Health Risks in Oil Spills

How many spills will it take before we realize that oil is a hazardous, toxic pollutant which destroys the environment and creates serious public health risks? The Mideast oil spill continues to decimate wildlife as it moves across the Persian Gulf, surfers continue to expose themselves to toxic insult at Huntington Beach and now oil is lapping up on the shores of Malibu.

Oil in the environment is classified, by law, as a hazardous waste. Indeed the latest Chevron spill in Santa Monica Bay is a mixture of straight and ring chain hydrocarbons which contain such nasty chemical agents as hexane, pentane, benzene, xylene and toluene.

Scientists tell us that these toxics not only cause dermatological and neurological results from contact, but that they pose long-term immune deficiency hazards. So, the question becomes who is responsible for closing beaches after an oil spill and measuring the level of toxicity? The answer, unfortunately, is nobody.

After the spill, American Oceans Campaign called County Health Services, which informed us that they were only concerned with bacteria, and that the Coast Guard was in charge of “toxic” beach closures. The Coast Guard then informed us that it was the State Department of Fish and Game that was responsible. Fish and Game, in turn, assured us that human health and toxicity were not within its jurisdiction. This kind of “hot potato” approach to oil spills and health risks is patently unacceptable.

Oil out of sight is not out of the environment. Oil is very volatile and will, upon contact with the atmosphere, immediately begin to break up and mix with air and water. Forty percent of any marine oil spill will wind up in the ocean. At first it sloshes below the surface, impacting and killing marine life. Then it slowly disperses and sinks into the sediments, infecting the bottom-dwelling community, passing into the food chain over a 20-year period. This process is now taking place in Santa Monica Bay, and it poses a health risk to swimmers, surfers and beach users.

ROBERT H. SULNICK

Executive Director

American Oceans Campaign

Santa Monica