Refineries producing ‘green’ fuels to save the environment have become a major cause of polluting the environment, a new report says.
According to the report, 275 biofuel and ethanol companies in the United States released 1.2 million tons of toxic materials into the environment in 2022, compared to 1.5 million tons from conventional oil refineries during the same period.
The report also stated that these plants emit four more types of toxic chemicals that can cause vomiting, cholera and shortness of breath in the short term and can cause cancer in the long term.
These green fuel companies make fuel using corn or vegetable oil instead of crude oil.
Most of the refineries are located in the US Midwest, with one in Illinois being the largest source of hexane emissions. This chemical can cause nerve damage.
The report, presented by the Environmental Integrity Project (EIP), reviewed 2022 data released by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency EPA, which included 191 ethanol plants, 71 biodiesel plants and 13 renewable diesel plants. Information regarding plants was included.
