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

A dozen US oil refineries last year exceeded the federal limit on average benzene emissions.

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

Benzene is a known carcinogen that is highly toxic and volatile when exposed to air. A lot of the excess emissions come by way of leaks from valves, tanks, pumps and other means which are onerous to detect.

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

Out of 129 operable oil refineries in 2021, 118 reported benzene focus registered at or close to the site, otherwise known as the fence-line.

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

The EPA requires facilities to take action if they exceed a mean 9 micrograms per cubic meter, or above “action level” emission of benzene.

“If [facilities] can’t get their benzene below the motion degree, yr after 12 months, we actually have to see enforcement from the EPA,” stated Eric Schaeffer, the executive director of the Environmental Integrity Venture, in a press conference. “It's good to start paying penalties when your fence-line ranges persist,” he added.

Lifetime exposure to benzene at ranges as low as 0.13 microgram per cubic meter might cause a danger of up to one additional cancer case for every one million exposed, in line with the EPA. The upper the level of benzene, the higher the well being risk.

Marathon Petroleum’s Galveston Bay refinery in Texas Metropolis had the best average net benzene ranges in 2021, in accordance with the analysis of the self-reported information. Roughly 37,000 people live within a three-mile radius of the refinery. Among them, 62% are individuals of color and 47% are low-income.

“This evaluation provides essential perception into why the Houston area is an industrial cancer hotspot,” said Leticia Gutierrez of advocacy group Air Alliance Houston, at the press conference.

“People dwelling near these services have higher [exposure] to lifetime most cancers threat than another part of the state, but the regulatory agencies liable for defending us continue to approve permits for these facilities,” Gutierrez mentioned.

Environmental Integrity Mission notes that its evaluation didn't measure concentrations of benzene inside neighborhoods adjoining to refineries, and does not mirror the actual levels of benzene within the communities.

Marathon Petroleum and the EPA didn't immediately respond to a request for remark.