 |
|
|
|
|
June 17th, 2010
07:51 PM ET
Should you worry about burning the oil spill?
By Caleb Hellerman As cleanup workers burn off oil from BP’s ruined Deepwater Horizon well, the black clouds of smoke soaring skyward are carrying questions about health risks, along with a thick helping of soot, volatile gases and other toxic byproducts. The most immediate risk is to cleanup workers or others in proximity to the burn, according to Dr. Phil Harber, head of the division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. However, depending on the eventual scope of the burn, and length of the cleanup effort, others on shore could be affected, says Harber. “People with asthma, or who are very young, or who have cardiac disease, are much more likely to be sensitive the released pollutants.” Federal officials with the Occupational Safety and Health Agency have issued a memorandum insisting on proper safety equipment and training for all cleanup workers. When reached by CNN, spokespeople for two companies helping with the effort – Global Industries, and Boots and Coots - would not say if workers were taking special precautions to protect against the smoke. More than 12,600 workers are helping with the overall cleanup effort, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The black cloud is largely made up of small particles that can lodge deep in the lungs. It also contains gases such as sulfur dioxide and hydrogen sulfide, and volatile compounds called polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, which at high exposures are considered a trigger for cancer, says Harber. Of course, because of the volatile compounds it gives off, the spilled oil poses some health risk, simply sitting on the surface. OSHA has been monitoring air in the main clean up area, and posting some results on its website. The Environmental Protection Agency also has air monitoring stations around the Gulf, with results posted on this website. According to data posted on June 15, the EPA says that air-quality levels for ozone and particulates on the Gulf coastline are no different from usual, for this time of year. However, the gases swirling around the spill do seem to be having at least some health effect. Hospitals have reported several dozen cleanup workers who complained of symptoms including headaches, nausea and dizziness. Long-term, the potential impact is unclear. John Howard, director of the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health, told a congressional panel Wednesday, “We have very scant information, in general, about oil spills.” With reporting from CNN intern Trisha Pasricha. Editor's Note: Medical news is a popular but sensitive subject rooted in science. We receive many comments on this blog each day; not all are posted. Our hope is that much will be learned from the sharing of useful information and personal experiences based on the medical and health topics of the blog. We encourage you to focus your comments on those medical and health topics and we appreciate your input. Thank you for your participation. |
  About this blog
Get a behind-the-scenes look at the latest stories from CNN Chief Medical Correspondent, Dr. Sanjay Gupta, Senior Medical Correspondent Elizabeth Cohen and the CNN Medical Unit producers. They'll share news and views on health and medical trends - info that will help you take better care of yourself and the people you love.
 |
|
|
|
maxifort zimax mexico maxifort zimax mexico
online viagra purchase supreme suppliers india viagra generic viagra canada price
onlinepharmacy canadian pharmacy no prescription
lowest price cialis https://tadalafilww.com/ – tadalafil blood pressure cost tadalafil generic side effects for tadalafil buy cialis pills
buy non prescription viagra online
cialis generic 20 mg cialis black Black Cialis 800 mg Best Prices pharmacy express canada clomid for sale 50 mg cialis vs viagra reviews canadian pharmacy cialis 20mg viagra online cialis 5mg best price cialis tablets for sale
avanafil stendra dosage avanafil dose
cialis soft tabs 20mg cialiseblack.com cialis black global pharmacy canada phone number clomid for men for sale cialis viagra combo pack canada pharmacy 24 hour drug store ez online pharmacy buy viagra usa cialis online prices daily cialis sales
tadalafil dosage tadalafil cost walmart buy tadalis cheap cialis pills for sale https://apcalisetadalafil.com/ – generic tadalafil from uk
canadian pharmacies mail order
cialis without a doctor's prescription cialis without a doctor's prescription
generic viagra lowest prices supreme suppliers mumbai viagra 40 pills for 99
cialis without a doctors prescription cialis no prescription needed
healthy man viagra sales order cipro online supreme suppliers real viagra online
tadalafil daily online https://tadacipetadalafil.com/ buy cialis pills tadalafil price walmart generic tadalafil from uk
the real viagra on line non perscripton
best prices for prescription viagra
cialis 20mg for sale black cialis cialisblacke800mg.com canada pharmacy 24h clomid cialis viagra combo pack mexican pharmacy no prescription needed free viagra samples before buying best price online cialis 10mg cialis 20 mg
maxifort online maxifort zimax mexico
canada pharmacy 24 hour drug store generic cialis online pharmacy reviews
https://cttadalafil.com/ cheapest tadalafil cost tadalafil side effects tadalafil dosage tadalafil generic where to buy
maxifort zimax mexico maxifort zimax sildenafil 50 mg
canada pharmacy 24 hour drug store no prescription pharmacy
discount cialis 20mg cialis black 800mg pills cialis black canadian online pharmacies otc provera clomid viagra vs cialis vs levitra reviews canada pharmacies online prescriptions buy viagra cialis online prices cialis tablets for sale
cheap cialis no prescription no prescription cialis
tadalafil side effects https://tadagatadalafil.com/ cheap generic cialis for sale best price usa tadalafil tadalafil drug
real viagra for sale supreme suppliers india viagra cheap brand name viagra online
cialis no prescription needed generic cialis without prescription
canada viagra supreme suppliers viagra usa pills viagra
buy cialis https://tadagatadalafil.com/ – where to get tadalafil side effects for tadalafil best price usa tadalafil https://cttadalafil.com/
viagra no prescription
pharmacy rx one viagra online pharmacy no prescription
canadian pharmacy cialis canada pharmacy 24 hour drug store
cialis 20 mg lowest price black cialis 800 mg best prices cialis black sky pharmacy canada clomid for men for sale nizagara vs viagra canadian pharmacy no prescription buy viagra canada walgreens cialis prices cialis 40mg professional for sale
cialis without prescription buy cialis without prescription
cheap generic viagra lowest prices order cipro online supreme suppliers low cost viagra generic
cialis without prescription order cialis without prescription
usa pharmacy no script canada pharmacy 24 hour drug store
canadian pharmacy canadian pharmacy no prescription
supreme suppliers viagra
northwest pharmacy canada best ed pills for men
supremesuppliersmumbai.com
northwestern canada drugs
northwestern canada drugs ed medicines
Canadian Health Care Cost canadian pharmacy samples of viagra and cialis
northwest pharmacy canada
Is Canadian Health Care Mall Legitimate no script canadian pharmacy viagra samples cialis
canadianpharmacy generic cialis online pharmacy reviews
pharmacy on line canada pharmacy 24 hour drug store
canadian pharmacy online order erectile dysfunction medication