Development of community and fenceline air monitoring network to measure impacts of air toxics on communities near refineries

Abstract:

Industrial facilities such as refineries and oil processing plants can be sources of smog-causing chemicals and substances adversely affecting human health, such as benzene, toluene and xylenes (BTX), formaldehyde, and others. Field measurement campaigns conducted in recent years resulted in compelling evidence that emission inventories for many pollutants, particularly VOCs, are largely underestimated, and that actual air toxic emissions from petroleum refineries are often greater than reported. As a result, there is an increased concern in communities adjacent to such facilities about air pollution exposure.

In December 2017 the South Coast Air Quality Management District (South Coast AQMD) adopted Rule 1180 (Refinery and Community Air Monitoring) that requires to collect real-time data on air quality at the fencelines of major petroleum refineries in the region and in the near-by communities. To achieve this objective, South Coast AQMD has been overseeing development and implementation of fenceline air monitoring by the refineries; and established a network of refinery-related air monitoring stations. Community and fenceline air monitoring systems were designed to collect time-resolved data on comprehensive list of air toxics and deliver this data to the public via dedicated web-site. In this presentation, we will discuss instrument selection, citing, and considerations of developing such a network, and show the initial results from its operation. We will also present concepts for public data display and community education planned for this unique refinery-related air monitoring network.