Tuesday, September 7, 2010

Petition to Halt the Use of Chemical Dispersants in the Gulf of Mexico

Psst, do something. Sign the petition if you feel this toxic poisoning of the gulf, sea life and humans needs to be halted.

Amplify’d from 1planet1ocean.org

Petition to Halt the Use of Chemical Dispersants in the Gulf of Mexico

PETITION: Millions of gallons of the dispersant, Corexit, have been released into the Gulf of Mexico in order to disperse the massive oil spill caused by the explosion and sinking of the BP Deepwater Horizon. The rationale behind the use of the dispersant is to keep oil from the sensitive wetlands and coastlines. However, by dispersing the oil throughout the water column, this practice is making it impossible to recover the dispersed oil at the surface while plumes of the dispersed oil remain at depth, entering the food chain at many levels where it will bioaccumulate as it moves up the food chain. Dispersing the oil means more of it will likely travel with prevailing currents to destinations downstream, including Cuba, Mexico, the Florida Keys, and the eastern seaboard of the United States.

Chemical dispersants being released near Houma, Louisiana in the Gulf of Mexico (USCG photo)

Corexit is one of the most toxic dispersants and one of the least effective on Louisiana crude oil. However, it is the mixture of Corexit and oil that represents an even greater threat as the toxic effects are magnified. Corexit, designed to break down lipid layers, facilitates the movement of toxic materials across the membranes of wildlife and human beings. The dispersant-oil mixture is killing marine wildlife, including dolphins, whales and fish, while also causing a range of serious human health effects to those who have been exposed.

We, the undersigned, believe that the continued widespread use of dispersants, especially Corexit, represents an unprecedented, large-scale uncontrolled experiment on the Gulf of Mexico with potentially grave, decades-long consequences to the marine ecosystems and Gulf communities. We therefore call upon the Obama Administration, including the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, to immediately halt the use of chemical dispersants in the Gulf of Mexico.



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