BP Oil Spill, BP Oil Spill Cleanup Workers BLOG POST

The Hidden Effects of the BP Oil Spill on the Spanish Community

One of the untold stories behind the BP oil spill was the makeup of those who conducted the cleanup’s dirty work. Most of the workers who cleaned up the spill are first generation “disaster migrants” from the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Cuba, Honduras and Guatemala — they migrate to wherever there are jobs, such as the oil spill or hurricane clean up efforts, doing the hardest, dirtiest work for an average of $12-15/hour, temporary housing and $30 per day for meals.

In an NPR story that was done soon after the oil spill, a cleanup worker named Victor stated that all of the guys on his crew were Latino — their boss was a Columbian woman whose company had a contract to supply workers to conduct some of the clean up in Louisiana and Mississippi. 90% of her workers were Hispanic.

“Hispanic” or “Latino”?

The Gulf Long-Term Follow-Up Study, sponsored by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and conducted by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), is studying the effects of the BP oil spill on its nearly 33,000 participants.

Spanish speaking workers are severely underrepresented in this study, although it’s hard to tell to what extent. Only 6.6% of participants identify as Hispanic, although it is widely known that the vast majority of the cleanup workers were Spanish-speaking. Note that many Latinos dislike the term “Hispanic” and refuse to identify with it. There is no category for “Latino” in the study’s statistics.

Hidden effects of the Spill on Spanish-speaking and other ethnicities in the Gulf

Despite the large number of oil spills that have taken place since the 1960s, very little research has been done on the long-term health effects on cleanup workers and residents of shoreline communities, many of whom are Hispanic/Latino. There is, however, growing concern that exposure to crude oil and chemical dispersants may lead to lasting genetic damage, birth defects, developmental disorders, various neurological disorders and cancers.

The mental health impact of oil spills has been well documented, and includes:

• Higher rates of domestic violence
• Increased drug and alcohol use
• Anxiety, anger and avoidance
• Failed marriages
• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression and anxiety

In addition, the effect of the spill on the economy of the region has decimated many Gulf coast minority communities, and the diminished quality and quantity of seafood is threatening to eliminate a significant segment of the local ethnic food culture.

Downs Law Group fights for many Spanish speakers

The staff and attorneys at the Downs Law Group speak Spanish fluently and treat everyone as if he or she is our only client. If you need help getting your life back on track, call our office today for a consultation.