Tarball encounters at beach no health hazard

Tarball encounters at beach no health hazard

ATLANTA — Oil has now washed up on the beaches of three Gulf states. How dangerous is it?

Not very, experts say.

People should of course stay away from oil on the beach or in the water, but swallowing a little oil-tainted water or getting slimed by a tarball is not considered grounds for a trip to the emergency room, health officials say.

“Limited contact is not something that needs to be treated by a physician,” said Doc Kokol, a spokesman for the Florida Department of Health.

It’s been six week since the Deepwater Horizon rig exploded, killing 11 workers and pouring an estimated 21 million gallons to 45 million gallons of crude oil has poured into the Gulf of Mexico. Oil has hit beaches in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama. And it lurks off the coast of the Florida Panhandle.

Poison control centers have had about 45 calls from people saying they think they got sick from oil spill exposure.

It helps that the spill involves a type of oil called medium sweet crude. It’s considered less hazardous than other forms because it contains fewer toxic sulfur compounds and fewer chemicals that enter the air easily, according to the CDC.

If oil gets on bare skin, people should wash it off as soon as they can, and call the local poison control center if a rash or other problem develops, the CDC advises.

Soap and water, or perhaps baby oil, is the best way to get oil off your skin. Avoid using kerosene or gasoline.

For years bits of tar have shown up on some beaches along the Gulf because of tanker and rig spills and oil seepage from beneath the sea that washes up. Some condominiums, especially in Texas, keep handy tar-remover towelettes for visitors.

Online:

CDC oil spill page: emergency.cdc.gov/chemical/oil_spill_gm_2010.asp

American Association of Poison Control Centers: www.aapcc.org/DNN/