Lyondell Required to Defend Benzene Accusations
According to recent reports, Lyondell Chemical Company has been asked by Houston Mayor Bill White to participate in a public hearing regarding the accusations brought against them for emitting benzene. Benzene is a known carcinogen and the company, which is the city’s largest refinery, is being accused of emitting large amounts of the chemical into the air.
The TCEQ, the agency who monitors Texas’ air quality, brought about the allegations against Lyondell. A spokesman for the agency claims the refinery is one of the country’s largest dischargers of benzene. Lyondell reportedly has the highest emission of benzene per barrel of products, in comparison to other refineries across the country.
Not the First Time
This is not the first time allegations of benzene exposure have been brought again Lyondell. In 1997, high amount of benzene were being emitted from the refinery provoking Gov. George Bush’s Anti-Pollution Program. At this time the Galveston-Houston Association for Smog Prevention reported that Lyondell was responsible for emitting 8,069 tons of benzene into Houston’s air.
“If the company believes that it’s just fine to put tons and tons of benzene in the air… then we would like to hear what scientific evidence they have that benzene is good for you,” White told reporters.
The mayor is hoping the hearing will help establish a benchmark for benzene emission in the state of Texas, where there currently isn’t one. Currently, the only pollution guideline in Texas is for the air toxin discharge based on the known risk that it would lead to one additional cancer case per 100,000 population. However, if the hearing doesn’t go as anticipated, Lyondell could continue to operate for at least 10 more years.
