Douglasville Refinery
In 1955 a company called Cracker Asphalt opened a plant in Douglasville, Georgia. The company retained ownership of the business until 1971, but their history is not well documented. It is believed that Cracker Asphalt had extremely poor practices of disposing their waste materials, and that they polluted and contaminated the ground around their site. They sold the facility to Young Refining in 1971.
Young Refining produced petroleum based products, and until 1976 they also participated in the disposal of liquified waste materials. This was stopped when the company was ordered to cease the practice due to improper methods of waste disposal that allowed for high levels of toxic emissions.
The waste disposal issue was far from the only problem that plagued the Douglasville refinery. The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) was called in to investigate several major environmental issues at the plant. These included tanks that were either leaking or at risk of developing a leak, waste materials being buried on the premises, a high level of toxic emissions and the burning of hazardous materials. These problems were considered to be a great risk for the community and a cause of headaches, nausea, eye irritation, respiratory issues and cancerous diseases. The ATSDR investigated the facility and produced a large document that evaluated the concerns of the public and made several recommendations about what should be done. The plant was deemed to be a gross polluter and a danger to the local community.
This was not the only health issue that had to be dealt with at the Douglasville refinery over the years. Plant officials also had to oversee the removal of products made out of the naturally occurring material, asbestos. These products were found all over the facility, as well as in most oil refineries nation wide, and were highly prized for their ability to withstand the temperatures produced within the plant. Over time, however, these products would break apart and release tiny asbestos fibers into the air where they could be inhaled by unsuspecting people. Individuals who inhaled asbestos are subject to developing serious respiratory diseases, and a type of cancer called mesothelioma. These conditions can be life threatening, so anyone who has been exposed to asbestos should seek medical attention immediately.
Rising costs for cleaning up the site and ongoing expenses to upgrade the plant to become more environmentally friendly became overwhelming following the investigations into the conditions at the Douglasville plant. The facility stopped production and was permanently closed down in July of 2004.
Last modified: December 09, 2009.
