Evironmental Racism: Every Petrochemical District is a ‘Cancer Alley!
Cancer Alley: Cancer Alley (French: Allée du Cancer) is the regional nickname given to an 85-mile (137 km) stretch of land[1] along the Mississippi River between Baton Rouge and New Orleans, in the River Parishes of Louisiana, which contains over 150 petrochemical plants and refineries.[2] This area accounts for 25% of the petrochemical production in the United States.[3] The region is considered a sacrifice zone.[4] In Cancer Alley, forty-six individuals per one million are at risk of developing cancer, compared with the national average of roughly thirty individuals per one million.[3] The abnormally high cancer risk and concentration of petrochemical operations inspired the “Cancer Alley” moniker.
‘This Is an Emergency’: 1 Million African Americans Live Near Oil, Gas Facilities In some states, 1 in 5 African-American residents lives within a half-mile of an oil or gas production, processing or storage facility, a new study says. A new analysis concludes what many in African-American communities have long experienced: Low-income, black Americans are disproportionately exposed to toxic air pollution from the fossil fuel industry. More than 1 million African Americans live within a half-mile of oil and natural gas wells, processing, transmission and storage facilities (not including oil refineries), and 6.7 million live in counties with refineries, potentially exposing them to an elevated risk of cancer due to toxic air emissions, according to the study.
A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Haematological Malignancies in Residents Living Near Petrochemical Facilities Abstract Background:
The petrochemical industry is a major source of hazardous and toxic air pollutants that are recognised to have mutagenic and carcinogenic properties. A wealth of occupational epidemiology literature exists around the petrochemical industry, with adverse haematological effects identified in employees exposed to ‘low’ concentrations of aromatic hydrocarbons (benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylene). Releases from the petrochemical industry are also thought to increase the risk of cancer incidence in fenceline communities. However, this emerging and at times inconclusive evidence base remains fragmented. The present study’s aim was to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis of epidemiological studies investigating the association between incidences of haematological malignancy and residential exposure to the petrochemical industry.
‘This is Nonsense, for Real’: Philly Hits a ‘Crossroads’ of Environmental Justice at Philadelphia Energy Solutions (PES) Oil Refinery Billboards, web ads, and SEPTA banners tout a fresh start for the South Philly refinery site, one that’s green, sustainable, and good for neighbors. Meanwhile, the site’s new owner is seeking permits to continue to store and sell potentially hundreds of millions of gallons of petroleum — and surrounding communities feel betrayed. “They said they was going to come in, clean it up — it was going to be friendly to the community,” said Shawmar Pitts, a member of the activist group Philly Thrive who grew up near the refinery, at a permit hearing Thursday. “All this is bull crap, man. This is nonsense, for real.”
The Time to End Burning Fossil was Yesterday! —Tommorow is Now!