BP Refuses EPA Order To Switch To Less-Toxic Oil Dispersant - LA Times

Reporting from Los Angeles and Elmer’s
BP has rebuffed demands from government officials and environmentalists to use a less-toxic dispersant to break up the oil from its massive offshore spill, saying that the chemical product it is now using continues to be "the best option for subsea application."

On Thursday, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency gave the London-based company 72 hours to replace the dispersant Corexit 9500 or to describe in detail why other dispersants fail to meet environmental standards.

The agency on Saturday released a 12-page document from BP, representing only a portion of the company's full response. Along with several dispersant manufacturers, BP claimed that releasing its full evaluation of alternatives would violate its legal right to keep confidential business information private.

Ed. - emphasis added.

But in a strongly worded retort, the EPA said that it was "evaluating all legal options" to force BP to release the remaining information "so Americans can get a full picture of the potential environmental impact of these alternative dispersants."

Ed. - Ooh! A "strongly worded retort"! Ooh!

EDIT

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-oil-spill-20100523,0,907236.story

Their own lawyers that is.

Hey guys, the secret is how not to make the mess in the first place. not how you clean it up.

Or else they get a broomstick in the arse.