Toledo Refinery Sunoco
The oil refinery in Toledo, Ohio that is run by Sunoco Corporation was originally established by the Diamond Oil Company, in 1894. The Sun Oil Company of Ohio was a subsidiary, and that company eventually took over management of the plant. Over time, the company name was shortened to Sunoco. Today the facility is run by nearly 600 workers, and produces up to 140,000 barrels of crude oil on a daily basis. The primary output of the plant is gasoline, diesel fuel, propane and kerosene.
In 2005 an underground pipe began to leak, and spilled out approximately 100 gallons of gas. The gasoline had traces of benzene, which is an extremely hazardous toxin that has been known to cause serious diseases. This happened at a construction site, and the spill caused the project to be temporarily halted. Nearly 200 contractors were sent away from the site until the damages could be surveyed and the area could be cleaned and decontaminated. A tanker truck with a large vacuum attachment was used to suck as much of the gasoline out of the ground as possible, and the soil in the area had to be cleaned up. Once all of this was completed and the leak in the pipe was fixed, construction workers were allowed to return to the job.
2007 saw a fire at the Sunoco refinery. It was started within a heater of one of the plant's crude oil units. Workers spent a little over an hour putting out the fire, and it did not do any major damage. The plant was able to continue operating at full capacity. One plant employee was injured as a result of the incident.
Sunoco's Toledo plant has survived through some minor incidents and serious setbacks, including the mandatory disposal of products within the facility that were made out of a material called asbestos. These products had to be removed and disposed of because they were highly toxic, and exposure to them can lead to problems within the respiratory system. Asbestos is also a leading cause of mesothelioma, which is a form of cancer that is sometimes fatal.
Individuals who worked at the refinery while these products were found on the premises are at risk of having inhaled the small fibers that make up asbestos, and are strongly advised to notify their healthcare practitioner about this situation, and be checked out for the presence of any serious health related issue as a result of this exposure.
Sunoco Corporation is currently one of the top petroleum producers in the United States. They currently are engaged in programs to find methods of production that are environmentally sound.
Last modified: December 09, 2009.
