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 level for benzene, 5 had been in Texas, 4 in Louisiana, and one each in Pennsylvania, Indiana and the US Virgin Islands, a new analysis by the Environmental Integrity Venture 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 via leaks from valves, tanks, pumps and different means which might be exhausting to detect.

The Environmental Protection Agency estimates 6.1 million folks in the US reside within three miles of a refinery, with low-income individuals and other people of colour represented at rates practically twice that of the overall population.

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

Practically half of these refineries launched benzene levels above 3 micrograms per cubic meter, which the Environmental Integrity Mission defines as a long-term potential well being risk.

The EPA requires services to take motion in the event that they exceed a median 9 micrograms per cubic meter, or above “motion stage” emission of benzene.

“If [facilities] can’t get their benzene under the action stage, 12 months after yr, we actually must see enforcement from the EPA,” mentioned Eric Schaeffer, the manager director of the Environmental Integrity Project, in a press convention. “You need to start paying penalties when your fence-line ranges persist,” he added.

Lifetime exposure to benzene at ranges as little as 0.13 microgram per cubic meter could cause a danger of as much as one further cancer case for every a million exposed, in response to the EPA. The upper the extent of benzene, the upper the health danger.

Marathon Petroleum’s Galveston Bay refinery in Texas Metropolis had the highest common web benzene levels in 2021, in response to the analysis of the self-reported data. Roughly 37,000 people dwell within a three-mile radius of the refinery. Among them, 62% are people of shade and 47% are low-income.

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

“People dwelling close to these services have larger [exposure] to lifetime most cancers threat than some other a part of the state, but the regulatory businesses liable for protecting us continue to approve permits for these facilities,” Gutierrez mentioned.

Environmental Integrity Venture notes that its evaluation did not measure concentrations of benzene inside neighborhoods adjacent to refineries, and does not reflect the precise levels of benzene inside the communities.

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