"I consulted with Exxon on products to use.  I thought the inipol was lethal stuff and wouldn't let my teams of workers use it.  .  . didn't have the test results to show it would do well, I didn't think.  Exxon was overseeing it themselves, though.  The first day it was used, 5 men had blood in their urine and were rushed to the hospital!"  Then he put on his 'company hat,'  "You say, some folks doing this work are tired all the time?  Maybe it is chronic fatigue syndrome... Oh, it could be caused from 'anything..' "

If their health had been adversely affected by overexposure to Inipol EAP 22, most of these men (many hundreds of men) would not be successful... not able to complete their education or keep a job, or maintain good personal relationships.  They would have low self-esteem; possibly turn to drinking or eating... feel like failures.  Could there be any oil spill cleanup workers in jail, as one woman reported?  Maybe it's not all their fault, if they're not well and don't know it.  Maybe we need family support groups to not be so hard on these who are suffering... of accusing them of not accomplishing more, when they can't; they're not well.  For those who do accomplish it is over nearly insurmountable health odds.  Some people don't complain.  Ask they how they feel.  Are they tired a lot?

"Our son worked from day 1.  In the beginning they brought the men in to town each night.  They worked long 12 hour days.  Then they had them bunk in ATCO units that were on barges & they didn't come to town anymore very much.  My son kept a very detailed log.  I have also kept all the letters he wrote me," says a mom.

"I worked during those days, really wanted to be doing my fishing, but here are some names of guys.  Later once SERVS was established, 1991, a bunch of us guys took the hazardous training program.  We looked at each other in unbelief.  Where was this training when we were needing it... prior to our oil spill clean up assignments?"  7-12-02

Some workers came upon the chemicals unaware:  as the electrician who just went into the warehouse to get supplies in his unrelated job & got some of the inipol chemical on him ... from a barrel that had been stored there... not set apart with warning labels or anything.  He showed co-workers his 'melted' skin a couple of days later...

"I worked on the dock during those days.  When they started spraying the chemicals a whole bunch of us got sick.  Throwing up; feeling listless, sore throats.  I still have the doctor's report.  Although we weren't doing any spraying ourselves, we were picking up things that were coated with the chemicals.  6-27-02"  "I was on this same team... there were 5 of us.  I operated the crane and we moved -for 12 hours straight- the barrels of inipol EAP 22.  They were leaking.  One of the team went into the back of the container and collapsed.  We went in to get him.  The chemicals got on our skin; it burned. (& what a horrible smell.) We did go to the doctor.  I feel tired these days, but think that if I take my vitamins I'll have more energy.  Does this chemical affect your skin?"  9-27-02

Slim   *  *

"My father worked the whole time period... to end of Oct, 89 & then again in 1990.  He came back with diarrhea 'non stop'  He wasn't actually spraying the chemicals but was a supervisor working nearby."

 Each year is there is a get together of oil spill clean up workers...?   If you know any of the workers who sprayed the chemicals please share who they were.   Or if you have any pictures/video that we can share on this website, please send them along!  Picture Album  *

Anyone who shares pictures will receive a copy of everyone else's pictures, too: 

either DVD or VHS format

 The Alaska On-Scene Coordinator for the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill...who worked the whole duration with the Alaska Dept of Environmental Conservation died in August, 2002 of Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia.   Of course, it could be caused from 'anything.'

There was concern about the gall bladder; with the immune system weakened, the family questioned whether to have the swollen gall bladder operated on.  The patient went into shock and never recovered.

Another Valdez man left for retirement one year ago.  Doctors had diagnosed problems with his gall bladder.  Turned out he had 4 kinds of cancer:  lung, liver, lymph and bone.  During the oil spill cleanup days, I wonder what he did?  Some say all he did was rent equipment.  Maybe the equipment was returned with the bioremediation chemicals on it?  Maybe he operated one of the cranes or one of the boats?  Maybe he visited other boats? Did he go to the Dayville Dump?  He died November, 2002. *

"We know someone who worked on one of the boats during the EVOS cleanup.  He has never been the same since."  Now diabetes acted up and kidneys have failed and he is taking dialysis 4 times a day. Was on one of the 'go everywhere' boats.  (His father reported, "His blood counts were so low that the doctor ordered a blood transfusion about 2 months ago... He's doing much better."  9-25-02).  Amelio Lopez died November, 2002.  

Did anyone know whether or not he had hemolytic anemia, too?

This man's boat captain,  Norm Lang,  died a few years ago.  His family says he died of kidney failure & was all the time tired.  He also had diabetes which 'acted up' and some type of 'shaking'  What did this boat do?  Who were the other crew members?  There was only one.  He died a few months ago of kidney failure, diabetes, some say he had the 'personality' change, too.  Did they both have hemolytic anemia?

  Their families can check their past blood work from 1989 on ....  

Was there a drop in their red blood cell counts at that time?

If someone's red blood cell count is only borderline normal,

realize that another lab could consider them to be anemic - 

there is variation in what is considered normal 

for red blood cell counts... from lab to lab

Have lab check red blood cells under a microscope if counts are borderline normal: 4.7 or less 

Did hemolytic anemia begin in 1989?

Valdez Health Fair 

for $8 get the anemia check on your blood counts!