Chevron/Texaco is responsible for one of the worst toxic chemical spills ever. Oil and drilling byproducts were dumped into the area near the city of Nueva Loja over a span of 21 years, resulting in many environmental and health problems. It all started with oil drilling in the Lago Agrio Oil Fields of Ecuador.
After their establishment in Ecuador in 1964, the Texaco oil rigs began wreaking havoc on the local communities. (Amazon Watch, 2013). Texaco, as well as the prominent Gulf Oil Corporation, began to drill for oil in the Oriente region of Ecuador (Solano, 2013). However, it was not until 1972 that Texaco began to drill for oil in the Lago Agrio Oil Field, one year before the OPEC Oil Crisis of 1973 (The worst case of oil pollution on …show more content…
Twenty one years later, in 1993, Chevron (now merged with Texaco) was charged nine and a half billion dollars for spreading toxic waste all over the Amazon. This toxic waste is causing terminal cancer, birth defects, and other diseases. The toxic waste also an environmental hazard. It ruined the local environment and killed off endangered species in the area (Romero, Simon, 2011). When Texaco was taken to court in Ecuador, they lost the case due to the overwhelming evidence (Krauss, Romero, 2011). The 30,000 effected villagers as well as the Ecuadorian government won a major victory. Chevron appealed the court with more evidence and they lost that appeal as well (Chevron Toxico, 2013). Finally, Chevron filed a RICO (Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act) lawsuit against those who won the first case. A RICO charge is a charge stating that the prosecutor thinks that the acts performed by the accused were criminal and could be considered a criminal …show more content…
However many chemicals in oil are carcinogens and many chemicals used in drilling for oil are carcinogens. However the only certainty is that billions of gallons of crude oil and waste stored in unlined pits seeped into the local ecosystem. Crude oil contains many substances that are lethal in small amounts, propane, heating oil/diesel fuel, asphalt and road oil, waxes, heavy fuel oil, gasoline, lubricants, and kerosene. These are all items that are dangerous on or in the body. After the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico studies were conducted on the effects of crude oil on the body. Some of the symptoms of oil exposure include “Dizziness, euphoria, nausea, blurry vision and headaches”. The same study listed some toxic chemicals that cause these symptoms, “‘…such compounds as benzene, toluene, and xylenes, which are also found in gasoline,’” (O'Hanlon, 2010) Longer term symptoms of exposure to oil and its byproducts include adult leukemia and other cancers. Sound familiar? Crude oil also has neurotoxins, or toxins that effect the brain, which in the case of crude oil, is especially harmful to developing brains. Oil exposure leads to birth defects (mutagens and endocrine disruptors) and higher rates of cancer (teratogens) and brain problems in developing children. Crude oil is a very hazardous combination of all of these toxins. “‘It's
After their establishment in Ecuador in 1964, the Texaco oil rigs began wreaking havoc on the local communities. (Amazon Watch, 2013). Texaco, as well as the prominent Gulf Oil Corporation, began to drill for oil in the Oriente region of Ecuador (Solano, 2013). However, it was not until 1972 that Texaco began to drill for oil in the Lago Agrio Oil Field, one year before the OPEC Oil Crisis of 1973 (The worst case of oil pollution on …show more content…
Twenty one years later, in 1993, Chevron (now merged with Texaco) was charged nine and a half billion dollars for spreading toxic waste all over the Amazon. This toxic waste is causing terminal cancer, birth defects, and other diseases. The toxic waste also an environmental hazard. It ruined the local environment and killed off endangered species in the area (Romero, Simon, 2011). When Texaco was taken to court in Ecuador, they lost the case due to the overwhelming evidence (Krauss, Romero, 2011). The 30,000 effected villagers as well as the Ecuadorian government won a major victory. Chevron appealed the court with more evidence and they lost that appeal as well (Chevron Toxico, 2013). Finally, Chevron filed a RICO (Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act) lawsuit against those who won the first case. A RICO charge is a charge stating that the prosecutor thinks that the acts performed by the accused were criminal and could be considered a criminal …show more content…
However many chemicals in oil are carcinogens and many chemicals used in drilling for oil are carcinogens. However the only certainty is that billions of gallons of crude oil and waste stored in unlined pits seeped into the local ecosystem. Crude oil contains many substances that are lethal in small amounts, propane, heating oil/diesel fuel, asphalt and road oil, waxes, heavy fuel oil, gasoline, lubricants, and kerosene. These are all items that are dangerous on or in the body. After the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico studies were conducted on the effects of crude oil on the body. Some of the symptoms of oil exposure include “Dizziness, euphoria, nausea, blurry vision and headaches”. The same study listed some toxic chemicals that cause these symptoms, “‘…such compounds as benzene, toluene, and xylenes, which are also found in gasoline,’” (O'Hanlon, 2010) Longer term symptoms of exposure to oil and its byproducts include adult leukemia and other cancers. Sound familiar? Crude oil also has neurotoxins, or toxins that effect the brain, which in the case of crude oil, is especially harmful to developing brains. Oil exposure leads to birth defects (mutagens and endocrine disruptors) and higher rates of cancer (teratogens) and brain problems in developing children. Crude oil is a very hazardous combination of all of these toxins. “‘It's