As we previously reported, there was a release from the Martinez Refining Company on Tuesday morning that affected nearby neighborhoods, a Contra Costa Health official said.
Unlike a release of spent catalyst at the refinery last November that lasted from Thanksgiving night until the next day, MRC did notify CCH of the release at 10:22 a.m. Tuesday, according to CCH spokesperson Karl Fischer.
Tuesday’s release occurred at about 8:30 a.m. and lasted one minute.
“We do not yet know how much material was released, or how far it spread,” Fischer said.
Sirens did not go off, as the refinery reported the release to the Community Warning System as a Level 1 incident, which doesn’t require the alarms. No area streets were closed for cleanup.
Like the November release, community members found dust particles on parked cars and on the ground.
Fischer said the material released was “coke dust,” which is a byproduct of the petroleum refining process.
In November, the particles were “spent catalyst,” comprised of elevated levels of aluminum, barium, chromium, nickel, vanadium, and zinc, all of which can cause respiratory problems.
Health workers took samples for analysis Tuesday morning.
CCH hazardous materials crews are investigating. Fischer said. The department recommends people avoid close contact with the dust or inhaling it.
Contra Costa County policy requires MRC to alert the community via the county emergency system and to immediately notify the county health department, neither of which happened in November. Health officials said they learned about the release via media reports a day and a half later.
The Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office is investigating MRC for failing to notify authorities on Thanksgiving, when it released 20 to 24 tons of waste into the air.
The county Board of Supervisors put together an oversight committee, including residents from affected areas, to investigate whether the release increased risk of health problems in the community due to environmental contamination. The panel is also looking at what caused the release.
A toxicologist hired by the county said in June that the November release didn’t increase public health risks from exposure of hazardous materials in nearby soil.
However, that didn’t account for any health effects the release may have had on humans who breathed in the dust during the release and in the immediate days afterward, county officials said.
20 comments
Don’t let Hunter Biden hear about this.
No money in this kind of coke
Upon hearing this news, Hunter Biden was on the first flight out to California.
Same as the powder found in the WH? I’m curious about the container. Did it have prints or DNA? How long had it been there? Did Hunter have access to the location? Don Jr. ? Inquiring minds want to know.
Lol, this is good. And a balanced view too. Thank you for the giggle.
If Newsom catches wind of this he may show up there with a straw in his hand..he’s a little confused.
This is California so, it’ll be a paper straw
Everyone is concerned about a release of coke dust, eh? This is funny, considering people voluntarily expose themselves to coke dust every time they use charcoal brickettes (Kingsford/et al) for a BBQ. Left over coke gets put on a train (@Martinez and Benicia) and heads north to Oregon where Kingsford makes it into their famous charcoal, that y’all happily buy and burn (just think about all the coke soot getting on your nice piece of tri-tip…
I’m curious. Where did you get this information?
From 2 friends of mine who were operator/managers at one of the refineries. I also herd it from an operator who oversaw the transfer to the trains at another refinery. You can see the holding tank on the north shore from the B- Bridge. (look to the west when you cross. It’s easier to see whilst heading north) A concrete silo. Notice the cracks in the concrete are all black. That is the coke seeping out over the years.
Coke and charcoal are both carbon rich but very different.
Charcoal is derived from wood. Coke is derived from petroleum or coal – much more toxic.
I used to work down wind from this Refinery in Martinez, every cool winter morning while the fog was rolling in from the bay you could see a purple haze and smell what ever they would release into the air during while the fog was over us. Corporate greed over the health and safety of citizens.
Totally false. They are monitored by the BAAQMD 24/7 and have sensors in every operating unit. Any smells will trigger alarms and will notify operations. The neighbors will smell it too and likely call local authorities.
Sorry, but you’re living in a dream world. ALL refineries have to have monitoring. And, they do! Problem is, is that the refineries are the ones that get the notices from the monitoring equipment. And, about an hour or so later, if they can’t contain it (or hide it), they inform the authorities. They only tell you a while AFTER the release. Then it’s too late. Imagine the ‘accidental’ release of some H2S. People are dead before anyone gets a notice.
Ever work or even been in a refinery??? Doesn’t sound like you have. All employees wear H2S monitors and any H2s release would dissipate before it reaches anyone unprotected. It is a heavier than air gas and does not travel well.
Purple haze all around, don’t know if I’m coming up or down. Amiright, Aluxe22?
‘scuse me while I kiss the sky…
Never seen a purple haze, but yes the refinery does vent harmful crap. Just because it doesn’t trigger monitoring systems, it doesn’t mean there are no health consequences from chronic exposure.
In other news, I replaced my own roof and my neighbors roof by myself in 3 hours
*SNORT*
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