Benzene - introduction
BP in Geel annually produces lots of tonnes of benzene as a by-product of paraxylene production (PX). Benzene has a nasty reputation as being a carcinogenic product, causing anxiety with the local community.
Sources
Benzene is not only produced by the chemical industry. There are a great many sources of benzene emissions in our society.- Traffic is a major contributor of benzene emissions, particularly if the fuel is insufficiently combusted, for example, in the case of older or poorly tuned engines.
- Domestic heating is another source and the use of old lawn mowers, for example, can emit large quantities of benzene for short periods.
- Tobacco smoking also leads to the release of benzene.
