Austin,
Texas – Oil refineries needlessly put 1.9 million people in Texas at
risk of injury or death in the event of an accident or deliberate
attack, according to a new report documenting the major threat posed by
refineries using hydrofluoric acid. In the wake of recent explosions at
Texas chemical plants, the Texas Public Interest Research Group
(TexPIRG) called upon the facilities, starting with BP’s Texas City
refinery, to immediately switch to safer alternatives 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 Luke
Metzger, TexPIRG Advocate. “Safer technologies exist but industry has
failed to take the public out of harm’s way.”
The report, Needless Risk: Oil Refineries and Hazard Reduction,
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 include 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
Metzger.
Texas
has had several harmful releases of hydrofluoric acid in recent years.
In 1987, a release at Marathon Oil’s Texas City refinery sent 1,037
people to the hospital suffering from respiratory problems and skin
rashes and forced 3,000 residents out of their homes for three days. In
1991, a release at Kerr Mc Gee's Corpus Christi refinery in Corpus
Christi killed two workers and injured five others. Although neither
involved a release of hydrofluoric acid, recent explosions at BP’s
Texas City refinery have drawn concern over the facility’s storage of
800,000 pounds of the chemical on site.
With
twelve refineries using hydrofluoric acid, Texas ranks number one in
the nation. Nationwide, more than 17 million people live within the
vulnerability zone of such a facility.
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 a Valero Energy facility near Los Angeles, which is
in the process of switching to modified hydrofluoric acid in response
to public pressure after a 1987 accident.
“Texas
facilities should follow Valero’s lead or, even better, completely
protect Texans by switching to solid acid catalysts,” recommended
Metzger. “And with their poor safety record, BP should work to regain
public trust by leading the way in chemical security. Reducing and
eliminating chemical hazards is the best way to fully protect Texas
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. TexPIRG 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
Metzger. “Nearly four years after September 11th, Congress must pass
legislation that requires all chemical facilities change their
processes and chemicals where possible.”
