Oil refineries are creating a major public health crisis because of the huge amounts of toxic pollution they release on a daily basis.   This tragedy is worsened by the fact that most refinery pollution is unnecessary and could be easily reduced or eliminated.

The size of the problem is great in that our 152 refineries located in or near 125 U.S.cities, where more than 67 million people live.   The neighborhoods located along the fencelines of these massive polluters are most often low income and communities of color that lack political power.

Oil refineries are a major part of unhealthy air quality problems around the United States.  They release massive amounts of sulfur dioxide, volatile organic compounds, particulate matter, nitrogen oxides, and carbon monoxide.  These pollutants form ground level ozone and haze.  Thus, refineries also contribute to the failure of many areas to meet EPA ambient air quality standards.

Oil refineries are, day-after-day and week-after-week, particularly dirty manufacturing facilities spewing out a dangerous soup of dozens of toxins, known human cancer-causing agents, and assorted harmful mixtures, which are totally unknown as to their combined human health effects.