John Ward Exclusive BP Corexit cover-up, Feds involved, spin shown to be false.

EXCLUSIVE: US GOVERNMENT COLLUDING IN BP CLEAN-UP COVER-UP


Slog vindicated again as Government agency spin on Corexit dispersant revealed
EPA SAYS ONE THING IN 1989, ANOTHER TODAY.
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BBC FAILS TO SPOT THE SPIN

Following weeks of campaigning by the Slog and myriad other sites worldwide, America’s Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a statement yesterday designed to calm fears about the oil dispersant Corexit used by BP. However, we can confirm that not only does the EPA’s statement contradict the maker’s own data, it also represents a complete volte-face from the last time the agency was asked to comment on Corexit.

It is a sign of the times at BBCNews that the website ran this morning with this headline:

‘The dispersant used after the Gulf of Mexico oil spill is no more toxic than oil alone, the US Environmental Protection Agency says’

Britain’s primary news broadcaster did no investigation of the story.

The press release fro the EPA claims it did a study which ‘shows’ that the dispersant widely used in response to the oil spill in the Gulf, called Corexit 9500A, was “generally no more or less toxic than the other available alternatives”.

“The results indicate that the dispersant-oil mixtures are generally no more toxic to test species than oil alone,” Paul Anastas, the EPA’s assistant administrator for research and development, told reporters.

First off, this is disingenuous: oil debilitates and usually kills a cast swathe of marine life. So saying Corexit is its equal is rather like saying dynamite is no more dangerous than nitroglycerine. The product is veru highly toxic, its formulation being hydrotreated light petroleum distillates, propylene glycol and sulfonic acid salt.

Second, it contradicts the owner Nalco’s own directions, which say:

‘Corexit 9500‘s potential human hazard is high. It can cause central nervous system depression; nausea; unconsciousness; liver, kidney damage; and red blood cell hemolysis with repeated or prolonged exposure through inhalation or ingestion…’

Quite similar, in fact, to what the covered-up victims told various websites in the US.

Third, it completely contradicts what the EPA said the last time it was used on a large scale – in 1989 the agency told the media…

‘Corexit was found to be a causal agent in the health problems experienced by cleanup workers after the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill of respiratory, nervous system, liver, kidney and blood disorders.’

The Slog first started investigating injuries to clean-up workers seven weeks ago after reading a piece about it by Erin Brokovitch at the Reuters site. We have consistently argued since then that an obvious cover-up is being mounted by the Obama administration. These latest revelations back up that conviction – and demand further investigation.

Related: How BP senior Veep rewrote history More concern over BP cleanup methods
Federal cover-up of BP toxic clean-up victims