By Laura Sanicola
(Reuters) – PBF Energy’s 156,400 barrel-per-day capacity oil refinery in Martinez, California released petroleum coke dust, a byproduct of the refining process, on neighboring communities, Contra Costa Health (CCH) Services wrote in a tweet on Tuesday.
Health officials told the public to avoid breathing in material from the refinery or being in close contact with it. CCH also tweeted that its HazMat team is responding to the release.
PBF Energy in an email response confirmed the release of coke dust and said it issued a Community Warning System Level 1 notification. “Refinery personnel are conducting offsite monitoring,” it added.
Petroleum coke is a carbon intensive solid residue left over from coking units in refineries that break down residual oil into more highly valued products.
Significant quantities of fugitive dust from pet coke storage and handling operations present a health risk, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
The Department of Justice is currently investigating the refinery over a November 2022 release of a powdery substance later determined to be spent catalysts.
Contra Costa county officials are also probing the root cause of November incident and the District Attorney is pursuing legal action against the refinery for not notifying County health officials when the accident happened.
In February, an analysis report by the refiner said the catalyst overflowed after valves to keep pressure rising in the refinery’s reactor and regenerator were not adjusted properly.
A county-hired toxicologist TRC said in June that the release did not increase the public health risk of exposure to heavy metals in the soil.
(Reporting by Harshit Verma in Bengaluru; Editing by David Gregorio)
