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SecularMotion

(7,981 posts)
Tue Aug 29, 2017, 09:24 PM Aug 2017

ExxonMobil refineries are damaged in Hurricane Harvey, releasing hazardous pollutants

Source: Washington Post

ExxonMobil acknowledged Tuesday that Hurricane Harvey damaged two of its refineries, causing the release of hazardous pollutants.

The acknowledgment, in a regulatory filing with the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, follows repeated complaints on Twitter of an “unbearable” chemical smell over parts of Houston. However, it was not immediately clear what caused the smell.

ExxonMobil said in the filings that a floating roof covering a tank at the company’s Baytown oil refinery sank in heavy rains, dipping below the surface of oil or other material stored there and causing unusually high emissions, especially of volatile organic compounds, a category of regulated chemicals.

The Baytown refinery is the second-largest in the country. The company said in its filing that it would need to empty the tank to make repairs, though it wasn’t clear when the weather would permit that.

Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/energy-environment/wp/2017/08/29/exxonmobil-refineries-damaged-in-hurricane-harvey-releasing-hazardous-pollutants/

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ExxonMobil refineries are damaged in Hurricane Harvey, releasing hazardous pollutants (Original Post) SecularMotion Aug 2017 OP
Rachel mentioned the dangers of chemical storage containers BigmanPigman Aug 2017 #1
I'm afraid all the refineries in the impact area could have suffered damage jmowreader Aug 2017 #2
We don't need no regulations! icymist Aug 2017 #3

BigmanPigman

(51,430 posts)
1. Rachel mentioned the dangers of chemical storage containers
Tue Aug 29, 2017, 09:46 PM
Aug 2017

being closely monitored via remote and it is "serious". NOT good news when we could use some.

jmowreader

(50,447 posts)
2. I'm afraid all the refineries in the impact area could have suffered damage
Tue Aug 29, 2017, 10:29 PM
Aug 2017

They were built with hurricane-resistance in mind, but nothing is perfect.

icymist

(15,888 posts)
3. We don't need no regulations!
Tue Aug 29, 2017, 10:37 PM
Aug 2017

The market will regulate itself!
Just keep repeating to yourself, Capitalism good. Regulations bad. Capitalism good. Regulations bad. Capitalism good. Regulations bad...

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