By Eileen Fleming
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/wwno/local-wwno-973303.mp3
New Orleans, La. – The Gulf Restoration Network along with the Florida Wildlife Federation filed a federal lawsuit last year to force the EPA to release the ingredients of Corexit and other dispersants. More than 2 million gallons were applied to the surface as well as at the wellhead to break apart the crude oil.
Gulf Restoration Network spokeswoman Casey DeMoss Roberts says components had been considered confidential business information. But now that information will be made available to the public.
"We are developing a web site called Ontoxipedia' so that residents across the Gulf Coast can go to the website and see what is in the chemical dispersants. The information that they released to us was very technical. We've had two experts working on reviewing all the different studies, compiling that information and putting it into a database. We want to make that information easy to read for the public."
Roberts says the website will include what chemicals are in the dispersants, and what studies - if any - have found about their health effects.