Initial news articles on the MBTE spill caused by a collision on the Houston Ship Channel were vaguely reassuring.
Source: Houston Observer |
With a bit of time, as usual, the situation is revealed to be less than comforting.
An unknown quantity of MBTE, a possible human carcinogen, has been dumped and much of it is evaporating and mixing with the air the community breathes.
Adrian Shelly of Air Alliance Houston said it best:
“Houston’s petrochemical industry is often called the ‘economic engine’ in the region,” said Adrian Shelley… “For many residents of ship channel communities, though, the industry is an engine of uncertainty and fear. It is disproportionately low-income and minority communities that suffer these negative impacts.”
For more information, check out the Common Dreams article: