What’s new?
Two hundred and eighty four refineries and chemical facilities in 47 states successfully reduced the danger of a chemical release by switching to less acutely hazardous processes or chemicals, according to a new Center for American Progress report. These findings come at the same time the chemical industry is actively lobbying to remove this solution from chemical security legislation in Congress. The report, Survey of American Progress: Chemical Security, analyzed the responses to a survey of chemical facilities that removed themselves from EPA’s Risk Management Program because they were no longer using large amounts of hazardous chemicals.
How You Can Help
Please contact your member of Congress and ask them to support legislation to require refineries and chemical plants to use safer chemicals, processes and technology.
Background
Texas’ oil and chemical refineries are putting our communities at an unnecessary risk. Every day these facilities emit health-damaging chemicals into our air and water. What's worse, these facilities have frequent accidents and sometimes even explode, like BP’s Texas City refinery has done twice in the last five months, killing dozens and injuring hundreds of people.
We can make these facilities much safer, by making companies switch to safer chemicals, equipment and processes. But driven by quarterly profits over long-term safety, the petrochemical industry is recklessly failing to reduce these hazards. Now, prompted by concerns about homeland security, Congress is considering legislation to make our refineries and chemical plants safer.
In the News
Metzger: The oil industry is a mooch 11/10/05
Storms In The Gulf, Hurricane Threatens Chemical Sites 9/22/05
Keeping oil refineries safe 8/19/05
Recent BP accidents raise safety concerns 8/11/05
Interest Group Voices Concerns About Texas Chemical Plants 8/4/05
Concern Over Plant Security
Group wants powerful acid out of BP’s plant 3/27/05
OSHA cited BP twice in last year 3/24/05
Texas Plant Had Two Other Fatal Accidents 3/25/05
Reports
Looking Forward After Katrina: Environmental Health Problems and Recommendations for Officials 9/26/05
Links
National Refinery Reform Campaign
