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

A dozen US oil refineries final 12 months exceeded the federal limit on average benzene emissions.

Among the many 12 refineries that emitted above the utmost degree for benzene, five have been in Texas, 4 in Louisiana, and one every in Pennsylvania, Indiana and the US Virgin Islands, a new evaluation by the Environmental Integrity Venture revealed on Thursday.

Benzene is a known carcinogen that's extremely poisonous and risky when uncovered to air. A lot of the surplus emissions come via leaks from valves, tanks, pumps and other means which are exhausting to detect.

The Environmental Safety Agency estimates 6.1 million individuals in the US dwell within three miles of a refinery, with low-income individuals and other people of coloration represented at charges practically 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 known as the fence-line.

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

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

“If [facilities] can’t get their benzene below the action stage, 12 months after yr, we really must see enforcement from the EPA,” said Eric Schaeffer, the manager director of the Environmental Integrity Mission, in a press convention. “You'll want to start paying penalties when your fence-line ranges persist,” he added.

Lifetime publicity to benzene at levels as little as 0.13 microgram per cubic meter could trigger a danger of up to one further most cancers case for each one million uncovered, in response to the EPA. The upper the extent of benzene, the upper the well being threat.

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

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

“Folks residing close to these services have larger [exposure] to lifetime cancer risk than any other part of the state, yet the regulatory agencies liable for protecting us proceed to approve permits for these services,” Gutierrez mentioned.

Environmental Integrity Project notes that its analysis didn't measure concentrations of benzene within neighborhoods adjacent to refineries, and does not reflect the precise levels of benzene throughout the communities.

Marathon Petroleum and the EPA didn't instantly respond to a request for comment.