BP Continues Using Toxic Dispersant

The battle over cleaning up the Gulf of Mexico rages on: On Monday, BP officials and the Environmental Protection Agency feuded over the oil company’s failure to stop using chemical dispersants—despite the EPA’s orders to do so. The EPA asked BP to use a less toxic chemical for breaking up the oil, but the company continued spraying what is known as Corexit, arguing there was no better alternative available. Around 700,000 gallons of the dispersant have been released since the Deepwater Horizon rig exploded last month. Critics of the chemical, which was developed in the '80s and '90s, claim there are less toxic and more effective products available now.