Houston east side communities express concern over chemical exposure

HOUSTON – The Manchester community is one of several on Houston's east side that environmental activists say is concerned about chemical exposure.

Texas Environmental Justice Advocacy Services, or Tejas, has teamed up with the Center for Science and Democracy’s Union of Concerned Scientists to publish data they say supports their stance that living in communities near chemical plants and refineries can lead to deadly illnesses.

The 25-page report, titled “Double Jeopardy in Houston,” took a year to prepare, and cites data from the Environmental Protection Agency and Texas Commission on Environmental Quality about pollution emitted in areas like Galena Park, Manchester and Harrisburg — all of which border various industrial plants.

Tejas President Juan Parras explained that even though fence-line communities are most at risk, air pollutants should be of concern to all Houston-area residents.

"The impacts felt in Manchester as far as air toxins and pollution, they migrate. They don't stay in our community,” Parras said.


File: UCS-ES Houston Chem

The report compares air quality and health data from east side neighborhoods to more affluent areas like Bellaire and the Eldridge area in West Houston.

According to the report, residents in Manchester face a 22 percent higher risk of cancer than the rest of the Houston area.

Kevin Juergen works in Manchester and frequently notices bad odors.

"It's a double-edged sword,” Juergen said. "Yes, we're exposed, but these industries contribute so much to the economy around here. So it's, you know, are they being monitored as well as they can be by the federal government? That's the question."

Parras said he hopes the information in the report will be used to help companies make environmentally-friendly policies when it comes to the kinds of chemicals they use in plants and how chemicals are transported through residential areas.


File: UCS-MR Houston