The petroleum industry has "been concerned about air pollution control
ever since the first refinery began operations. Although economic considerations alone dictate that loss of volatile products "by evaporation to the
atmosphere be held to a very low level, current operating practices in the
control of air pollution usually go far beyond the requirements of economics.
Refiners make a vigorous effort to be good citizens in the communities in
which they operate, and they are fully aware of their responsibilities with
respect to the health and comfort of their neighbors. The extent of their
efforts can be measured by the fact that since 1956, the industry has spent
an estimated $66 million on air pollution control, plus an additional
expenditure of about $1 million per year for research.
To an ever-increasing degree, everyone in the industry, from top
management down, is interested in preventing pollution. In August 1955 a
letter to the Vice President for Refining, American Petroleum Institute,
from the Chairman of the Smoke and Fumes Committee and the Chairman of the
Committee on Disposal of Refinery Wastes set forth a "Pollution Control
Policy." The following is a quotation from this policy statement. "It is
suggested that, in view of the recognized importance of adequate pollution
control, members of the General Committee undertake the responsibility of
seeing that all members of their respective organizations are fully aware
of their pollution control policy. It is our belief that recommendations
for specific pollution control measures must, for the most part, originate
at the refinery level. Top refining department management as represented
"by the General Committee must, however, establish the policy." Employees
throughout the organization are taught to be air pollution conscious, and
management is careful to see that employees at all levels understand air
pollution control methods and policies. Whenever air pollution control
regulations are proposed, industry personnel take an active part as
responsible citizens to assist in providing sound and realistic legislation.
The extent of air pollution control required is of course dependent
to a considerable degree upon location of the refinery and upon topographical and meteorological conditions of the area. A region of poor ventilation and high population density, as represented by Los Angeles, requires
more stringent control than an area where these conditions are absent. A
recent survey of industry expenditures for pollution control made by the
OIL AND GAS JOURNAL reflects this situation. In others, population is so
sparse that only minimum expenditures beyond the economic level are required.
Now, what are the air pollutants that the industry is endeavoring
to control?
From the beginning, control of sulfur compounds has been of great
interest, and each year as new plants and process units are constructed,
sulfur recovery becomes more complete. Throughout the nation the industry
recovers about 1,600 tons of sulfur daily which would otherwise escape to
the atmosphere. In the Los Angeles area, 600 tons/day of sulfur oxides
are converted to sulfur or sulfuric acid and are thus kept out of the
atmosphere. In many areas, outside chemical plants are being employed to
convert hydrogen sulfide to elemental sulfur or sulfuric acid. Burning
of acid sludges with a consequent release of sulfur dioxide to the atmosphere has been discontinued in nearly all populated areas. Sludges are
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Source: http://industrydocuments.library.ucsf.edu/tobacco/docs/nycm0047