Refinery Accidents and Public Health: The Fenceline Perspective

Refinery accidents are a significant source of toxic exposure for the 209,215 people who live within two miles of refineries in Louisiana. The Louisiana Bucket Brigade (LABB) has worked with refinery neighbors for a decade and has developed the Refinery Efficiency Initiative (REI) . The goal of this program is to reduce statewide refinery accidents and the public health burden of chemical exposure.

Using reports filed by refineries, we have calculated accident rates for each facility, analyzed the accidents for causal factors, and quantified the pollutants emitted, including greenhouse gases. Ten of Louisiana's largest refineries reported 2,116 accidents from 2005 to 2008 resulting in the release of 15,610,177 pounds and 21,886,842 gallons of pollutants near schools and in neighborhoods.

This Initiative represents the first time that: 1. A searchable database of accident data has been created. Visitors can now search accidents by zip code, date, cause and pollutant. 2. We can quantify contributions of Louisiana refinery accidents to greenhouse gas and ground level ozone precursor emissions.

Our statewide Fenceline Neighbors Network (FNN) is using this information to work with refineries to set targets for emissions reduction. In February 2010, LABB and the FNN join forces with the US EPA and United Steelworkers to co-host an unprecedented Accident Reduction Roundtable with area refineries.

Join LABB and our community partners for a session that evaluates lessons learned from REI to date and next steps in the work with industrial giants to implement sustainable solutions for environmental health and justice in fenceline communities.