California county lifts warning on local produce after metal dust release

[June 09, 2023]  By Laura Sanicola

(Reuters) - A San Francisco Bay Area health officer on Thursday lifted an advisory warning neighbors of a refinery not to eat produce grown in potentially contaminated soil in the area, after a toxicologist found public health was not at risk.

The U.S. Department of Justice is investigating the PBF Energy Inc unit in Martinez, California, over a November emissions release of a "powdery substance" later determined to be spent catalysts used in refining.

Contra Costa county officials are also probing the root cause of the incident and the District Attorney is considering legal action against PBF for not properly notifying the county of the release.

A county-hired toxicologist TRC said on Thursday the release did not increase the public health risk of exposure to heavy metals in the soil.

The metals detected in 14 soil samples were within an expected range of levels typically found in the state, the toxicologist said. County health officials had advised caution in March until soil testing could be complete.

A nighttime view of the Torrance Refinery, an oil refinery operated by PBF Energy, in Torrance, California, U.S., March 10, 2022. Picture taken March 10, 2022. Picture taken with a drone. REUTERS/Bing Guan

"Now that we have these results, I personally would have no issue eating fruits and vegetables grown in ground soil from one of the affected areas," said Dr. Ori Tzvieli, the county's health officer.

A sample collected last year by Contra Costa Health Services showed above-normal levels of aluminum, barium, chromium, nickel, vanadium, and zinc.

In February, an analysis report by the refiner said the catalyst overflowed after valves to keep pressure rising in the refinery's reactor and regenerator were not adjusted properly.

(Reporting by Laura Sanicola; Editing by Richard Chang)

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