1 Million Pounds of Seven Deadly Air Pollutants Released by Texas Refineries During Harvey

[charrob]

Nearly 1 Million Pounds of Seven Deadly Air Pollutants Released by Texas Refineries During Harvey Floods

Refineries and petrochemical plants in south Texas released nearly 1 million pounds of seven especially dangerous air pollutants during flaring and chemical spills triggered by Hurricane Harvey, according to a new Center for Biological Diversity analysis of industry data.

Staggering amounts of benzene, 1,3-butadiene, hexane, hydrogen sulfide, sulfur dioxide, toluene and xylene — estimated at 951,000 pounds so far — were emitted during Harvey-related flooding by several dozen petroleum industry facilities operated by Chevron Phillips, Exxon Mobil, Shell and other companies. These seven chemicals are all toxic air pollutants documented to cause serious harms to human health, and several cause cancer.

Total air pollutants from all oil and gas facilities added up to 5.46 million pounds, which is equal to 2,729 tons.

“Oil-industry facilities spewed thousands of tons of toxic chemicals into defenseless communities, despite ample warning about hurricane risk to this area,” said Shaye Wolf, the Center scientist who compiled the analysis. “Dangerous flaring from coastal refineries has become routine during major storms. The petroleum industry seems utterly unwilling to take responsibility for operating safely, even as climate change makes storms like Harvey more destructive.”

Today’s analysis is based on initial industry reports to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality through Aug. 31, and these numbers are expected to grow. While some of the toxic emissions were caused by storm damage, including tank roof failures at six facilities, the majority of emissions were caused by refinery and chemical plant shutdown and startup procedures that used flaring.

More here and here.

 

[shakey1]

... & Houston is loaded with those types of installations.

 

[Carlybee]

I believe it. I've been sneezing for days.

 

[Zippyjuan]

In a truely free market, shouldn't a company be allowed to pollute as much as they want to? Do restrictions on business cause the loss of good paying jobs?

 

[Danke]

In a truely free market, shouldn't a company be allowed to pollute as much as they want to? Do restrictions on business cause the loss of good paying jobs?

You're new here, I see.

 

[donnay]

In a truely free market, shouldn't a company be allowed to pollute as much as they want to? Do restrictions on business cause the loss of good paying jobs?

 

[NorthCarolinaLiberty]

In a truely free market,...

You're new here, I see.

This is the second time in about a week that I've seen ZippyJuan misspell a word. Really uncharacteristic. He also spelled pursuit as persuit (see here at post #29: http://www.ronpaulforums.com/showth...atory-cuz-only-Anglos-can-get-the-correct-IDs).

I'm not sure if this is a ZippyJuan substitute. Maybe he did that on purpose to play games?

 

[Lamp]

I believe it. I've been sneezing for days.

Don't you live in the West? I thought Harvey only happened in the Coast.

 

[Zippyjuan]

Ron basically says that companies don't have a right to pollute. Unless they can restrict the pollution to their own space which you can't do with air and water. "Nobody has any right to pollute anybody's air or water". That means that there are restrictions on pollution.

 

[Carlybee]

Don't you live in the West? I thought Harvey only happened in the Coast.

I live in Houston.

 

[Carlybee]

In a truely free market, shouldn't a company be allowed to pollute as much as they want to? Do restrictions on business cause the loss of good paying jobs?

They don't restrict silly...they fine. Which is why the EPA is useless. Easily bought for favors and votes.

 

[donnay]

Ron basically says that companies don't have a right to pollute. Unless they can restrict the pollution to their own space which you can't do with air and water. "Nobody has any right to pollute anybody's air or water". That means that there are restrictions on pollution.

In a truly free market of which we do not have.

 

[Zippyjuan]

They don't restrict silly...they fine. Which is why the EPA is useless. Easily bought for favors and votes.

They can only fine if somebody is violating a law. You can only sue somebody (as Ron Paul suggests) if somebody is violating a law. If there is no law or restriction, there is no fine and no lawsuits since no law is broken. 0

 

[oyarde]

Don't you live in the West? I thought Harvey only happened in the Coast.

She is the prettiest girl in Buffalo Wallow ( Houston ) . She married a canadian too , so there is hope for you one day .