Legal News

At last someone involved with the BP oil spill has some good news. The Food and Drug Administration has been examining chemical oil dispersants used in the Gulf of Mexico and they do not believe them to be a health concern.

They report that the dispersants which have been sprayed in the wake of the BP oil spill do not threaten the safety of the seafood in the area. According to the FDA the dispersants are not as dangerous as the oil itself. FDA scientists have concluded that based on what they have tested, the chemicals do not substantially accumulate in the tissue of fish and shellfish. That's good news because if the dispersant chemicals are not retained, it means that they won't be passed up the foodchain to humans.

1.8 million gallons of the dispersant Corexit has been sprayed by BP into the gulf and around the area of the wellhead one mile underwater, The Washington Post reports. It had been unknown what exactly was in the dispersant, because it had previously been considered classified business information. The Obama administration put pressure on the maker of Corexit, Nalco Holding, to disclose the information to the EPA, who shared the information with other agencies and the public.

Despite the massiveness of the spill, previously closed parts of the gulf have already been declared safe to reopen for fishing. If your business has been impacted by the BP oil spill, we recently published an article with a list of options to help you find the right person to talk to. Check it out at the FindLaw Insider.

Related Resources:

• Affected by BP Oil Spill? Where to Turn for Legal Help Depends on Your Issue (FindLaw's Insider)
• Judges Recused Themselves From BP Oil Spill Lawsuits (FindLaw's Injured)
• BP Gulf Oil Spill (LawBrain)