CNN once reported that Exxon Valdez cleanup workers had a life expectancy of 51 years old. Most of those workers have now died. A version of Corexit oil dispersant that is being used in the Gulf was used also in the Exxon Valdez cleanup. Corexit is banned in the UK as well as many other nations and considered roughly only 60% effective. It is ironic Corexit cannot be used in England, but BP is using both Corexit 9500 and 9527A in our waters as the oil dispersant of choice. Corexit is manufactured by NALCO, a company reportedly with closes ties to BP. Over a million gallons of NALCO products have been applied in the Gulf, documented by themselves as having NO TOXICITY TESTING. There has never been such a massive Corexit spraying of chemicals and resulting oil spill fumes in history, as the one in our Gulf.
NALCO documentation recommends that a protective mask be used when applying Corexit to insure health safety. We recommend that you should use an air cleaning mask at the site as well. However, we go further and recommend that you should maintain healthy air quality with an air cleaning system at the cleanup sites, in boats, and in any buildings and homes in the or around the oil spill (and dispersant).
What Is Corexit?
Corexit is predominantly composed of Butoxyethanol with a few other minor chemicals plus tract elements including arsenic, mercury, cadmium, chromium, and cyanide. BP considers the Corexit use to be safer than letting the crude oil dissipate on its own. Others consider these dispersants to be toxic chemicals and refer to Corexit as a neurotoxin. It separates oil as a way of accelerating breakdown and at the same time, kills active organisms that naturally consume oil.
Warning When Used
The EPA requires Corexit to have the highest warning label for toxicity. This means that the chemicals in the product can cause irreversible eye corrosion to the ocular tissue and corneal burning.
The manufacturer states, "excessive exposure may cause central nervous system effects, nausea, vomiting, anesthetic or narcotic effects." It goes on to say, "excessive exposure to Butoxyethanol (an active ingredient) may cause injury to red blood cells (Hemolysis), kidney or the liver." In addition, the documentation says, "prolonged and/or repeated exposure through inhalation or extensive skin contact with EDBE (Butoxyethanol) may result in damage to the blood and kidneys."
In Canada, Corexit is classified as "Material causing immediate and serious toxic effects (VERY TOXIC)" and "Material causing other toxic effects (TOXIC)".
Corexit History
It has been reported that Corexit was used as a dispersant to clean up the Exxon Valdez oil. Follow-up studies report links between Corexit and human health problems such as liver, kidney, blood, nervous system, and respiratory disorders.
Corexit Health Impacts
Severe exposure can cause death. Not only can you experience headaches, vomiting and reproductive problems, you can get cancer and organ damage from these forms of chemicals.
If inhaled, the respiratory tract can be irritated, you may feel weak, slur speech, lose concentration and judgment, and experience blurred vision and dizziness. Prolonged fume exposures can affect liver, blood, microcytosis, urinary system, and cause lung hemorrhage and Bronchopneumonia.
What Happens When Corexit Is Applied
The chemicals can be injected into the sea directly into the oil spill. However, much of the Corexit in the Gulf is being sprayed from aircraft onto the spill. When sprayed, much of the dispersant lands on the surface of the water. Some mist however, floats into the air, drifting to other sea areas and on land. This escaping mist can potentially adversely affect sea life in unaffected ecosystems and the health of humans.
These chemicals can combine in the air with other chemicals such as Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs). No testing on the toxicity of Corexit has been done nor, has there been any testing of these kinds of chemicals merging in the atmosphere. These new emerging atmospheric chemical compositions may actually be worse when inhaled than if these chemicals fumes were separate.
Conclusion
The Corexit chemical dispersants being used in the Gulf has now surpassed over one million gallons. These chemicals and the resulting Gulf oil fumes are well understood compounds that can affect your health. They can make you temporally sick or in the worse cases, you can experience long-term diseases.
Take precautionary measures to protect your health with an indoor air cleaner as a way of ensuring healthy air quality.
