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

A dozen US oil refineries final 12 months exceeded the federal limit on common benzene emissions.

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

Benzene is a identified carcinogen that is extremely poisonous and volatile when uncovered to air. A lot of the surplus emissions come by way of leaks from valves, tanks, pumps and different means which can be exhausting to detect.

The Environmental Protection Company estimates 6.1 million folks in the US dwell inside three miles of a refinery, with low-income folks and people of color represented at rates almost twice that of the overall inhabitants.

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

Almost half of those 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 amenities to take motion in the event that they exceed an average 9 micrograms per cubic meter, or above “action level” emission of benzene.

“If [facilities] can’t get their benzene beneath the motion stage, yr after year, we actually must see enforcement from the EPA,” stated Eric Schaeffer, the manager director of the Environmental Integrity Challenge, in a press conference. “You could start paying penalties when your fence-line levels persist,” he added.

Lifetime exposure to benzene at ranges as little as 0.13 microgram per cubic meter might trigger a threat of up to one extra cancer case for each one million exposed, according to the EPA. The higher the level of benzene, the higher the health risk.

Marathon Petroleum’s Galveston Bay refinery in Texas City had the very best average web benzene levels in 2021, in line with the evaluation of the self-reported knowledge. Roughly 37,000 folks reside inside a three-mile radius of the refinery. Among them, 62% are folks of colour and 47% are low-income.

“This evaluation supplies vital insight into why the Houston area is an industrial cancer hotspot,” mentioned Leticia Gutierrez of advocacy group Air Alliance Houston, at the press convention.

“People residing close to these amenities have greater [exposure] to lifetime most cancers danger than every other part of the state, yet the regulatory agencies accountable for defending us continue to approve permits for these amenities,” Gutierrez stated.

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

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