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

A dozen US oil refineries last year exceeded the federal restrict on average benzene emissions.

Among the many 12 refineries that emitted above the utmost level for benzene, five have been 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 known carcinogen that is extremely poisonous and unstable when exposed to air. A lot of the surplus emissions come via leaks from valves, tanks, pumps and different means which are onerous to detect.

The Environmental Protection Agency estimates 6.1 million people within the US stay within three miles of a refinery, with low-income individuals and folks of coloration represented at charges almost 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 often known as the fence-line.

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

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

“If [facilities] can’t get their benzene under the motion level, year after yr, we really have to see enforcement from the EPA,” said Eric Schaeffer, the executive director of the Environmental Integrity Undertaking, in a press convention. “It is advisable 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 could cause a threat of up to one additional cancer case for every a million uncovered, in keeping with the EPA. The upper the extent of benzene, the upper the health danger.

Marathon Petroleum’s Galveston Bay refinery in Texas Metropolis had the very best common web benzene levels in 2021, in keeping with the evaluation of the self-reported knowledge. Roughly 37,000 folks stay inside a three-mile radius of the refinery. Among them, 62% are individuals of shade and 47% are low-income.

“This evaluation gives 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 conference.

“Folks dwelling near these facilities have greater [exposure] to lifetime cancer threat than another part of the state, but the regulatory companies accountable for defending us continue to approve permits for these services,” Gutierrez mentioned.

Environmental Integrity Mission notes that its analysis didn't measure concentrations of benzene inside neighborhoods adjoining to refineries, and does not replicate the precise ranges of benzene within the communities.

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