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

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

Among the many 12 refineries that emitted above the maximum level for benzene, five have been in Texas, 4 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 identified carcinogen that is extremely poisonous and unstable when uncovered to air. A lot of the surplus emissions come by way of leaks from valves, tanks, pumps and other means which can be laborious to detect.

The Environmental Protection Company estimates 6.1 million people in the US reside inside three miles of a refinery, with low-income people and folks of shade represented at charges almost twice that of the general inhabitants.

Out of 129 operable oil refineries in 2021, 118 reported benzene focus registered at or near the positioning, in any other case often called the fence-line.

Nearly half of these refineries launched benzene levels above 3 micrograms per cubic meter, which the Environmental Integrity Venture defines as a long-term potential health risk.

The EPA requires amenities to take action in the event that they exceed an average 9 micrograms per cubic meter, or above “motion stage” emission of benzene.

“If [facilities] can’t get their benzene below the action degree, 12 months after 12 months, we really need to see enforcement from the EPA,” stated Eric Schaeffer, the manager director of the Environmental Integrity Project, in a press convention. “You could 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 may trigger a danger of as much as one additional most cancers case for each one million exposed, in line with the EPA. The upper the extent of benzene, the upper the well being danger.

Marathon Petroleum’s Galveston Bay refinery in Texas Metropolis had the highest common net benzene levels in 2021, according to the evaluation of the self-reported information. Roughly 37,000 individuals live inside a three-mile radius of the refinery. Among them, 62% are individuals of colour and 47% are low-income.

“This evaluation provides necessary insight into why the Houston area is an industrial cancer hotspot,” said Leticia Gutierrez of advocacy group Air Alliance Houston, on the press convention.

“Individuals dwelling close to these amenities have higher [exposure] to lifetime cancer danger than any other part of the state, but the regulatory agencies answerable for protecting us proceed to approve permits for these services,” Gutierrez mentioned.

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

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