More than two million Californians live within 2500 feet of an active oil refinery. Most of those living in these areas are Black or Latino. Pollutants from these refineries are known to cause asthma, cancer and, decrease life expectancy.
When the oil spill in Orange County happened back in October, the outcry from the community was immediate. People not only wanted accountability, they wanted answers on how this could be prevented in the future, which makes sense because most people understand how harmful oil is, and they wanted to make sure wildlife, our beaches and families are protected.
But even with that knowledge, we've all driven by the Marathon Refinery just off the 405 Freeway in Carson. We see the smokestacks, we know those constant fumes—not only from the refinery but also from the freeway—are toxic to the people living in close proximity.
Why is that slow-rolling harm treated with so much less urgency than the oil spill that captured nationwide headlines? And how can we change that?
Toxic Tours is a nonprofit that is working to give people an inside look at how harmful refineries and pollutants really are to the communities around them.
The Toxic Tours website takes you to the ground level of sites not only here in California but around the world. The site allows viewers to virtually see the impact refineries have on the community and hear firsthand from those who are living with this every day.
Whitney Amaya and Diego Mayen, who work with Toxic Tours and East Yard Communities for Environmental Justice, took the Long Beach Post's Jackie Rae on a toxic tour in West Long Beach for this week's episode of The Word.
You can also find out more about their work here.
https://lbpost.com/news/an-ex-dui-prosecutor-is-now-helping-people-whove-suffered-under-the-justice-system