Topic: Corexit

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is conducting a 10-year health study on workers and volunteers exposed to the BP oil spill cleanup, offering $50 gift cards for participation. Local residents report that the oil seemingly disappeared within 24 hours after C-130 aircraft sprayed Corexit dispersants, leading to concerns about long-term environmental and respiratory effects.

Massive "fish kills" in Plaquemines Parish, Louisiana, are reported, involving hundreds of thousands of dead fish and a baby whale. While officials suggest "oxygen depletion" as the cause, the hosts suggest the BP oil spill and the chemical dispersant Corexit are the more likely culprits, despite media attempts to frame the events as a mystery.

The use of Corexit oil dispersants by Evergreen Air in the Gulf of Mexico is questioned, with the hosts citing reports that the chemicals may be more harmful than the oil itself. The conversation shifts to Mel Gibson's leaked tapes, with the hosts speculating that his aggressive behavior may be a side effect of the smoking-cessation drug Chantix, which has been linked to reports of violence and aggression.

Farmers along the Mississippi River border in Tennessee and Mississippi are reporting mysterious white spots and holes in their crops and trees. The damage has affected organic and conventional farms alike, leading to speculation that evaporated oil and Corexit dispersants are returning to earth as toxic rain. Local reports also mention dead birds and concerns for livestock grazing on affected grass.

A clip from C-SPAN features Kimberly Wolfe, a former environmental scientist in New Orleans, protesting the use of chemical dispersants in the Gulf of Mexico. She lists the health risks associated with Corexit, including central nervous system damage. The hosts discuss the desperation of local residents who feel ignored by the government and BP.

Internet radio shows are reporting potential mass evacuations of the Gulf Coast due to health risks from the BP oil spill and chemical dispersants. Claims include NATO ordering US Marines to Costa Rica in anticipation of the ocean floor rupturing. The lack of independent chemical analysis of the "goo" in the water is cited as evidence of a massive corporate and government cover-up.

Reports from the Louisiana Environmental Action Network and Democracy Now! highlight the health risks faced by cleanup workers in the Gulf. BP is accused of preventing workers from wearing gas masks to avoid negative media imagery, despite the presence of 2-butoxyethanol in the dispersant Corexit and fluctuating levels of hydrogen sulfide in the air.

The chemical composition of Corexit 9500, the dispersant used in the Gulf of Mexico, is examined for its potential environmental impact. The substance contains propylene glycol and organic sulfonic acid salts, which act as powerful detergents to break down oil. The hosts warn that while it makes oil water-soluble, it is highly toxic to marine life and human skin.