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

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

Among the 12 refineries that emitted above the maximum stage for benzene, five were in Texas, four in Louisiana, and one each in Pennsylvania, Indiana and the US Virgin Islands, a new analysis by the Environmental Integrity Venture revealed on Thursday.

Benzene is a identified carcinogen that's extremely poisonous and risky when uncovered to air. A lot of the excess emissions come through leaks from valves, tanks, pumps and other means which are exhausting to detect.

The Environmental Safety Company estimates 6.1 million people within the US reside within three miles of a refinery, with low-income individuals and folks of color represented at charges almost twice that of the final population.

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

Practically 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 menace.

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

“If [facilities] can’t get their benzene under the action stage, 12 months after 12 months, we really have to see enforcement from the EPA,” said Eric Schaeffer, the executive director of the Environmental Integrity Mission, in a press conference. “It's essential to begin paying penalties when your fence-line levels persist,” he added.

Lifetime publicity to benzene at levels as little as 0.13 microgram per cubic meter might cause a threat of as much as one further most cancers case for every one million uncovered, in line with the EPA. The higher the level of benzene, the upper the well being threat.

Marathon Petroleum’s Galveston Bay refinery in Texas Metropolis had the best average internet benzene ranges in 2021, based on the evaluation of the self-reported data. Roughly 37,000 folks stay inside a three-mile radius of the refinery. Amongst them, 62% are folks of colour and 47% are low-income.

“This evaluation gives important insight into why the Houston space is an industrial most cancers hotspot,” mentioned Leticia Gutierrez of advocacy group Air Alliance Houston, at the press conference.

“Individuals dwelling close to these facilities have better [exposure] to lifetime most cancers threat than any other a part of the state, yet the regulatory companies chargeable for protecting us proceed to approve permits for these amenities,” Gutierrez mentioned.

Environmental Integrity Venture notes that its analysis did not measure concentrations of benzene inside neighborhoods adjoining to refineries, and doesn't reflect the actual levels of benzene throughout the communities.

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