EDF Ranks Refineries, States By Their Reported Pollution

Posted: 01-Jan-1996; Updated: 27-May-2005

In a new study, Ranking Refineries: What Do We Know About Oil Refinery Pollution From Right-to-Know Data?, EDF analyzed 1992 right-to-know data for 166 refineries and ranked them by three measures of "efficiency," based on waste per barrel refined. The study also ranks the performance of the 34 states with refineries. The data were available because oil refineries and other industrial facilities report their toxic chemical releases to Federal and state governments under community right-to-know laws.

These data reveal that refineries are major polluters, numbering less than 1% of the facilities reporting to the Federal government, but creating more than 10% of the wastes released to air, water, and land. Each day an average-sized refinery produces more than 10,000 gallons of oil waste.

Among states with more than two refineries, New Jersey's performance was best; the worst performance was that of Kansas, Texas, and Mississippi. The EDF study recommends:

• improving the Federal right-to-know program;
• upgrading inefficient refineries and substandard state programs;
• expanding New Jersey's reporting requirements to other states; and
• maintaining Federal minimum requirements for state programs, to avoid creating "pollution haven" states that seek to attract businesses through weak environmental laws.

The report is available for $15 from EDF Publications, c/o the Washington office.