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

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

Among the 12 refineries that emitted above the utmost level for benzene, 5 have been in Texas, 4 in Louisiana, and one every in Pennsylvania, Indiana and the US Virgin Islands, a brand new analysis by the Environmental Integrity Mission revealed on Thursday.

Benzene is a known carcinogen that's highly poisonous and risky when uncovered to air. Much of the excess emissions come via leaks from valves, tanks, pumps and different means which might be exhausting to detect.

The Environmental Protection Company estimates 6.1 million folks in the US reside inside three miles of a refinery, with low-income individuals and folks of coloration represented at charges practically twice that of the final population.

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

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

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

“If [facilities] can’t get their benzene below the action degree, yr after 12 months, we really must see enforcement from the EPA,” mentioned Eric Schaeffer, the executive director of the Environmental Integrity Undertaking, in a press conference. “It's good 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 may cause a risk of as much as one extra cancer case for every one million uncovered, in line with the EPA. The higher the extent of benzene, the upper the health risk.

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

“This analysis supplies necessary insight into why the Houston space is an industrial most cancers hotspot,” said Leticia Gutierrez of advocacy group Air Alliance Houston, on the press convention.

“Individuals living near these facilities have higher [exposure] to lifetime most cancers threat than any other a part of the state, but the regulatory businesses accountable for protecting us continue to approve permits for these facilities,” Gutierrez said.

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

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