Oil spill dispersant highly toxic

he oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico 2010 cleanup hit a snag Monday as government officials sparred with BP over its failure to meet response effort deadlines. BP was also in hot water for refusing to discontinue use of a toxic dispersant to break up the oil slick. BP said there were not less toxic alternatives, and it prepared a top kill to plug the ruptured well. Another New York Times article reports that since the BP oil leak began more than a month ago BP, has applied about 700,000 gallons of the dispersant in the gulf — the largest quantity of dispersant ever used on an oil spill in United States waters. BP is hoping that the top kill — pumping heavy liquid into the well — could possibly stop the leak on Wednesday.