Oh boy, that oil dispersant that BP is using? Toxic.

EPA demands a less toxic dispersant in Gulf spill

One of the chief agents being used, called Corexit 9500, is identified as a “moderate” human health hazard that can cause eye, skin or respiratory irritation with prolonged exposure, according to safety data documents.

A spokeswoman for the EPA declined immediate comment.

A spokesman for BP said Thursday the company is only using established dispersant products that are preapproved for use in the Gulf of Mexico.

One of the criteria for selecting Corexit was the manufacturer’s ability to supply the large volumes needed to deal with the response to the massive spill, said BP spokesman Mark Salt

Corexit “is very effective in causing oil to form into small isolated droplets that remain suspended until they are either eaten by naturally occurring microbes, evaporate or are picked up or dissolved,” Salt said.

Jackson used less glowing language, calling the dispersant “the lesser of two environmental outcomes no one wants to have to deal with. But we also need to be able to answer questions about what’s out there and what’s available for use,” she said Tuesday after a Senate environment committee hearing.

In her testimony, Jackson said the long-term effects of the dispersants on aquatic life are still unknown, and said the EPA would work to ensure that “the dispersants that are used are as non-toxic as possible.”