The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA

Abstract #52479

Julie A. Becker, PhD, MPH, Center for Public Health, Temple University, 2534 Swain Street, Philadelphia, PA 19130, 215-763-0754, jbecker@astro.temple.edu

Residents of South and Southwest Philadelphia are disproportionately affected by pollution from the Sunoco refinery, which releases approximately 500,000 tons of toxic chemicals and uses 25 extremely toxic chemicals per annum. The Community/Labor Refinery Tracking Committee (C/LRTC) was formed in the early 1990s by concerned residents, almost 100 community organizations, and Clean Water Fund to address issues pertaining to refinery emissions. In 1997, the C/LRTC, City of Philadelphia, and the Sun Oil refinery entered into a Consent Decree filed with the U.S District Court. This decree agreed that Sunoco would invest in improving pollution controls, part of the money would be paid into the Philadelphia City Treasury, and some would be used for projects that directly benefit the environment and health of the residents who live in the areas around Suns refinery. This was the largest environmental fine ever paid by a company in Philadelphia history. With this money, the C/LRTC was able to purchase a Siren System that is used as a common public notification system and a public education system is being developed about the Siren System. The C/LRTC also became part of a national air emissions monitoring campaign, known as the (EPA approved) Bucket Brigade in 2001, which uses citizens to help measure accurately the toxic chemicals present in the air. With funding provided by the EPA, Clean Water Fund was able to purchase buckets and start a Bucket Brigade to monitor emissions from the Sunoco refinery.

Learning Objectives: At the end of this presentation, participants will be able to

(
• describe how the partnership between activists and community residents were formed; (
• identify ways to include legal remedies in order to achieve community action and address local air quality concerns.

Keywords: Air Quality, Environmental Health

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.