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

A dozen US oil refineries last 12 months exceeded the federal limit on average 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 every in Pennsylvania, Indiana and the US Virgin Islands, a brand new analysis by the Environmental Integrity Venture revealed on Thursday.

Benzene is a known carcinogen that's highly toxic and unstable when uncovered to air. A lot of the excess emissions come by means of leaks from valves, tanks, pumps and different means that are laborious to detect.

The Environmental Safety Agency estimates 6.1 million individuals within the US live within three miles of a refinery, with low-income people and other people of coloration represented at rates almost twice that of the final inhabitants.

Out of 129 operable oil refineries in 2021, 118 reported benzene focus registered at or near the positioning, otherwise often called the fence-line.

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

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

“If [facilities] can’t get their benzene beneath the motion level, 12 months after year, we really need to see enforcement from the EPA,” said Eric Schaeffer, the manager director of the Environmental Integrity Undertaking, in a press convention. “You need to start paying penalties when your fence-line levels persist,” he added.

Lifetime publicity to benzene at levels as little as 0.13 microgram per cubic meter might trigger a threat of as much as one extra cancer case for every a million exposed, based on the EPA. The upper the extent of benzene, the upper the well being risk.

Marathon Petroleum’s Galveston Bay refinery in Texas City had the best common web benzene ranges in 2021, based on the evaluation of the self-reported knowledge. Roughly 37,000 folks stay within a three-mile radius of the refinery. Among them, 62% are people of coloration and 47% are low-income.

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

“People dwelling close to these amenities have higher [exposure] to lifetime cancer risk than some other a part of the state, but the regulatory agencies liable for protecting us proceed to approve permits for these amenities,” Gutierrez stated.

Environmental Integrity Mission notes that its analysis didn't measure concentrations of benzene within neighborhoods adjacent to refineries, and doesn't reflect the actual ranges of benzene within the communities.

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