Benzene Exposure Risk
 Privacy protected. All information held in the strictest confidence.
"Houston Mayor Challenges Local Refineries" October 1 , 2008 Houston Mayor Bill White is challenging a request to expand oil production in Houston due to concerns of the release of high levels of benzene and other toxic chemicals. The mayor requested that the Commission on Environmental Quality grant a hearing regarding a recent permit application for a petrochemical refinery to be built in Houston. Houston Refinery Releasing Toxic ChemicalsLyondell Chemical Co., based in Houston’s Ship Channel, reportedly releases the highest amounts of benzene among U.S. refineries. Benzene is a toxic chemical that if inhaled can lead to the development of leukemia and other cancers. According to the mayor, the refinery is creating a heath risk for Houston residents and should not be allowed to knowingly emit such toxins into the environment. "If the company believes that it's just fine to put tons and tons of benzene in the air," said White, "then we would like to hear what scientific evidence they have that benzene is good for you." Mayor Advocates for Cleaner AirMayor White has been a long-time advocate for cleaning up Houston’s pollution. As part of his efforts, he created a task force to examine the health effects of pollutants such as benzene. According to test results, most of Houston’s ambient air concentrations of benzene exceed what is deemed “acceptable” in the risk guidelines outlined by the Environmental Protection Agency. According to Mayor White, the high levels of benzene are a direct result of the petrochemical refineries. Mayor White was part of a team that released a report last year outlining a voluntary plan for reducing the amount of benzene released from major sources such as the refineries. Despite the fact that Lyondell was ranked as the number one benzene risk in the region, Mayor White says they are not showing a lot of effort to reduce benzene emission. He said he will take matters into his own hands and will use a city nuisance ordinance to penalize the plants that do not show improvements in the release of benzene. (Source: “Facing South) Have you or someone you love been harmed by benzene exposure? If so, contact us today to speak to an experienced benzene attorney who will thoroughly evaluate your case and fight to get you the compensation you deserve. Click here for more Benzene News...
|