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Contra Costa Health said Friday lab analysis of the coke dust collected after Tuesday’s release by Martinez Refinery Company didn’t contain high levels of toxic metals.
CCH also said the tests indicate the dust — a byproduct of the petroleum refining process — doesn’t pose an increased, long-term risk to public health.
CCH’s Hazardous Materials Program sent samples of the sooty substance for analysis after it collected on cars, garbage cans and other surfaces in neighborhoods around the refinery after the July 11 release
MRC reported the release to the county around 10:20 a.m. Tuesday by activating the county’s Community Warning System at Level 1, the lowest-level alert, used for hazardous materials releases when there are no expected off-site health consequences.
MRC said the release took place around 8:30 a.m. and lasted approximately one minute.
Nevertheless, there was criticism of MRC over the timing of its notification, which health officials said requires notification of the Community Warning System and CCH as soon as possible or within 15 minutes..
“We are very concerned about the delayed notification to the Community Warning System. We are once again responding to a refinery incident and trying to determine the health impacts,” Contra Costa County Supervisor Federal Glover said in a statement. “We understand this is an ongoing concern for our community and timely notification is critical.”
MRC said coke dust primarily contains carbon and is chemically similar to charcoal.
CCH and the Bay Area Air Quality Management District are investigating the incident to determine whether the release violated regulatory law.
CCH is also investigating whether MRC properly followed the county’s emergency notification policy and properly used the Community Warning System, as required by law.
Coke dust can be safely washed off surfaces with soap and water. The primary health concern regarding the release of coke dust is irritation of throat, lungs and the respiratory system while the release was occurring and the material was in the air, particularly for people with respiratory conditions such as asthma.
Anyone who believes they have symptoms or health concerns due to breathing material released during the July 11 incident should contact their healthcare provider.
CCH expects to learn more about the contributing causes of the incident, actions immediately taken, and proposed actions to prevent a similar incident from occurring. The first incident report from MRC to CCH, required by the county’s notification policy, will be available
The laboratory report is available here.
MRC was already under the community’s microscope for its Thanksgiving night release of 20-24 tons of spent catalyst last year, which lasted until the next day. In that instance, MRC didn’t notify CCH. Health officials found out via media reports the following Saturday.
The spent catalyst was comprised of elevated levels of aluminum, barium, chromium, nickel, vanadium, and zinc, all of which can cause respiratory problems.
The Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office is investigating MRC for the Thanksgiving incident. County supervisors also 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.
