Many communities that are impacted by oil spills also end up facing long term health impacts from exposure to toxic chemicals that are used in the oil spill ‘cleanup’ process, particularly dispersants –– chemical solvents that break floating oil slicks apart into tiny droplets that are more easily absorbed into the water column. Dispersants make an oil spill less visible to the naked eye, but they don’t actually reduce the amount of oil that’s actually in the water.
Terra Verde host Fiona McLeod discusses the long term health impacts associated with chemical dispersants and why use of dispersants should be banned with Dr. Riki Ott, director of The ALERT Project, and Lesley Pacey, founder of Eastern Shore Community Health Partners.