Air Monitoring at five Louisiana refineries revealed benzene above EPA action level
4/28/2021
Cancer-causing benzene emissions from oil refineries exceeded the federal action level for five refineries in Louisiana last year, putting at risk the health of neighboring communities.
Nationally, 13 refineries had benzene monitoring readings at their fencelines in 2020 that averaged above EPA’s action level, a regulatory threshold that requires companies to investigate and take action to reduce the dangerous pollution.
That was more than the 11 refineries nationally over EPA’s action level in 2019, and two in Louisiana that year, according to a report by the Environmental Integrity Project (EIP), “Environmental Justice and Refinery Pollution.”