SE Houston residents rightly concerned over TPC plant’s chemical flare

Over the summer, our Houston injury attorneys have written a few pieces regarding the dangers of illness from the burn flares of chemical plants and refineries. Incidents in Texas City and La Marque, among other locations, have left dozens of residents with illnesses they never experienced before.

One toxin release went on for months before it was finally squelched. Affected residents who began manifesting illnesses after the long toxin release have filed a $500 billion lawsuit against BP. You can read more about that and a previous TPC plant burn flare by clicking here.

An important point to note is that use of the burn flares usually results after a power outage has crippled key systems and disrupted plant and refinery procedures. Burn flares are a time-honored method of disposing of toxins in the oil refinery and chemical industries.

But our Houston injury attorneys caution that burn flares, even at maximum efficiency, do not dispose of 100% of the deadly toxins released into the flare. And each 1% drop in efficiency could result in a several hundred percent increase in the amount of deadly toxins actually released into the environment. And most flares are simply not that efficient. It’s estimated that the BP burn flare at the core of the $500 billion lawsuit might have been operating at less than 50% efficiency.

Despite the huge amounts of toxins released into local neighborhoods, local air quality and environmental quality measurements might still pass muster. That’s partly because these measurements aren’t necessarily very accurate. Nor are they very stringent. Life and business must go on after all.

If we insist on 100% clean air, soil, and water, we have to go back to living in caves and hunting and gathering. And we’d have to move caves fairly frequently as refuse and toxins built up, wouldn’t we? So the system does allow for a certain amount of slack by necessity.

In the latest burn flare incident that has local residents worried, the TPC plant in SE Houston off Highway 225 experienced a power outage which led to massive amounts of “product,” specifically butadiene and C4 hydrocarbons, being shunted into a burn flare. The C4 hydrocarbons are released into the air. In decent quantity too. Our Houston injury attorneys point out that burn flares only destroy some of the butadiene. And you may have read bits here and there about the dangers that hydrocarbons pose to our bodies and to our environment.

The smoke from this particular burn flare could be seen for miles around. Concerned residents investigated the cause of the major smoke plume, thinking it might be a serious fire in need of control.

Monitors are trying to reassure residents that there is no cause for alarm. And perhaps there isn’t, unless you’re one of those individuals particularly susceptible to illness from such chemical releases. But, conversely, perhaps there is cause for concern for everyone nearby.

The flare will burn and continue to release toxins into the environment until power is restored to the plant. That might take some time, as spokespersons say that haven’t figured out what caused the power outage in the first place. TPC has said it will continue to work with the Harris County Pollution Control office and the emergency Management office until the crisis is over.

If you find yourself ill or injured because of a chemical plant’s toxin release, you could be eligible to claim full financial compensation for the needless harm that you have suffered. You can contact our Houston injury attorneys for a free and confidential legal consultation to discuss your illness.

Our professional lives have been dedicated to helping the victims of needless and avoidable illness and injury to win the full financial recoveries they deserve form those who caused their injuries. We could help you too. Read about our Houston injury attorneys’ exemplary case results on behalf of our clients. Then call or email us to schedule your free consultation.