Institute of Southern Studies: Airborne chemicals from spill far exceed safety standards for humans

[TalkingDog]

http://www.southernstudies.org/2010/05/air-tests-from-the-louisiana-coast-reveal-human-health-threats-from-the-oil-disaster.html

For instance, hydrogen sulfide has been detected at concentrations more than 100 times greater than the level known to cause physical reactions in people. Among the health effects of hydrogen sulfide exposure are eye and respiratory irritation as well as nausea, dizziness, confusion and headache.

The concentration threshold for people to experience physical symptoms from hydrogen sulfide is about 5 to 10 parts per billion. But as recently as last Thursday, the EPA measured levels at 1,000 ppb. The highest levels of airborne hydrogen sulfide measured so far were on May 3, at 1,192 ppb.

Testing data also shows levels of volatile organic chemicals that far exceed Louisiana's own ambient air standards. VOCs cause acute physical health symptoms including eye, skin and respiratory irritation as well as headaches, dizziness, weakness, nausea and confusion.

Louisiana's ambient air standard for the VOC benzene, for example, is 3.76 ppb, while its standard for methylene chloride is 61.25 ppb. Long-term exposure to airborne benzene has been linked to cancer, while the EPA considers methylene chloride a probable carcinogen.

[TalkingDog]

1. So we're going to house these folks long term until they get it cleaned up?

Some of the folks who left N.O. after Katrina never went back......

Is the govt. going to foot the bill for relocating/housing people?
Will they force BP to do it?

Yeah, there's a lot to think about, but better to start now than to get caught short.

[Poll_Blind]

2. Would I be a pessimist to say it's more likely they'll do the same thing NYC did after...

...9/11 when it came to complaints about air quality?

PB

[marions ghost]

3. A lot of fluctuation in the chart

of airborne pollutants following the disaster. I guess that could be correlated with wind direction.

Maybe they could tell the public when's a good day to breathe in the Gulf States for oil-related pollution.

[TalkingDog]

4. I like it! Personal Responsibility married to Corporate Protection

The Republicans would love this plan!

[marions ghost]

5. Since the chart is EPA data

it would seem the least they could do for Gulf citizens. Yes, I think it would appeal to that "Look out for No 1" Republican mindset. But it would also focus on the fact of serious airborne pollution from this thing.