NAS report: Dispersants effective

A new National Academies of Sciences (NAS) report, released April 5, has concluded that the chemicals used to clean up the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill remains as an effective response for large spills - a conclusion that runs counter to other studies. The report stressed that dispersants can reduce responders’ exposure to harmful compounds in oil and can minimize the spread of oil on water’s surfaces and shorelines. “The big takeaway is that dispersants are a tool that should remain in the toolbox,” said David Valentine, a University of California-Santa Barbara biologist and a member of the committee that produced the report. NAS is a non-profit that advises the government on science and technology issues. The report was sponsored by oil industry trade groups, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and other federal regulators. (Source: NAS media release via NOLA.com 04/05/19)