Chevron Flunks At Safety

Last year, Chevron's refinery in Vancouver, BC had six serious incidents ranging from an explosion which injured at least two workers, to the release of potentially toxic gases into the atmosphere.

At the end of October, a plume of hydrogen sulfide and other toxic gases were released from Chevron's Burnaby refinery when an onsite waste water screen failed. Hydrogen sulfide is highly toxic. It's absorbed through the lungs and can cause lung irritation, blurred vision and, in high concentrations, can lead to rapid loss of consciousness and death due to asphyxia.

Other incidents at the refinery include tons of silica dust being dumped over residential neighbourhoods and litres of a deadly diesel additive spilled. This string of accidents has prompted the environment minister to call for a special environmental review of the Chevron refinery.