One Year Later, Did Gulf Oil Spill Hurt People?
Columbia County, FL (Posted April 18, 2011 09:10 am)
TALLAHASSEE,
Fla. - A year after the BP Horizon oil platform
exploded, advocates for a clean Gulf of Mexico say it is
not a pretty picture below the tranquil waves. For
months after the tragic disaster, dead fish, shrimp,
crabs, oysters and terrestrial wildlife made the
headlines. Now, possible after-effects on humans are
rising to the surface.
Dr. Michael Robichaux, who practices medicine in coastal Louisiana, says he is witnessing not just physical disorders.
"The thing that is unheard of before is psychological: We have people with memory loss that is absolutely unbelievable."
Dr. Michael Robichaux Speaks About Growing Health Concerns In The Wake Of BP Oil Disaster here.
According to the latest Oil Spill Commission report
to Congress, BP dumped almost 2 million gallons of
dispersant in the Gulf. Experts say it did not eliminate
the oil, but just broke it down into millions of
droplets. Robichaux says more than 300 residents along
the Gulf Coast have reported medical problems. BP claims
there is no long-term health risk to cause the public to
worry.
Robichaux's wife, Brenda Dar Dar Robichaux, is a
environmental activist and former chief of the Houma
Indian Nation, which depends on fishing for its
livelihood. She is giving testimony before a
congressional panel this week.
"My father did not harvest his oysters because he is
concerned about the safety of the seafood. My family and
I don't eat the seafood that is being caught."
Dr. Robichaux says the blood of Gulf residents who were
tested showed 35 times more ethyl benzene, a highly
toxic oil component. The health risk could be compounded
by toxic poisoning from the chemical dispersants sprayed
on the oil slicks, he adds. Robichaux claims these risks
to humans are being ignored.
"You will find hundreds of articles on fish, shrimp,
crabs, what have you, but not a single thing on human
effects. Nothing."
As of early April, 153 dead dolphins have washed ashore
on the Gulf Coast. Experts call this an alarming clue to
the possible long-term effect the spilled oil and
petrochemical dispersants could be having on human
lives.
More information about the latest oil spill data is
available from the Gulf Restoration Network,
http://healthygulf.org/