CHALMETTE, La. -- A public heath doctor says the chemicals that were leaked on labor day by the Chalmette Refinery are the same as what's in Chinese drywall, the exhaust of a car, and volcanic ash.
Dr. James Diaz, of the LSU Health Sciences Center's School of Public Health, said that it is normal that people in the affected area would have had irritated eyes, noses and throats. But the weather that day kept the concentrations from being too high.
He also said that it is not good to breath in the tiny power particles from the spent catalyst that were released. But most people should be fine now except for people with other health problems.
"I certainly think that if anyone has a pre-existing cardiopulmonary problem, and I'm talking about asthma, COPD or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or even a cardiac condition such as congestive heart failure, that can result in a pulmonary condition called pulmonary edema, these individuals should not be part of the clean up," Diaz said.
Diaz said that if people with these illness are still having symptoms from the day of the chemical leak, they should go see a doctor.
