The debate's on as to whether BP's monster oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico is a health hazard.
Some scientists are playing it down , saying that it might cause a nasty rash but it can't seriously harm or kill anyone.
Not so, says senior scientist Gina Solomon. She says the oil spill can cause miscarriages, nausea, vomiting, headaches and difficulty breathing.
The US Health Department says it's monitoring the situation, pointing out that it's too early to say what will happen as we don't yet know what the issues will be with the oil spill. With a disaster of this size, it's impossible to know the full scale of the consequences.
For a sign of what could lie ahead, take a look at what happened to communities after the 1989 Exxon Valdez disaster. According to this report, it left a legacy of depression, domestic violence and alcoholism. The number of divorces and bankruptcies increased too.
This suggests that the impact of the Gulf disaster will be some time away. And physical health will only be one issue. It will have a massive impact on coastal communities in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama.
BP's mismanagement will affect the lives of people who aren't even born yet.
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