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With Neighbors Unaware, Toxic Spill at a BP Plant

The New York Times -- TEXAS CITY, Tex. — While the world was focused on the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, a BP refinery here released huge amounts of toxic chemicals into the air that went unnoticed by residents until many saw their children come down with respiratory problems.

For 40 days after a piece of equipment critical to the refinery’s operation broke down, a total of 538,000 pounds of toxic chemicals, including the carcinogen benzene, poured out of the refinery.

Rather than taking the costly step of shutting down the refinery to make repairs, the engineers at the plant diverted gases to a smokestack and tried to burn them off, but hundreds of thousands of pounds still escaped into the air, according to state environmental officials.

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Submitted Aug 30, 2010 By: GoBlazers

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DrCashFlow Champion Author Massachusetts Posts:4,780 Points:1,169,630 Joined:Jun 2008	Message Posted: Sep 1, 2010 5:25:15 AM Ignore DrCashFlow Report Abuse former ceo fostered a culture of irresponsibilty and no accountability.
Dr Gas Champion Author Twin Cities Posts:2,411 Points:300,760 Joined:May 2004	Message Posted: Aug 31, 2010 10:32:14 AM Ignore Dr Gas Report Abuse Ah BP - I'd guess ALL oil / refinery companies are doing the same, we just focus on BP because they have a big exposure right now. Second - If housing is allowed to be built that close to a refinery and then people move in, what are you thinking? Yes there will be times when fumes will make you sick. Driving by such a place can do the same, so it has to be worse to live by it. Why do they build by flood plans, refineries, airports, the list goes on!
dacofa Champion Author Nevada Posts:3,216 Points:694,560 Joined:Jan 2010	Message Posted: Aug 31, 2010 3:50:48 AM Ignore dacofa Report Abuse Maybe the spill was to keep our eyes else where?
Amplion Champion Author Oregon Posts:4,237 Points:1,398,310 Joined:Sep 2005	Message Posted: Aug 31, 2010 3:44:19 AM Ignore Amplion Report Abuse KICK BP OUT OF THE USA
PDQBlues Champion Author San Diego Posts:4,706 Points:980,350 Joined:Jan 2009	Message Posted: Aug 31, 2010 2:12:32 AM Ignore PDQBlues Report Abuse Yep, you can always count on BP to bring oil to American shores. But it does seem Texas does like its oil and oil refineries.
coughlin Champion Author San Jose Posts:3,336 Points:755,050 Joined:Sep 2009	Message Posted: Aug 31, 2010 12:54:49 AM Ignore coughlin Report Abuse They should be fined 100's of millions.
alterman156 Champion Author New York Posts:5,085 Points:1,090,850 Joined:Dec 2008	Message Posted: Aug 30, 2010 11:54:06 PM Ignore alterman156 Report Abuse Another BR incident.
MAC48 All-Star Author Dallas Posts:728 Points:499,925 Joined:Dec 2006	Message Posted: Aug 30, 2010 10:49:31 PM Ignore MAC48 Report Abuse Anyone who lives within several miles of a refinery or chemical plant of their own accord is like a person playing with rattle snakes for fun, if you get bit it is primarily your own fault. No credence should be given to the class action suit by the refinery's neighbors and the suit should be thrown out by the court. If BP acted prudently, there should be no regulatory fines or other action taken by the state or federal government. If BP did not act prudently, then there should be a fine in an amount equal to the cost of shutting down the plant & replacing the broken equipment PLUS 10%. This would make the cost of NOT shutting down the plant & fixing the equipment as soon as reasonably possible greater than cost of shutting down the plant & fixing the equipment.
BMW2014 Champion Author Toronto Posts:1,794 Points:364,300 Joined:Jun 2010	Message Posted: Aug 30, 2010 6:00:48 PM Ignore BMW2014 Report Abuse BP was passing gas too!
jjjleblanc Champion Author Rochester Posts:4,344 Points:1,100,300 Joined:Jun 2008	Message Posted: Aug 30, 2010 5:55:29 PM Ignore jjjleblanc Report Abuse Another BP shortcut.
kag2010 Champion Author Winnipeg Posts:2,894 Points:561,410 Joined:Apr 2010	Message Posted: Aug 30, 2010 5:20:23 PM Ignore kag2010 Report Abuse not too smart.