Understanding the Issues
HOUSTON, WE HAVE A PROBLEM
A Roadmap for Reducing Petrochemical Industry Toxic Emissions in the Lone Star State
Executive Summary
As the petrochemical capital of the United States, the Houston area is at the center of a toxics storm. Numerous studies have documented dangerous levels of toxic air pollution in the Houston area, including the Milby Park and Galena Park neighborhoods. Communities in other industrialized areas throughout Texas face similar toxic threats. Refineries and chemical plants along the Texas Gulf Coast are major contributors to toxic hotspots in Beaumont, Corpus Christi, Freeport, Port Arthur, Port Neches, and Texas City.
Using Houston as a case study, this report details many of the shortcomings of federal and state toxics regulation, and provides a roadmap for reducing emissions of these harmful pollutants from refineries and chemical plants throughout the state of Texas and beyond.
Unfortunately, Texans cannot count on federal or state laws to protect their health. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's industrial toxics program is woefully behind schedule in meeting congressional deadlines by limiting toxic emissions from specific industries. And, even more alarmingly, does not deal with real-world impacts of toxic pollution, particularly in local toxic hotspots.
To address these deficiencies, a number of states and local governments have adopted their own, more stringent air toxics programs. Texas regulators and politicians, however, have been unable or unwilling to place adequate limits on industrial toxic air emissions to protect the health of Texans. As a result, Texas industry has not been required to utilize the best available controls and practices for limiting toxic emissions, and cities like Houston, have struggled to protect their residents' health.
State and federal government officials can help by improving toxic monitoring and taking into account real-world (cumulative) impacts in heavily industrialized neighborhoods. Texas politicians can also help by adopting legislation to require emission reductions in areas where toxic pollution exceeds safe levels, and encouraging, rather than thwarting, local programs designed to protect public health in toxic hotspots.
Perhaps most importantly, it is time for industry leaders to take responsibility to clean up their toxic emissions. Petrochemical industry executives should make toxic pollution reduction a priority second only to safety. They should support reasonable regulatory measures. And, most of all, petrochemical industry leaders should turn loose their plant managers and engineers to come up with the technical solutions to reduce their toxic emissions and protect public health. At a minimum, industry should adopt controls and practices similar to those discussed in this report, or others that achieve equivalent emission reductions.
Read the full report here.