2010-05-26 CNN
The EPA is now telling BP to change the chemical dispersant. The government agency wants BP to choose something less toxic now. CNN's Ed Lavandera has more on one alternative that is already to go.
Hundreds of containers are just sitting here in the Houston sun. To some, it's just another example of the mismanagement of the oil spill. The containers are full of a chemical dispersant called Sea Brat 4. Why is it sitting here, and not in the ocean instead? No one really knows, especially since BP's on record as saying it would use the stuff.
We also have a second product now identified to use called Sea Brat 4, which we will begin introducing into the -- the process as well.
That's what BP said almost a week ago. But we found the Sea Brat 4 just sitting here in an industrial park outside of Houston, Texas. You're looking at it, almost 100,000 gallons of the less toxic dispersant. Guess who ordered it? BP did, on May 4, almost three weeks ago.
This is Sea Brat. It's in totes ready for delivery.
John Sheffield is president of the company that makes Sea Brat 4.
Do you think it's weird that stuff's just sitting here in the Houston area?
It's ridiculous. It's ridiculous. You know, I think something's intentionally trying to stop us from getting our product in the water.
EPA and Coast Guard officials say there's nothing stopping BP from using Sea Brat 4. Sheffield says that, by now, he could be making 50,000 to 100,000 gallons of dispersant a day.
But a BP spokesman will only say the company had to use what was readily available and stockpiled, and it has been asked to find alternatives to the current dispersant, Corexit, and that's what they're in the process of doing.
Getting a direct answer is even hard for Congress to get, as they grilled BP executive Lamar McKay this week about the issue.
Who decided which dispersant to use? BP?
LAMAR MCKAY, PRESIDENT AND CHAIRMAN, BP AMERICA, INC.: I don't know the --
NADLER: You don't know?
MCKAY: I don't know the individual who decided which --
NADLER: I didn't ask the individual.
MCKAY: I don't --
NADLER: Was it the -- BP who decided, or was it the national -- the government who decided, or the national incident command?
MCKAY: I don't know. I don't know.
NADLER: You don't know. Could you find out for us, please?
MCKAY: Yes.
Easier said than done. There's still no word on who's making that call, while 100,000 gallons of potential help sits hundreds of miles away.