US oil refineries spewing cancer-causing benzene into communities, report finds | Pollution

A dozen US oil refineries last year exceeded the federal restrict on common benzene emissions.

Among the 12 refineries that emitted above the utmost level for benzene, five were in Texas, 4 in Louisiana, and one every in Pennsylvania, Indiana and the US Virgin Islands, a brand new evaluation by the Environmental Integrity Undertaking revealed on Thursday.

Benzene is a identified carcinogen that is extremely poisonous and unstable when uncovered to air. A lot of the surplus emissions come by leaks from valves, tanks, pumps and other means which might be exhausting to detect.

The Environmental Safety Company estimates 6.1 million folks within the US stay within three miles of a refinery, with low-income individuals and folks of color represented at charges nearly twice that of the final population.

Out of 129 operable oil refineries in 2021, 118 reported benzene concentration registered at or near the positioning, otherwise referred to as the fence-line.

Almost half of those refineries launched benzene ranges above 3 micrograms per cubic meter, which the Environmental Integrity Project defines as a long-term potential health threat.

The EPA requires services to take action in the event that they exceed a mean 9 micrograms per cubic meter, or above “action stage” emission of benzene.

“If [facilities] can’t get their benzene beneath the motion level, year after year, we really have to see enforcement from the EPA,” mentioned Eric Schaeffer, the executive director of the Environmental Integrity Undertaking, in a press conference. “You should begin paying penalties when your fence-line ranges persist,” he added.

Lifetime exposure to benzene at levels as low as 0.13 microgram per cubic meter might cause a threat of up to one further most cancers case for each one million exposed, in response to the EPA. The higher the extent of benzene, the higher the well being risk.

Marathon Petroleum’s Galveston Bay refinery in Texas City had the very best average internet benzene ranges in 2021, according to the evaluation of the self-reported knowledge. Roughly 37,000 people live within a three-mile radius of the refinery. Amongst them, 62% are people of color and 47% are low-income.

“This evaluation offers vital insight into why the Houston area is an industrial most cancers hotspot,” mentioned Leticia Gutierrez of advocacy group Air Alliance Houston, on the press convention.

“Folks dwelling near these facilities have greater [exposure] to lifetime cancer risk than any other part of the state, but the regulatory companies chargeable for protecting us proceed to approve permits for these facilities,” Gutierrez said.

Environmental Integrity Mission notes that its evaluation didn't measure concentrations of benzene inside neighborhoods adjacent to refineries, and doesn't replicate the actual levels of benzene inside the communities.

Marathon Petroleum and the EPA did not instantly respond to a request for remark.