Kevin Costner[HMG] – A lot of actors have been flapping their lips about how bad the BP Deepwater Horizon disaster has been for the people of Louisiana, but Kevin Costner has done something about it.

Inspired by the environmental destruction created when the tanker, Exxon Valdez spewed 11-million gallons of oil over the coast of Alaska in March, 1989, the 55-year old actor has spent the last fifteen years [and $20-million of his own money] perfecting a machine that removes oil from water at 200 gallons a minute.

And BP are now trying it out.

“When I saw everyone on the shore with rubber boots and pitch forks, trying to clean up the problem they didn’t create, and the images of the birds it was very sad,” Kevin told ABC’s Sam Champion. “So I thought, ‘Does this have to happen?’”

Known as a ‘V20,’ Kevin’s gadget is basically a high-powered centrifuge that splits the two liquids and dumps the oil in a barrel, while the water [now 99% clean] returns to the sea. One machine can fill 2,000 barrels a day.

“If twenty of these had been at the Exxon Valdez site, 90-percent of that oil would have been cleaned up in a week,” he told Sam.

During BP’s initial tests the V20’s failed because the toxic dispersant had turned the oil into the consistency of peanut butter. But once adjustments were made they worked fine.

Costner says he’s sure his machines can make a big difference, and told Congress last week he’s aware it’s strange that an actor should bring the solution.

“It may seem like an unlikely scenario that I’m the one delivering this technology, but it’s equally inconceivable that these machines are not already in place,” he told the inquiry.

The actor then pointed out that oil is a huge element in American life, and a way way must be found to deal with the inevitable accidents caused by such widespread addiction.

“If we can show there’s a responsible answer to an inevitable problem, this machine could be a pivot point,” he said.

And while he was aware of the scale, Kevin told the suits in the Capitol the V20’s could absorb most of the fallout.

“I’m not a spokesman for anybody, but the ecosystem can’t speak for itself,” he reasoned. “And I’m not on a white horse. I’m not the savior for this thing. All I’m saying is, I’ve got a life preserver.”

BP has ordered 32 of Kev’s gadgets and they’re now in production. If this is truly the answer it could reboot his career.

Watch this space….

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Kevin Costner tells Congress he can solve BP spill