Oil refineries needlessly endanger 17 million Americans in
the event of an accident or deliberate attack, according to a new report
released today by the U.S. Public Interest Research Group. The report, Needless Risk: Oil
Refineries and Hazard Reduction, documents the major threat posed to
surrounding communities by refineries using hydrofluoric acid, as well as
available technologies that could reduce or eliminate the threat.
“Industrial facilities like oil refineries are sitting ducks
waiting for an adversary to make full use of their disastrous potential,” said
U.S. PIRG Environmental Health Advocate Meghan Purvis. “Safer technologies
exist but industry has failed to take the public out of harm’s way.”
U.S. PIRG focused on the danger of oil refineries that use
and store large amounts of hydrofluoric acid onsite. If accidentally released, hydrofluoric acid
forms an aerosol cloud over surrounding communities. An acid cloud can cause skin and deep tissue
burns, serious bone damage, and death by burns to the skin, tissue or
lungs. Symptoms from exposure continue
for days if injuries are not treated and may not even appear for up to 24 hours
after exposure.
Identified in the report are a number of companies that own
refineries that use hydrofluoric acid which also operate refineries without
that technology. ConocoPhillips, ExxonMobil, Valero Energy Corporation, and
Marathon Ashland, for example, own refineries that use hydrofluoric acid as
well as refineries that use other technologies.
The report also named the parent companies that own
facilities that endanger the most Americans, including Sunoco, Inc., Valero
Energy Corporation, Marathon Ashland Petroleum, ConocoPhillips, CITGO,
ExxonMobil, Murphy Oil Corporation, and Premcor Inc.
“The fact that some companies use dangerous hydrofluoric
acid at some refineries but safer alternatives at others shows that they are
well aware of safer alternatives but choose not to implement them,” said Denny
Larson of the National Refinery Reform Campaign. "Millions of Americans live under an
unnecessary threat of a cloud of deadly hydrofluoric acid gas because oil
companies and their political friends won't take common sense action.”
Needless Risk documents cost-effective alternatives
to hydrofluoric acid at oil refineries.
New facilities can be built using solid acid catalysts, completely
eliminating the risk of a toxic cloud, for nearly the same cost as building a
new hydrofluoric acid facility. In
addition, existing refineries could switch to sulfuric acid, which poses less
of an off-site threat, or to modified hydrofluoric acid, which reduces the
severity of the consequences of an accidental release. The report authors pointed to the Valero
Energy Corporation, near Los Angeles, which is in the process of switching to
modified hydrofluoric acid in response to public pressure after a 1987
accident.
“Oil refineries should follow Valero’s lead or, even better,
completely protect Americans by switching to solid acid catalysts,” recommended
Purvis, “Reducing and eliminating chemical hazards is the best way to fully
protect American communities from accidental releases or terrorist attacks
involving industrial chemicals.”
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has identified more
than 100 chemical facilities that each put more than one million people at risk
of injury or death because of the hazardous chemicals they use and store
onsite. No federal regulation requires
industries to consider using safer chemicals or processes. U.S. PIRG encourages
Senators Collins (ME) and Lieberman (CT), who are currently drafting
legislation, to require facilities to consider changing their chemicals and
processes to a safer alternative in order to protect the communities in which
they operate.
“As
Congress continues to debate this issue, they should remember the millions of
people living in the shadow of these facilities,” added Meghan Purvis. “Nearly four years after September 11th,
Congress must pass legislation that requires all chemical facilities to change
their processes and chemicals where possible.”
Read the full report.
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U.S. PIRG is the national advocacy office for the state
Public Interest Research Groups. State
PIRGs are non-profit, non-partisan public interest advocacy organizations.
Residents living in the shadow of oil refineries are
available for follow-up:
Suzie Canales, Citizens for Environmental Justice, Corpus
Christi, TX
361-334-6764
Kenneth Ford, St. Bernard Citizens for Environmental
Quality, Chalmette, LA
504-271-4410
Rick Abraham, Texans United, Houston, TX
713-299-5659
