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

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

Among the many 12 refineries that emitted above the utmost stage for benzene, 5 were in Texas, four in Louisiana, and one each in Pennsylvania, Indiana and the US Virgin Islands, a new evaluation by the Environmental Integrity Undertaking revealed on Thursday.

Benzene is a identified carcinogen that's extremely poisonous and volatile when exposed to air. Much of the surplus emissions come by leaks from valves, tanks, pumps and other means that are arduous to detect.

The Environmental Safety Agency estimates 6.1 million individuals within the US reside inside three miles of a refinery, with low-income people and people of color represented at charges almost 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, otherwise generally known as the fence-line.

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

The EPA requires services to take action 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 below the action degree, yr after year, we actually need to see enforcement from the EPA,” said Eric Schaeffer, the executive director of the Environmental Integrity Venture, in a press conference. “It's essential to 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 danger of up to one additional cancer case for every a million exposed, in response to the EPA. The upper the extent of benzene, the higher the well being risk.

Marathon Petroleum’s Galveston Bay refinery in Texas City had the highest average net benzene ranges in 2021, in response to the evaluation of the self-reported data. Roughly 37,000 folks live inside a three-mile radius of the refinery. Amongst them, 62% are folks of colour and 47% are low-income.

“This analysis gives important insight into why the Houston space is an industrial cancer hotspot,” mentioned Leticia Gutierrez of advocacy group Air Alliance Houston, on the press conference.

“Folks residing close to these facilities have better [exposure] to lifetime cancer threat than every other part of the state, yet the regulatory agencies responsible for defending us continue to approve permits for these amenities,” Gutierrez said.

Environmental Integrity Undertaking notes that its analysis didn't measure concentrations of benzene within neighborhoods adjoining to refineries, and doesn't replicate the actual ranges of benzene within the communities.

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