POLLUTION
Storm sparked huge toxic huff Texas plants spewed tons of excess air emissions as tropical storm hit JEFF JOHNSON, special to C&EN
R
efineries and petrochemical facilities along the Texas Gulf Coast shut down before Tropical Storm Harvey made landfall on Aug. 25. But even with a few days’ warning, such unplanned shutdowns can result in chemical emissions that exceed air pollution permit levels. In all, 2.6 million kg of chemicals were released from Aug. 23 to Sept. 25, according to an interactive database published by Greenpeace and based on reports that companies provided to Texas environmental officials. Some 690,000 kg of emissions were deemed particularly hazardous by Greenpeace and include benzene, 1,3-butadiene, ethylbenzene, hexane, hydrogen sulfide, nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxide, toluene, and xylenes. Twelve companies emitted 90% of all pollution released, according to the data. Ten companies released 90% of the most hazardous chemicals. Most of those ten were refineries, but one pipeline and distribution facility, Magellan Midstream Partners’ Galena Park terminal, emitted one-third of all hazardous chemicals. Among hazardous chemicals released, nearly all emissions were beyond the amounts allowed under the companies’ air pollution permits. Nearly all facilities are located in communities with above-average rates of poverty and with disproportionate shares of people of color, Greenpeace notes, citing data from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. The database was prepared by researcher Connor Gibson and is available at gpusa-research.org.
Jeff Johnson is a freelance journalist in Washington, D.C.
12 companies responsible for 90% of total air pollution (kg) Magellan Midstream Partners 1,147,234
Valero Energy 262,789
Saudi Aramco Dow Chemical 199,238 159,955
Ineos 110,727
Kinder Morgan 75,322
Formosa Plastics Total S.A. 72,889 70,636
ExxonMobil 59,388
Enbridge 52,383
Royal Dutch Shell LyondellBasell 52,161 52,049
Total = 2,314,769
Breakdown of Magellan Midstream Partners’ emissions (kg) Isopentane 106,317
2,3-Dimethylbutane 81,858
Butanes 70,467
Pentanes 65,773 Other 449,335
Xylenes 97,975
Octane 35,098
Cyclopentane 64,813
1,2,4-Trimethyl1,3,5-Trimethylbenzene 5-ethylbenzene 45,414 46,087
Toluene 84,094
Biggest emitters of hazardous chemicals Emissions amount permitted (kg) Amount emitted that exceeded permits (kg)
Valero Energy 23,911
109,990
Note: Permitted values calculated assuming continuous operation for 276 hours
SK Capital Partners
Dow
Emitted 4,239 kg of 1,3-butadiene but did not exceed permitted limit of 12,519 kg.
Emitted 16,879 kg of nitrogen oxides but permit limits vary by application and location.
Sulfur dioxide
Saudi Aramco
C&EN | CEN.ACS.ORG | NOVEMBER 20, 2017
586 5,216
Benzene
5,870
586
16,883
31,148
Ethylbenzene 586
945
Hydrogen sulfide
24
Magellan Midstream Partners
Hexane 586
97,389
Xylenes
83,508
Toluene
