PAUL SINGLEY | REPUBLICAN-AMERICAN

SEYMOUR -- Communities along the Gulf Coast threatened by a massive oil spill are getting a lift from a Seymour company that manufactures equipment to skim oil out of water.

Lamor Slickbar, based some 1,200 miles from where the spill occurred, has been called upon to help the federal government and coastline residents from Louisiana to Florida try to contain the huge spill. The leak, which started in a blown-out well two weeks ago, promises to cause billions of dollars in environmental cleanup costs and incalculable economic damage.

Lamor Slickbar, which has been in business since 1960 and has operated out of Seymour for 22 years, has in the past week supplied almost 20,000 feet of oil containment booms and skimmers to help clean up the mess, which could spread to a massive slick the size of Puerto Rico. Cleanup crews in the Gulf have been unable to stop the crude oil gushing out at a rate of about 42,000 gallons a day.

While nobody wishes for such a disaster, somebody has to clean it up. Lamor Slickbar employees are more than happy to be in the business.

Excerpt. More here: http://www.rep-am.com/articles/2010/05/04/business/479305.txt

[OneTenthofOnePercent]

6. butoxyethanol and inipol, used in Prince William Sound, has caused numerous ailments and death.

Even to this day, Valdez cleanup workers suffer from long lists of serious health problems caused by inipol and butoxyethanol they sprayed on the beaches. many boat crews even died from exposure. It's nasty stuff for sure and hard to say which is worse to wade around in... crude oil or dispersants.

Honestly, thye ought to just light the oil on fire.

[eppur_se_muova]

7. Butoxyethanol -- principal component in some whiteboard cleaners.

If you use dry markers and whiteboard, you've already gotten your MDA of this stuff: http://www.mnsu.edu/facilities/building/msds/ExpoWhiteboardCleaner.pdf