Benzene Near and Far

The 50-mile-long benzene slick that resulted from a November 13 chemical spill in Northern China has passed the city of Harbin (population 4 million), but continues flowing down the Songhua River, heading for Russia and the Amur River.

Both rivers were heavily polluted even before the spill, with benzene levels in the Amur already 1.3 times what is considered safe and the Songhua being likewise considered unfit for consumption. Nevertheless, Harbin relies on the river for 80 percent of its water supply.

Benzene, a fundamental aromatic hydrocarbon associated with petroleum production, is a known carcinogen. It has also been in the news in New Orleans recently, where some environmental monitoring groups say the EPA neglected to report highly elevated levels of airborne benzene in the aftermath of Katrina.