Literally Tons Of Pollutants Not Logged In TX Companies' Voluntary Records

[hatrack]

The state is turning a blind eye as Texas refineries and industrial plants spew millions of pounds of "accidental" pollution each year, a new report charges. The pollution is hitting the communities of Corpus Christi and Port Arthur particularly hard, where refineries operated by San Antonio-based Valero Energy Corp., Flint Hills Resources, Motiva Enterprises, BASF Corp. and TOTAL Petrochemicals were cited as being among the biggest offenders, according to the report by the Washington-based Public Citizen advocacy group.

At issue are events called "upset pollution" — theoretically unavoidable incidents where facilities have to burn off chemicals, typically during start-up, shutdown, maintenance or mechanical malfunction. Such events aren't included in documents filed by the companies estimating how much pollution they'll churn out in a year. But Public Citizen found that some refineries produce more pollution during upset events than during normal operation.

There were 7,533 upset events last year, but the state issued fines on less than 1 percent. "There is no deterrent against future violations," said Beth O'Brien, who authored the report. For example, during a six-day event in December 2003, the Valero West refinery in Corpus Christi released 121,000 pounds of sulfur dioxide, according to the report. That is almost one-third the sulfur dioxide the refinery emitted during normal operation for all of 2003.

Valero officials didn't respond to calls requesting comment.


EDIT

http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/metro/stories/MYSA080305.01A.pollution.12887cc3.html

[phantom power]

1. Well, slap me around and call me "Susie"

A corporation that doesn't voluntarily go out of its way to report its own pollution? Who would ever have imagined that? Corporations are such fine, upstanding participants in this great capitalist democracy.

[Up2Late]

2. Gosh! Who would have thunk it?

I bet this is the first time something like this has every happened, or as the ReThugs like to say, "We've seen no evidence that this has ever happened before.?

Yeah, because you never look.:banghead: :grr:

[kitkatrose]

3. Well, you know, that's what happens

when regulation is voluntary; no one volunteers.