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Paramount Refinery

The Paramount Petroleum Corporation produces asphalt products that are used by the roofing and paving industries. They established an oil refinery in Paramount, California in the early 1930's and continue to operate the plant currently. This facility is now recognized as being the largest producer of asphalt products throughout the western half of The United States, and has the production capability of up to 50,000 barrels of crude oil each day.

Paramount greatly increased the size of this facility during the 1970's. Originally the plant had a daily output of 20,000 barrels of oil, but with the addition of a second processing unit they more than doubled that amount. The company has plans to continue to grow and expand their operation to meet the ever increasing demands for the products they produce.

Beginning in 1994, Paramount executives started out on a mission to reduce the amount of pollution produced at the plant. This was done by not allowing solid waste material to be mixed into their wastewater system, and this has resulted in a 75% reduction in the amount of hazardous sludge produced in the operating units. The project that brought this final result was completed in 1998, and Paramount continues to seek out new ways to improve their operating procedures to reduce emissions and create a safe and environmentally friendly work site.

One major problem that hit the Paramount plant was the same that so many other oil refineries had to deal with over the years. This came in the form of products that were used throughout the facility which contained asbestos. When it was first discovered, asbestos was thought of as a very beneficial material that soon became a primary ingredient for a large array of industrial products. These products were considered to be highly beneficial because the asbestos was able to hold up under excessive temperatures, such as those produced in the oil refining process. Several years after asbestos was put into regular use as a major component for these products, it was found to be hazardous to human health. Scientists discovered that the material was made out of tiny fibers that would eventually break apart and be released into the air. When this happens, they can be breathed in by unsuspecting workers, and remain in their respiratory system for long periods of time. The fibers can do a lot of internal damage and cause various cancers such as mesothelioma. These conditions are often life threatening, and they can take years to develop, so anyone who may have been exposed to products that contained asbestos should contact their doctor immediately and explain that they may have been exposed to this hazardous substance.

Last modified: December 09 2009.