ILS Helps Feds Fight Oil Spill

A Research Triangle Park-based contract testing company is among the North Carolina firms working to reduce pollution problems from the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.

ILS, formerly known as Integrated Laboratory Systems, sent an emergency response team to the Gulf Coast on April 28, a week after the Deepwater Horizon platform and oil rig exploded, killing 11 and spewing destruction into the Gulf.

ILS' Environmental Services Assistance Team is normally housed in the Environmental Protection Agency's Region 4 facility in Athens, Georgia.

The group is helping the federal environmental specialists test sea water, wetlands, beaches, sediment and air quality.

"ILS will continue to be as responsive as possible to assist EPA in meeting numerous technical support needs." Said the ILS teach manager, Stephen Pilcher.

Another North Carolina company, BioTech Mills, from the Greene County community of Snow Hill, is providing its kenaf products to soak up some of the oil spill.

Kenaf is a fibrous hemp-like plant that BioTech Mills buys from contract growers, and processes into a oil-spill absorbers and a wide range of other products.

Read the full news release

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