| ■ Oil Spill Health Concerns Could Last Years: Experts | 2010.06.18 |
| The massive Gulf of Mexico oil spill could cause health concerns for years and it's unclear how long the oil and dispersants will remain toxic, according to experts who appeared Tuesday before the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee. "The impacts of this disaster must be considered in the framework in not weeks or months, but years," Lisa Kaplowitz, a deputy assistant secretary of health and human services involved in preparedness and response, told the committee, CNN reported. She added that there is a lack of long-term research on the toxicity of oil in the environment. The health impact of exposure to spilled oil and dispersants "has not been well-studied," Aubrey Miller, of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, told the committee. He added that there is "a clear need for additional health monitoring and research to underpin" ways to respond to health concerns, CNN reported. |