Princeton Refinery
Calumet Lubricants owns a refinery in Princeton, Louisiana that has the ability to produce up to 8,300 barrels of crude oil on a daily basis. The company was founded in 1916, and is a manufacturer of oil and premium bases for waxes and solvents.
The location has the ability to store 12 million gallons of oil, and uses railways and large trucks to ship out the majority of their products. They rely on similar methods, as well as an extensive network of pipelines to receive incoming crude oil that is to be put through the refining process. This facility runs 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to provide the supplies that are constantly required by the company's customer base.
Most of the major disasters that occur at many oil refineries have not fallen upon the Princeton plant, such as explosions, fires and environmental disturbances. There are, however, environmental watch groups such as Planet Hazard that keep an eye on the operations at the facility to track their "Green" practices and safety record. This group notesf how many pollutants are produced by businesses throughout Louisiana, how many direct sources of pollution (such as a smoke stack) each plant has and how many pounds of pollution each business produces on an annual basis. According to Planet Hazard, Calumet Lubricants' Princeton facility produces 10 separate pollutants which emanate from 140 different sources, and the site is responsible for emitting 1,092,735.71 pounds per year.
One issue that had to be dealt with at this refinery was the use of products that contained asbestos. These products were used heavily in industrial settings for many years, because of their ability to function in intense heat situations. Unfortunately, while the items made with asbestos were effective, they were also potentially deadly.
Asbestos had been in use for many years when it was found to be a hazardous material. It is made up of tiny fibers that cling together tightly, but over time they are subject to breaking apart, at which point the fibers become airborne and can be unknowingly ingested. People who inhale any amount of asbestos may endure a great deal of internal damage, especially in the respiratory system. The toxic material can also lead to a cancerous disease called mesothelioma, which can be terminal. Even people who worked at the refinery, or at any site that contained asbestos based products, many years ago may develop this disease, as it sometimes takes years to manifest itself. If you, or a loved one worked around asbestos, contact your doctor to let them know about your possible exposure.
Last modified: December 09, 2009.
