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

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

Among the many 12 refineries that emitted above the maximum degree for benzene, 5 had been in Texas, four in Louisiana, and one each in Pennsylvania, Indiana and the US Virgin Islands, a brand new evaluation by the Environmental Integrity Challenge revealed on Thursday.

Benzene is a identified carcinogen that's extremely toxic and risky when exposed to air. A lot of the surplus emissions come via leaks from valves, tanks, pumps and other means which can be hard to detect.

The Environmental Safety Company estimates 6.1 million people within the US stay inside three miles of a refinery, with low-income people and folks of shade represented at charges nearly twice that of the overall population.

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

Nearly half of these refineries released benzene ranges above 3 micrograms per cubic meter, which the Environmental Integrity Undertaking defines as a long-term potential well being threat.

The EPA requires services to take motion if they exceed an average 9 micrograms per cubic meter, or above “motion level” emission of benzene.

“If [facilities] can’t get their benzene beneath the motion degree, year after year, we really have to see enforcement from the EPA,” mentioned Eric Schaeffer, the manager director of the Environmental Integrity Venture, in a press conference. “It's essential to begin 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 may cause a danger of up to one additional most cancers case for each one million uncovered, in response to the EPA. The higher the extent of benzene, the higher the well being threat.

Marathon Petroleum’s Galveston Bay refinery in Texas Metropolis had the highest average web benzene ranges in 2021, in response to the analysis of the self-reported data. Roughly 37,000 individuals live within a three-mile radius of the refinery. Among them, 62% are folks of colour and 47% are low-income.

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

“Folks residing close to these amenities have larger [exposure] to lifetime most cancers danger than some other part of the state, yet the regulatory businesses accountable for defending us proceed to approve permits for these amenities,” Gutierrez mentioned.

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

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