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

A dozen US oil refineries final 12 months exceeded the federal restrict on common benzene emissions.

Among the many 12 refineries that emitted above the maximum stage for benzene, 5 have been in Texas, 4 in Louisiana, and one each in Pennsylvania, Indiana and the US Virgin Islands, a new evaluation by the Environmental Integrity Mission revealed on Thursday.

Benzene is a recognized carcinogen that is extremely poisonous and risky when exposed to air. Much of the excess emissions come by way of leaks from valves, tanks, pumps and different means which might be arduous to detect.

The Environmental Protection Agency estimates 6.1 million folks within the US live within three miles of a refinery, with low-income individuals and other people of shade represented at charges nearly twice that of the general inhabitants.

Out of 129 operable oil refineries in 2021, 118 reported benzene concentration registered at or close to the location, otherwise often called the fence-line.

Practically half of these refineries launched benzene levels above 3 micrograms per cubic meter, which the Environmental Integrity Undertaking defines as a long-term potential well being menace.

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 below the action level, yr after yr, we actually have to see enforcement from the EPA,” said Eric Schaeffer, the manager director of the Environmental Integrity Venture, in a press convention. “You could start paying penalties when your fence-line levels persist,” he added.

Lifetime publicity to benzene at ranges as low as 0.13 microgram per cubic meter may cause a risk of as much as one additional cancer case for each a million uncovered, based on the EPA. The upper the extent of benzene, the higher the health threat.

Marathon Petroleum’s Galveston Bay refinery in Texas Metropolis had the best average net benzene ranges in 2021, in accordance with the evaluation of the self-reported data. Roughly 37,000 people dwell within a three-mile radius of the refinery. Amongst them, 62% are folks of shade and 47% are low-income.

“This analysis offers necessary perception into why the Houston space is an industrial cancer hotspot,” said Leticia Gutierrez of advocacy group Air Alliance Houston, on the press conference.

“People residing close to these facilities have higher [exposure] to lifetime cancer risk than any other a part of the state, but the regulatory agencies chargeable for defending us proceed to approve permits for these facilities,” Gutierrez stated.

Environmental Integrity Venture notes that its analysis did not measure concentrations of benzene inside neighborhoods adjacent to refineries, and doesn't replicate the precise ranges of benzene throughout the communities.

Marathon Petroleum and the EPA did not immediately reply to a request for comment.