Delaware City Refinery faces nearly $1 million penalty for toxic gas release in May

This story is part of the WHYY News Climate Desk, bringing you news and solutions for our changing region. From the Poconos to the Jersey Shore to the mouth of the Delaware Bay, what do you want to know about climate change? What would you like us to cover? Get in touch. Environmental regulators in Delaware have fined the Delaware City Refinery $960,000 for releasing a toxic gas into the air for about three weeks in May. The refinery in New Castle County released 745 tons of sulfur dioxide and more than 50 tons of oxides of nitrogen between May 7 and 30, according to the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control. The incident occurred when the refinery was repairing equipment designed to reduce pollution. It forced refinery operators to rely on secondary emission control methods that do not control sulfur dioxide. This switch caused the refinery to emit the air pollutants above permitted levels, according to DNREC’s notice. Exposure to sulfur dioxide can cause breathing issues, and the emissions can further exacerbate respiratory conditions like asthma. Following the incident, DNREC said there was no public health threat because the pollution was dispersed into the atmosphere. The refinery did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The facility can appeal the recent penalty within 20 days of the order. History of violations Delaware City Refinery, owned by PBF Energy, has a long history of violations, having received more than 50 in the past 10 years. The refinery has faced several mechanical failures that cause emissions. The facility released high levels of sulfur dioxide for 2 1/2 weeks last year when the facility undertook similar repairs. A few months prior, Delaware City discharged high levels of carbon monoxide and sulfur dioxide into the air for 10 hours after the same equipment failed. PBF Energy acquired the refinery in 2010 a year after Valero, its previous owner, shut down the facility. At the time, then-Gov. Jack Markell said PBF Energy was committed to running the plant more cleanly than its predecessors. However, the refinery remains one of the region’s top polluters — releasing more than 4.6 million pounds of pollutants into the air and waterways in 2023, according to data from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. According to the National Emissions Inventory, the refinery released more than 430,000 pounds of sulfur dioxide in 2020. PBF Energy said there has been about an 83% reduction in sulfur dioxide emissions alone since 2022 compared to the last three years that Valero owned and operated the refinery. Get daily updates from WHYY News!