From the Center for Disease Control:
People, including pregnant women, can be exposed to these chemicals by breathing them (air), by swallowing them (water, food), or by touching them (skin). If possible, everyone, including pregnant women, should avoid the oil and spill-affected areas. Generally, a pregnant woman will see or smell the chemicals in oil before those chemicals can hurt her or the baby. The EPA and CDC are working together to continue monitoring the levels of oil in the environment. If we begin to find levels that are more likely to be harmful, we will tell the public. For up-to-date information on monitoring data along the Gulf Coast, please visit EPA’s website.
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Although the oil vapors may contain some things that could be harmful to pregnant women, the CDC has reviewed sampling data from the EPA and feels that the levels of these chemicals are well below the level that could generally cause harm to pregnant women or their unborn babies. EPA is testing the air daily and sending the samples to laboratories for further analysis. CDC is working with EPA to decide if there are any chemicals at harmful levels. In addition, EPA scientists are taking [or checking] air samples every hour so that people can be warned if the levels go up.
Like other government data, the CDC makes no sense. On the one hand they tell us that the chemicals will not cause harm and there is no threat. On the other hand, they tell those in spill-affected areas to avoid any contact.
We’re not exactly sure how the CDC defines an oil spill affected area, but our inclination is that anything within and around the oil spill is serious threat to human life, especially unborn babies.
We do not expect the CDC or EPA to provide any meaningful data to those directly affected by the spill, for example, the workers involved in clean-up efforts who have absolutely no protective gear.
From Business Week:
“These workers don’t need only rubber gloves and boots, they may need respirators to protect against inhalation of some pretty toxic fumes,†said Olden, who is also a former director of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences. “The one thing I keep hearing is that many workers were not and are not wearing protective gear. That concerns me.â€
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Shira Kramer, an epidemiologist who has conducted research for the petroleum industry on the health consequences of exposure to petroleum, said she is concerned that the risks are being downplayed.
“It’s completely scientifically dishonest to pooh-pooh the potential here when you are talking about some of the most toxic chemicals that we know,†said Kramer, who is founder and president of consulting firm Epidemiology International in Hunt Valley, Maryland. She isn’t involved with the Institute panels.
“When you talk about community exposure, you are talking about exposures in unpredictable ways and to subpopulations that may be more highly susceptible than others, such as those of reproductive age, people who are immuno-compromised, children or fetuses.
At the risk of sounding distrustful of our government and BP, we suggest that the risks are most certainly being downplayed, just as they have downplayed the magnitude and potential destruction from this oil leak thus far.
This oil spill could cause an exodus of Biblical proportions. Mandatory evacuations are going to leave a lot of people broke and destitute. Hurricane season could ‘make or break’ the whole country. It will now become a waiting game to see which coastal state gets hit first. Neighbor helping neighbor may be the only way to get through this.
They can’t put you in a headlock to make you leave your home,I know,I live in south FL and have looked up the laws.
All that they can do is strongly advise you to leave and get you to sign a statement with your SS # in case they have to ID your body.
I’ll go one further,I live 100 miles east of the Gulf of Mexico and I don’t care if the laws change making it really mandatory,this boy’s sitting right here.
Dave,
I wish you well, but they will come and put in place Martial Law
and will move everyone out. those that resist will go to a FEMA
camp. This is not a country of laws anymore, we have turned
into China, Russia or other. people best wake up before all is lost!!
I believe the level of oil contamination to property and water supplies will determine ‘Bug In or Bug Out’. Mandatory or voluntary evacuation may come down to air quality. Breathing could require a mask 24/7, if a mask will help. The aftermath of a hurricane is bad enough without the oil problems. I have hunkered down during some hurricanes too. It’s the level of oil contamination to your area ‘after’ the storm that adds to the equation.It might be a good idea to check on respiratory equipment that filters oil vapors while they’re still for sale. I hope the best of luck to all of us.
So there CDC goes again, spinning the truth! I see we are all still here from the Swine/Bird flu hoax that was to the obvious benefit big Pharma. Now, throwing us off the scent of big Oil, they say benzine, methane, and hydrocarbon levels are not yet dangerous. That’s funny. I heard its raining oil in the Mississippi delta and crops are dying. But I guess we humans are not plants.  And gee, if we have martial law during the November elections, do you think we’ll be governed by the same clowns a little while longer?
TO Dave : I hate to be the bearer of bad news , BUT if martial law is declared for coastal areas and you are ordered to move , you will have to like it or not , or be arrested . Also  take a look at this link : http://www.stevequayle.com   Steve Quayle  has some good info on this . Good luck to all .
To Dave and anyone else who’s planning on staying put in the Gulf coast, not only will you have no choice as when Martial Law is declared they will drag out anyone who’s refusing to go, It’s just in your best interest to get the hell out of there as quickly as you can.
Â
With the first Tropical Storm about to turn hurricane forming in the Gulf coast, as seen here:
http://www.politicsdaily.com/2010/06/26/tropical-storm-to-swirl-into-gulf-next-week/?icid=main|main|dl1|link4|http%3A%2F%2Fwww.politicsdaily.com%2F2010%2F06%2F26%2Ftropical-storm-to-swirl-into-gulf-next-week%2F
Will unfortunately quickly turn anything that hurricane hits into an absolute wasteland. Â Mac had an article up earlier about Russian Scientists who are predicting “Absolute Devastation” For the Gulf and entire East Coast of America. Â We live in unprecidented times, no doubt the Shit’s about to hit the fan
Mac we need some help brother.
Right now I can still smell the salt in the air coming off the water. What will happen when all I can smell is fuel oil? I have two young children and I need the best information to make a decision of when to leave and where to go. I’m a combat vet, a Florida fireman and a paramedic so I understand fear but this is hard to even wrap my head around. The MSM/Fox/etc… are useless and the government is completely and totally impotent if not in collusion with the architects of this disaster.
Who knows what to believe anymore?
This is the same EPA which said ground zero air was safe. Then years later we find out, well, maybe it wasn’t. Of course this is after people are dying and lawsuits bring this out.