LyondellBasdell Industries is based in Houston and manufactures products “essential to the quality of life and the mobility of people.” However, the safety and environmental care with which the company runs their business is currently being questioned by the city. Houston’s mayor, Bill White, has requested that a regulatory permit be implemented at the Houston refinery and has voiced his concern for benzene emissions.

White wants to reduce the amount of emissions at the refinery by 41 percent, but LyondellBasell doesn’t feel such a regulation is necessary. A spokesperson for the refinery says that “While we do not agree with the assumptions made in the city’s filing, we are encouraged that the city has finally elected to utilize the regulatory process developed through legislative authority rather than the extralegal procedures previously pursued.”

The Dangers of Benzene

The debate regarding a permit has become heated due to the severity of the topic at hand. Benzene is a toxic chemical and known carcinogen that has been causing more harm than good in the city of Houston in recent years. Benzene is often used as an additive in gasoline and is also typically used in the production of synthetic rubbers and various dyes.

When people are exposed to benzene over an extended period of time, they are put at risk of developing life-threatening illnesses like leukemia, MDS, and lung cancer. The problem is, which coincides with White’s concerns for Houston residents and the refinery’s workers, many people are exposed to the substance without their knowledge. In these cases they develop somewhat common symptoms like easy bruising and infections before being diagnosed with something more severe than the common cold.

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