BP Responds to EPA Directive on Dispersants
In response to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s directive to BP on the use of dispersants to help manage the Deepwater Horizon oil flow in the Gulf of Mexico, the company said that it continues to believe that COREXIT remains the best option.
EPA had directed BP to evaluate available, pre-approved dispersants for toxicity and effectiveness.
"None of the other dispersants that meet the acute toxicity and effectiveness criteria are available in sufficient quantities at this time," according to the letter to EPA from BP's Doug Suttles. "Before supporting a decision to switch to those dispersants, it would be important to review the formula for each alternative and evaluate it for additional risks, such as persistence in the environment. BP has not been able to do this in the time provided."
EPA has encouraged manufacturers to release Confidential Business Information related to the dispersant formulas so that BP could more effectively consider the alternatives.