Use of Chemicals in U.S. oil spill endangering wildlife
The use of huge quantities of chemical dispersant to break up an oil spill from a BP drilling site in the Gulf of Mexico could seriously endanger local wildlife, WWF Russia`s Oil and Gas Environmental Policy Officer said.
"I estimate that up to 800 tons of oil is being spilled every day; around 600 tons of chemical dispersant would be needed to cancel it out," Aleksey Knizhnikov reported from the United States.
Chemical dispersant is being used to prevent the oil spill from reaching and polluting the coast. But Kinizhnikov says it will remain in the water, endangering fish and marine mammals.
According to estimates by specialists, the oil spill is affecting around 20 protected areas of the United States and threatens around 40 types of marine mammal.
"Of particular concern is the fact that the brown pelican, which was recently removed from the U.S. list of endangered species, has its main nesting area in the contaminated zone," Knizhnikov said.
There was a non toxic Alternative to clean up the spill that has been successfully tested by BP after 10 months of spill damages. The Coast Guard sent a letter from headquarters stating to the FOSC to take action with OSE II, and the EPA, Lisa Jackson stopped the Coast Guard from allowing BP from implementing OSE II. In fact the EPA stopped the application of OSE II 11 times denying State Senators direct request for use of OSE II from Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama. La Department of environmental requested the use of OSE II as well, EPA"s Sam Coleman denied their request without reason. Governor Jindal tried to get OSE II demonstrated on the Chandelier Islands on May 6, 2010, and the EPA stopped the Governor as well. The EPA in fact stopped the use of OSE II 11 times, without a reason given. Had the EPA allowed Governor Jindal to allow the demonstration of OSE II on May 6, 2010, it is possible a significant portion of the environmental damages, including the shorelines and the seafood industry would have been spared. The toxicty test comparison between OSE II and corexit really cannot be compared since with corexit, the label states it can cause red blood cells to burst, kidney, and liver problems if a chemical suit and respirator are not worn. OSE II in contrast can be used to wash your hands and is non toxic. The BP Deep Horizon spill has proven that corexit only sinks oil and causes the same oil to be addressed a second time when it comes ashore as under water plumes, or tar balls, while OSE II has a substantiated end point of converting oil to CO2 and water. See Coast Guard letter below
U. S. Department of Homeland Security United States Coast Guard
Commanding Officer 1 Chelsea Street U. S. Coast Guard New London, CT 06320 Research and Development Center Staff Symbol: Contracting Office Phone: (860) 271-2807
We are pleased to inform you that the initial screening of your White Paper submitted under Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) HSCG32-10-R-R00019 has been completed. It has been determined that your White Paper submission has a potential for benefit to the spill response effort.
Your White Paper has been forwarded to the Deepwater Horizon Response Federal On-Scene Coordinator (FOSC) for further action under its authority. Subject to the constraints and needs of the ongoing oil spill response, you may be contacted by the FOSC or the responsible party.
We appreciate your interest in supporting the Deepwater Horizon Response effort.
Testing of OSE II by Dr. Tsao of British Petroleum David Tsao, Ph.D BioChem Strike Team Leader; Deepwater Horizon
Regarding the Effectiveness of OSE II Remediating Oil from Deepwater Horizon, Blow Out, Gulf of Mexico The major oil company British Petroleum tested OSEI Corporation?s product called Oil Spill Eater II (OSE II) at Louisiana State University from November 2010 through January 2011. Relevant sections of BP?s BCST (Bio Chem Strike Team) test results and summary ?interim report? are attached. British Petroleum formed a group named the Bio Chem Strike Team (BCST). Under the direction of Dr. Tsao, BCST was established in response to the Deepwater Horizon incident by the Alternative Response Technology (ART) program. The BCST consisted of experts from BP, LSU, LDEQ (Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality), USCG (U.S. Coast Guard), OSPR (California), SCAT, and highly experienced oil spill response consultants. Furthermore, BCST operated in conjunction with advice from EPA and NOAA. OSE II was then slated for testing and the tests were started in November of 2010, and concluded in January of 2011. The tests were very thorough and measured several pertinent aspects in regards to remediating hydrocarbons/oil. The tests were conducted with Gas Chromatograph Mass Spectrometry EPA test procedures. Bacteria counts, as well as dissolved oxygen, nitrogen, and phosphorous levels were measured, and PAH and Alkane degradation was quantified. The results from the tests of OSE II were excellent and demonstrated the statements we have made to BP regarding the effectiveness of the product as being factual. OSE II showed a great ability in the closed laboratory test to be able to remediate PAH?s, as well as the Alkanes. In fact, by the conclusion of the testing time frame, OSE II had remediated 80% of both components of the oil released by BP which ended up in Bay Jimmy, Louisiana. This test by a major oil company is the second major testing of OSE II on two of the largest spills on water in the history of planet Earth caused by Man. Exxon tested OSE II in 1989 at Florham Park, New Jersey and discovered OSE II was the most effective product in the world by a factor of better than 90% on the North Slope Alaskan Crude oil from the Valdez spill. BP has now successfully tested OSE II on their spill in the Gulf of Mexico which is estimated, at this time, to be over 6,000,000 gallons of oil spilled. Dr. Tsao wrote in his report ?After nearly one year since the Deepwater Horizon spill, residual weathered oil remains in many locations. The need for a field trial to establish operational criteria for final bioremediation work plans should be initiated before early Spring 2011.? The OSEI Corporation has alerted BP that, after over 16,000 spill clean ups in the past 21½ years, the logistics in regard to the successful application of OSE II were worked out some time ago. The remediation of the PAH?s also verifies that OSE II is an extremely effective first response bioremediation product, and has among its many benefits: ) causes the oil to float which limits the negative toxic impact to the water column or ocean floor of the oil and dispersant ) the reduction of the adhesion properties so the oil cannot stick to birds, grass, rock or sand on shorelines ) the elimination of fire hazard ) proven non-toxic by the numerous formal toxicity tests, the fact that you can safely wash your hands with it, and the TV news program in which Retired Rear Admiral Lively drank some of it ) Boom deployment actually works and can help since OSE II causes oil to float ) OSE II causes the oil to float, because of the method in which it goes to work on the oil, it is still very difficult to see ) defined end point of turning the oil into water and CO2 The above clearly demonstrate that it is the best and only needed oil spill response and that it will, even at this late date, remediate both fresh and weathered oil and dispersant currently in the Gulf.
David Tsao, Ph.D BioChem Strike Team Leader; Deepwater Horizon
Russian News
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