>Cherry Point Refinery
Washington's largest oil refinery is based in Birch Bay and run by BP, the company that was formerly known as the British Petroleum Corporation. The plant produces gasoline, jet fuel and diesel, and has the capability of processing 225,000 barrels of crude oil on a daily basis.
The refinery was built in 1971, and originally produced up to 100,000 barrels each day. When the plant opened, it utilized a variety of products that were made out of asbestos. These products were popular in refineries and other industrial setting because of their ability to stand up to extremely hot temperatures. This was before it was commonly known that asbestos is a hazardous substance that can lead to respiratory diseases and Mesothelioma, a potentially deadly type of cancer. When these items were in use, they remained safe until the products began to break up and disintegrate. As soon as this happens, small particles of asbestos are able to float in the air, where they can be inhaled by anyone who is around them. The particles can survive within a human being for many years, and do enormous amounts of damage. Because exposure to asbestos can lead to diseases over even death over several years time, anyone who worked around products that were made out of this materials should seek medical counsel immediately.
After taking over the refinery from Arco in 2002, BP executives planned to continue with a proposed project that would expand the docking area where the company's tanker ships landed for loading and unloading of products. Environmental groups fought against the dock project, and brought forth a lawsuit against BP to stop it. The end result was one that all parties involved agreed to - that BP was spend $1 million on a study of environmental and safety factors if the dock were to be built. The study would be performed by the Army Corps of Engineers, who have sided with BP in this matter, and it would require an environmental impact statement upon completion.
Executives at the Cherry Point refinery work hard to keep their pollution levels at a minimum and are proud to be involved in environmental programs, most notably they play a roll in keep up an area of land that is a protected area for several hundred blue herons. They strive to preserve a safe work place for all employees and for the local community. While the plant's current safety record earns very high marks, any staff member who worked at the facility while the products made from asbestos were in place were inadvertently put at risk of exposure to this toxic material. Those people are urged to contact their healthcare providers for a thorough check up.
Last modified: December 09, 2009.
