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

A dozen US oil refineries final yr exceeded the federal restrict on average benzene emissions.

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

Benzene is a recognized carcinogen that's extremely toxic and unstable when exposed to air. A lot of the surplus emissions come by leaks from valves, tanks, pumps and other means which might be hard to detect.

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

Out of 129 operable oil refineries in 2021, 118 reported benzene concentration registered at or near the positioning, 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 Venture defines as a long-term potential health threat.

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

“If [facilities] can’t get their benzene below the action degree, 12 months after year, we really have to see enforcement from the EPA,” mentioned Eric Schaeffer, the chief director of the Environmental Integrity Project, in a press conference. “It's worthwhile 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 trigger a threat of up to one further cancer case for each one million exposed, in accordance with the EPA. The higher the level of benzene, the higher the well being danger.

Marathon Petroleum’s Galveston Bay refinery in Texas City had the very best average internet benzene ranges in 2021, in response to the analysis of the self-reported information. Roughly 37,000 people stay inside a three-mile radius of the refinery. Amongst them, 62% are folks of shade and 47% are low-income.

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

“Individuals residing close to these services have better [exposure] to lifetime most cancers risk than any other part of the state, but the regulatory businesses chargeable for protecting us continue to approve permits for these amenities,” Gutierrez mentioned.

Environmental Integrity Project notes that its evaluation didn't measure concentrations of benzene inside neighborhoods adjacent to refineries, and does not reflect the precise ranges of benzene inside the communities.

Marathon Petroleum and the EPA did not instantly reply to a request for remark.