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 stage for benzene, 5 had been in Texas, four in Louisiana, and one every in Pennsylvania, Indiana and the US Virgin Islands, a new evaluation by the Environmental Integrity Mission revealed on Thursday.

Benzene is a recognized carcinogen that is highly toxic and risky when exposed to air. A lot of the excess emissions come through leaks from valves, tanks, pumps and different means which might be onerous to detect.

The Environmental Protection Company estimates 6.1 million individuals in the US stay inside three miles of a refinery, with low-income individuals and other people of color represented at charges practically twice that of the final population.

Out of 129 operable oil refineries in 2021, 118 reported benzene concentration registered at or close to the location, otherwise generally known as the fence-line.

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

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

“If [facilities] can’t get their benzene below the action level, yr after year, we actually have to see enforcement from the EPA,” said Eric Schaeffer, the manager director of the Environmental Integrity Mission, in a press convention. “It's good to start paying penalties when your fence-line levels persist,” he added.

Lifetime exposure to benzene at levels as low as 0.13 microgram per cubic meter might trigger a risk of up to one further cancer case for each a million exposed, based on the EPA. The higher the extent of benzene, the upper the health threat.

Marathon Petroleum’s Galveston Bay refinery in Texas City had the highest common web benzene ranges in 2021, in accordance with the analysis of the self-reported data. Roughly 37,000 people live inside a three-mile radius of the refinery. Amongst them, 62% are folks of shade and 47% are low-income.

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

“Individuals dwelling near these facilities have better [exposure] to lifetime cancer threat than some other a part of the state, yet the regulatory businesses answerable for defending us continue to approve permits for these services,” Gutierrez said.

Environmental Integrity Undertaking notes that its analysis did not measure concentrations of benzene inside neighborhoods adjoining to refineries, and doesn't replicate the precise ranges of benzene throughout the communities.

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