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

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

Among the many 12 refineries that emitted above the utmost stage for benzene, 5 had been in Texas, 4 in Louisiana, and one every in Pennsylvania, Indiana and the US Virgin Islands, a brand new analysis by the Environmental Integrity Challenge revealed on Thursday.

Benzene is a known carcinogen that's extremely toxic and volatile when exposed to air. Much of the excess emissions come via leaks from valves, tanks, pumps and other means which can be arduous to detect.

The Environmental Protection Company estimates 6.1 million individuals in the US live within three miles of a refinery, with low-income people and folks of coloration represented at charges practically twice that of the final population.

Out of 129 operable oil refineries in 2021, 118 reported benzene focus registered at or near the site, in any other case known as the fence-line.

Nearly 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 facilities to take action in the event that they exceed a median 9 micrograms per cubic meter, or above “motion degree” emission of benzene.

“If [facilities] can’t get their benzene beneath the action level, yr after 12 months, we really need to see enforcement from the EPA,” said Eric Schaeffer, the executive director of the Environmental Integrity Mission, in a press convention. “It's worthwhile to begin paying penalties when your fence-line levels persist,” he added.

Lifetime exposure to benzene at levels as little as 0.13 microgram per cubic meter could trigger a risk of as much as one extra most cancers case for each one million exposed, in keeping with the EPA. The higher the level of benzene, the higher the health threat.

Marathon Petroleum’s Galveston Bay refinery in Texas Metropolis had the highest common web benzene ranges in 2021, in keeping with the evaluation of the self-reported data. Roughly 37,000 individuals dwell inside a three-mile radius of the refinery. Amongst them, 62% are people of shade and 47% are low-income.

“This analysis gives essential perception into why the Houston area is an industrial most cancers hotspot,” stated Leticia Gutierrez of advocacy group Air Alliance Houston, at the press conference.

“Individuals living close to these services have larger [exposure] to lifetime most cancers danger than some other a part of the state, yet the regulatory agencies chargeable for protecting us proceed to approve permits for these amenities,” Gutierrez stated.

Environmental Integrity Mission notes that its evaluation did not measure concentrations of benzene inside neighborhoods adjacent to refineries, and does not mirror the precise ranges of benzene throughout the communities.

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