Communities along the fenceline of oil refineries are forced to breathe air filled with a toxic soup of hazardous air pollution — including mercury and hydrogen cyanide — known to cause cancer, birth defects, and many other serious health issues.

Modern pollution control technologies exist and are widely available.

Earthjustice is working to get oil refineries to clean up their pollution.

We are also fighting to strengthen chemical disaster prevention measures to protect children, workers, first-responders, and communities who live and work near industrial chemical facilities.

About the Oil Refineries Map

Population Data: Based upon EPA Enforcement & Compliance History Online (ECHO), and the 2010 U.S. Census and American Community Survey.

ICR Emissions: Information Collection Requests were sent by the EPA to all oil refineries in 2011. They provided EPA with self reported data on emission inventories, processing characteristics and other information for each refinery. This data is being used to set health and safety standards that protect communities from toxic air pollution.

TRI Emissions: Toxic Release Inventory is required reporting by the EPA to track toxic chemicals that pose a threat to human health. All refineries are required to report annually, but the TRI is less comprehensive than the ICR, covering fewer pollutants. Where ICR data was not provided by a refinery, TRI reporting from 2011 is displayed.