Lautenberg Bill Will Require Chemical Dispersant Testing

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[W]e simply don’t know if powerful chemical dispersants—which have been used in abundance to break up the oil—are really safe for sea life. Current law does not require adequate testing of these dispersants. And because of that, relief workers and wildlife have become unwitting participants in a dangerous science experiment.

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For example, we don’t know if breaking down the oil into smaller components will make it more likely that fish will eat the oil, which will slowly accumulate in other species up the food chain.That is why today I am introducing my Safe Dispersants Act. This commonsense bill will require long-term testing and disclosure of all ingredients in a dispersant before it can be used in response to a spill.