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

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

Among the many 12 refineries that emitted above the utmost level for benzene, 5 were 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 recognized carcinogen that is highly poisonous and unstable when uncovered to air. A lot of the excess emissions come via leaks from valves, tanks, pumps and other means which are exhausting to detect.

The Environmental Protection Agency estimates 6.1 million folks within the US live within three miles of a refinery, with low-income individuals and other people of shade represented at charges practically twice that of the general population.

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

Almost half of those refineries released benzene ranges above 3 micrograms per cubic meter, which the Environmental Integrity Mission defines as a long-term potential health risk.

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

“If [facilities] can’t get their benzene under the action stage, yr after 12 months, we actually have to see enforcement from the EPA,” said Eric Schaeffer, the executive director of the Environmental Integrity Mission, in a press convention. “That you must start paying penalties when your fence-line levels persist,” he added.

Lifetime exposure to benzene at ranges as low as 0.13 microgram per cubic meter may trigger a risk of up to one extra most cancers case for each one million exposed, according to the EPA. The higher the extent of benzene, the upper the health risk.

Marathon Petroleum’s Galveston Bay refinery in Texas Metropolis had the best common web benzene levels in 2021, in keeping with the analysis of the self-reported knowledge. Roughly 37,000 folks live within a three-mile radius of the refinery. Amongst them, 62% are people of colour and 47% are low-income.

“This analysis supplies essential insight into why the Houston area is an industrial most cancers hotspot,” stated Leticia Gutierrez of advocacy group Air Alliance Houston, at the press convention.

“People living close to these amenities have higher [exposure] to lifetime cancer danger than every other part of the state, yet the regulatory companies responsible for protecting us proceed to approve permits for these services,” Gutierrez said.

Environmental Integrity Mission notes that its evaluation didn't measure concentrations of benzene within neighborhoods adjacent to refineries, and does not reflect the actual ranges of benzene throughout the communities.

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