A scary new report was just released indicating that there are 5 known cancer causing chemicals in the dispersant that BP chose to use to cleanup (well-actually just hide) the oil after the April 2010 oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. This report is based on information released from the EPA pursuant to Freedom of Information Act requests. The report also found that there are 33 chemicals associates with skin irritations, rashes and burns, 10 chemicals suspected kidney toxins, and 11 chemicals are suspected to cause respiratory problems.

The dispersant chemicals linked to cancer that residents of the Gulf States may have been exposed to include Amides, coco, Cyclohexene 1-methyl-4, Ethanol, 2-butoxy and Petroleum distillates.

Our oil spill lawyers represent many fishermen, oystermen, shrimpers and small business owners from St. Bernard Parish Louisiana with the law firm of Finckbeiner & Robin. Many of our clients are reporting that there is a huge decrease in the amount of white shrimp, and other abnormalities in marine life.

A few months ago I attended a Toxicology Symposium in Washington, D.C. and there was a presentation on the toxic impact of the combination of oil and dispersant on Gulf residents. The scientific conclusion was basically that the combination of dispersant and oil is much more toxic and dangerous than just oil alone. Professor C. Mitchelmare had done studies on this and in a nutshell, she determined that the long term consequences of dispersant exposure include decreased growth, that oil/dispersant combination is indeed more toxic than just oil alone, and that there will likely be long term consequences to BP’s decision to use dispersant on the oil.