EPA Statement: Use of Oil Dispersant on the Oil Spill
At the legislative hearing on the use of dispersants in the BP oil spill, Lisa P. Jackson, Administrator of the U.S. Chairman Mikulski, Ranking Member Shelby and Members of the Subcommittee, thank you for the opportunity to testify on the role of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in the Deepwater Horizon BP oil spill response. My testimony today will provide you with an overview of EPA’s role and activities in the affected Gulf Coast region following the April 20, 2010 Deepwater Horizon mobile offshore drilling unit explosion and resulting oil spill as well as a summary of our primary environmental activities, including dispersant use, waste management, and beach cleanup.
EPA Releases Toxicity Testing Data for Eight Oil Dispersants
The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released peer reviewed results from the first round of its own independent toxicity testing on eight oil dispersants. EPA conducted testing to ensure that decisions about ongoing dispersant use in the Gulf of Mexico continue to be grounded in the best available science. EPA’s results indicated that none of the eight dispersants tested, including the product in use in the Gulf, displayed biologically significant endocrine disrupting activity. While the dispersant products alone – not mixed with oil - have roughly the same impact on aquatic life, JD-2000 and Corexit 9500 were generally less toxic to small fish and JD-2000 and SAF-RON GOLD were least toxic to mysid shrimp.
Polychem’s Dispersit for Oil Spills
U.S. Polychemical Corp said that currently the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico is being contained by the use of a chemical solvent that is potentially harmful to wild life. According to Polychem, its product, Dispersit, a water-based surfactant product used to clean up oil spills, has shown a significant reduction in the harm caused to both human and aquatic life. Dispersant products formulated with petroleum mineral spirits used as dilutents can be potentially harmful, the company claims. However, Polychem’s Dispersit is a blend of water, water-soluble surfactants and a coupling co-solvent.
Oil Spill Response: Alstom Has Innovative Spill Clean Up Concept
At press time, the news of the oil refinery explosion in MR/EN's neighboring borough of Staten Island, NY has rocked not only New York City and its environs, but once again proven the tenuous hold that is sometimes had in the process of delivering petroleum products by ship and barge. Piecing together scattered first-hand and wire reports, it is alleged that the cause of the explosion was a barge belonging to Hicksville, N.Y.-based Bouchard Transportation Co. that exploded while workers were offloading 100,000 barrels of unleaded gasoline off the Bouchard B#125 barge at the ExxonMobil Port Mobil Terminal in Staten Island. Killed in the blast were two longtime Bouchard employees…
