A simple swim in the Gulf of Mexico has complicated Steven Aguinaga's life in ways he could have never imagined.
In July 2010, Aguinaga, now 33-years-old, had gone on a vacation with
his wife and some friends to Fort Walton Beach, Florida. After he and
his close friend Merrick Vallian went swimming in the Gulf, they both
became extremely sick from what Aguinaga believes were chemicals in BP's
oil and dispersants from the largest marine oil spill in US history
that began in April 2010.
The 4.9 million barrels of oil spilled into the Gulf continues to
affect people living near the coasts of Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama,
and Florida.
Compounding the problem, BP has admitted to using at least 1.9
million gallons of toxic dispersants, which are banned by some
countries, including the UK.
According to many scientists, these
dispersants create an even more toxic substance when mixed with crude
oil.
Aguinaga's blood has tested positive for high levels of chemicals
present in BP's oil, and he described his ailments to Al Jazeera.more
