Who take responsibility for air pollution?

Many residents were suffering for reparatory problems after Chevron refinery fire. Bay Area Air Quality Management District sent inspectors to the site of August 6^th Chevron fire to collect samples around the area. However, weather conditions were ideal; allowing the pollutants to move eastward[1].

As a result, the pollutants did not end up in residential area but moved to the Central Valley and Sierra Nevada.  Stevenson said that “We all recognize this incident created a lot of black smoke, and had impacts not dissimilar to a wildfire, something like that, that produces a lot of particulate matter,” he claimed that “tests weren’t taken in the areas most affected by the smoke. Samples were taken where the most smoke was reported, but it’s possible smoke was underreported in the neighborhoods most affected”[1].

The Contra Costa County Health Services claimed that they did not find any track records in regards to VOC and Hydrogen sulfate, on the other hand Paul Eliasreported that “more than 4000 people were treated for reparatory problems”[1&2].

It seems unlikely that they couldn’t find any link between Health service report and people who were suffering with respiratory problems. If there is no link between this incident and sick people after this evidence, who or what will take responsibility for unhealthy air situation?

1) Sean Maher (08/08/12), Bay City News, retrieved on https://www.mercurynews.com/breaking-news/ci_21262923/richmond-air-quality-determined-safe-after-chevron-refinery 2) Paul Elias(August  13, 2012), Associated Press, retrieved  on  https://www.weather.com/news/claims-after- refinery-fire-20120813

Categorised in: EPA