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What is Hydrogen Fluoride? Hydrogen Fluoride is a highly toxic chemical used at refineries to boost the production of high-octane gasoline. HF is one of the most deadly chemicals in use today because when released, it forms a dense, ground-hugging cloud of lethal gas that can travel for 5 miles before dissipating. The Sunoco Refinery uses and stores 400,000 pounds of HF at its South Philadelphia facility. The use of this chemical endangers the health and well-being of 3.9 million people in a 25-mile radius.
Health effects of HF exposure: Severe long term pain Slow healing burns Damage to eyes and skin including blindness Heart failure Severe bone damage, including bone liquefying Severe lung deterioration	Solution A cheap, safer alternative is now available. Refineries can modify HF so that it remains in a gel-like state, reducing the distance that it could travel into the community. Researchers hve found that modifying HF can decrease aerosol formation from 60% to 90% in the event of a leak.
Victory at the Sunoco Refinery! After a two year campaign organized by Clean Water Action, Sunoco has agreed to switch to the safer modified Hydrogen Fluoride (HF) at its South Philadelphia refinery! This is a tremendous victory that will help make the communities around the refinery much safer. HF is a highly toxic chemical used at the refinery, which, if released into the air, could form a dense, ground-hugging cloud that could travel up to 25 miles, potentially causing severe respiratory disorders, heart attacks and even death for up to 4 million area residents. Sunoco’s proposed change would reduce the volatility of the HF, reducing the risk that it would be dispersed into the air in neighboring communities. CWA and the Community/Labor Refinery Tracking Committee built a coalition of over 40 local groups that have been pressing Sunoco to switch to modified HF. CWA staff and volunteers went door to door in neighborhoods around the refinery, generating over 500 letters to the CEO of Sunoco and members of Philadelphia City Council and gathering over 1,300 signatures on petitions. We also recently sent an open letter to Sunoco's CEO that was published in several local papers. Sonnet Gabbard, CWA's organizer for the HF campaign commented that "We are glad that Sunoco listened to the voice of the community and agreed to take action to protect our health." Joanne Rossi of the Community/Labor Refinery Tracking Committee added: "Sunoco’s action makes the neighborhoods around the refinery safer, healthier places to live, and helps reduce the threat that has been hanging over our heads. We are thrilled to see it happen!” Back to PABucketBrigade.Org
Community Labor Refinery Tracking Committee A Project of Clean Water Action/Clean Water Fund 100 N. 17th Street, 9th Floor, Philadelphia, PA 19103 215-640-8800 * webmaster@pabucketbrigade.org