With the news of the British Petroleum (BP) oil spill gaining so much international attention, the plight of the people of Texas City had almost virtually gone unnoticed. However, in August 2010, the company was hit with a $10 billion class action suit, alleging that the company knowingly released benzene emissions in the air.
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More than 3,000 people, filling hallways and lining sidewalks, signed the class action, which was filed in Galveston federal court. The suit claims that 17,000 pounds of benzene were released into the environment, from April 6, 2010-May 16, 2010, jeopardizing the health and property of the local community.
First isolated by Michael Faraday, the father of modern electricity, benzene became instrumental and useful in a number of processes and products. Found in crude oil, tobacco smoke, vehicle emissions and burning coal, this chemical is used in industrial solvents, gasoline additives, dyes, adhesives, detergents, pesticides, and personal products; however, according to the United States Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), benzene is a carcinogen.
While the negative effects of benzene have been known since as early as 1977, the chemical hasn't been banned from manufacturing processes or products. Benzene exposure, whether through ingestion, inhalation or skin absorption, has been linked to following ailments:
- Leukemia
- Birth injuries
- Infertility
Symptoms of benzene exposure include headaches, irregular heart rate, tremors, dizziness, and nose and throat irritations; longer-term exposure can result in blood abnormalities and even death. The citizens of Texas City have reported incidences of headaches, sinus infections, gall bladder failure and even pneumonia.
The August emissions event, which related to a needed repair on a hydrogen compressor, took 40 days, and the resulting investigation by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality cited BP for "excessive release."
BP's woes in Texas City are not new. On March 23, 2005, an explosion killed 15 oil workers and injured 170 others. BP was placed on probation for felony environmental violations and now that status may be impacted by this recent benzene controversy.
As more and more citizens became aware of BP's malfeasance, they can seek legal advice to better understand possible legal recourse and protect their interests. Only time will tell if the oil producer will survive the various assaults on its business practices, reputation and profit shares.
