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

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

Among the many 12 refineries that emitted above the maximum level for benzene, five have been in Texas, four in Louisiana, and one each in Pennsylvania, Indiana and the US Virgin Islands, a brand new evaluation by the Environmental Integrity Venture revealed on Thursday.

Benzene is a known carcinogen that is highly poisonous and unstable when uncovered to air. A lot of the excess emissions come through leaks from valves, tanks, pumps and different means which might be onerous to detect.

The Environmental Safety Company estimates 6.1 million folks in the US stay within three miles of a refinery, with low-income folks and folks of color represented at rates practically twice that of the overall inhabitants.

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

Nearly half of these refineries released benzene ranges above 3 micrograms per cubic meter, which the Environmental Integrity Project defines as a long-term potential health menace.

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

“If [facilities] can’t get their benzene below the action degree, year after yr, we actually have to see enforcement from the EPA,” mentioned Eric Schaeffer, the manager director of the Environmental Integrity Challenge, in a press convention. “You'll want to start paying penalties when your fence-line ranges persist,” he added.

Lifetime publicity to benzene at ranges as low as 0.13 microgram per cubic meter might cause a risk of as much as one additional cancer case for every one million uncovered, according to the EPA. The upper the extent of benzene, the upper the health risk.

Marathon Petroleum’s Galveston Bay refinery in Texas City had the highest common net benzene levels in 2021, in keeping with the analysis of the self-reported knowledge. Roughly 37,000 folks reside inside a three-mile radius of the refinery. Amongst them, 62% are people of shade and 47% are low-income.

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

“People dwelling close to these facilities have greater [exposure] to lifetime most cancers risk than another a part of the state, yet the regulatory companies liable for defending us continue to approve permits for these amenities,” Gutierrez said.

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

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