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

A dozen US oil refineries last 12 months exceeded the federal limit on average benzene emissions.

Among the 12 refineries that emitted above the maximum degree for benzene, five had been in Texas, four in Louisiana, and one each in Pennsylvania, Indiana and the US Virgin Islands, a new analysis by the Environmental Integrity Undertaking revealed on Thursday.

Benzene is a recognized carcinogen that is highly poisonous and volatile when uncovered to air. A lot of the surplus emissions come by way of leaks from valves, tanks, pumps and other means that are laborious to detect.

The Environmental Safety Company estimates 6.1 million folks in the US reside within three miles of a refinery, with low-income people and other people of shade represented at charges nearly twice that of the final population.

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

Almost 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 facilities to take motion if they exceed an average 9 micrograms per cubic meter, or above “action degree” emission of benzene.

“If [facilities] can’t get their benzene under the action stage, 12 months after 12 months, we actually need to see enforcement from the EPA,” stated 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 levels as low as 0.13 microgram per cubic meter could cause a risk of up to one extra cancer case for each a million exposed, in line with the EPA. The higher the extent of benzene, the higher the well being danger.

Marathon Petroleum’s Galveston Bay refinery in Texas City had the best common internet benzene levels in 2021, based on the analysis of the self-reported data. Roughly 37,000 individuals reside inside a three-mile radius of the refinery. Among them, 62% are people of shade and 47% are low-income.

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

“Folks dwelling near these services have larger [exposure] to lifetime cancer danger than some other part of the state, yet the regulatory businesses responsible for protecting us proceed to approve permits for these facilities,” Gutierrez stated.

Environmental Integrity Challenge notes that its analysis did not measure concentrations of benzene within neighborhoods adjacent to refineries, and does not replicate the actual ranges of benzene throughout the communities.

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