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[CallMeLucky]

http://www.aboutlaws...refinery-21220/

Benzene Leukemia Lawsuit Filed by Man Who Grew Up Near Oil  Refinery

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Published: September 27th, 2011

An Illinois man is suing Shell and several other large oil and energy  companies, alleging that he developed leukemia from benzene exposure caused by  repeated toxic releases from a refinery close to where he grew up.

The benzene lawsuit was filed by Andrew Kayser on September 9 in Madison County Circuit Court. The  complaint names BP Products North America, ConocoPhillips Company, Shell Oil  Company, WRB Refining and URS Corporation as defendants.

Kayser indicates that he grew up and went to school in Roxana, Illinois near  the Wood River Refinery, which has been cited and sued for numerous benzene  spills and pollution violations.

In March 2003, Kayser was diagnosed with acute lymphocyticleukemia, a form of  leukemia that has been associated with exposure to benzene. According to the  complaint, he has suffered premature aging of his skeletal structure, which has  required him to have bilateral knee replacement and has caused damage to his  teeth. He has also had his spleen removed due to complications caused by the  leukemia from benzene exposure.

Earlier this year, residents of Roxana, Illinois filed a groundwater  contamination class action lawsuit over benzene spills from the same  refinery, which allegedly lowered property values in the town of about 1,500  people. Plaintiffs alleged that Shell released at least 8,400 gallons of benzene  from an underground pipeline that went from the Wood River Refinery in Roxana to  a barge loading facility on the Mississippi River. The spill created a plume  under the village that contaminated  groundwater supplies, the lawsuit claims. Similar leaks occurred from a BP  facility in Wood River as well, according to the lawsuit.

The facilities have been cited a number of times by the EPA for violating  environmental protection laws. In May 2008, Shell was cited for excessive  releases of benzene and other chemicals into Roxana's groundwater. Earlier this  summer, during a heat wave that hit the Midwest and East Coast, Illinois  environmental officials sent a letter urging Roxana residents not to sleep in  their basements due to the risk of benzene exposure after testing indicated  there could be a danger to residents' health.

Benzene is an  industrial chemical that has been associated with the development of several  fatal forms of cancer, leukemia and other conditions, such as Acute Myelogenous  Leukemia (AML), Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia (CML), Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia  (ALL), Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL), Hairy Cell Leukemia (HCL),  Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma, Multiple Myeloma, Myelodysplastic Syndrome (MDL),  Myelofibrosis and Myeloid Metaplasia, Aplastic Anemia and Thrombocytopenic  Purpura.

[SteveLamm]

I published a review of the literature on benzene exposure and CML two years ago.

Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia and Benzene Exposure: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of the Case-Control Literature.

Chemico-Biological Interactions, 2009;182:93-97.

Steven H. Lamm, MD et al. Johns Hopkins University [Steve@CEOH.com]

We concluded that "CML does not appear to be related to benzene exposure."

Your doctor can get a copy of the article from your local medical library or on the web.

If you can't find one, e-mail me and I'll send you a copy.

[Trey]

In addition to the information from Steve Lamm, lawsuits trying to link CML to benzene have generally failed, so most lawyers will not take such a case on a contingency fee basis.  The article cited by CallMeLucky is about ALL leukemia, not CML.  Although it mentions CML, it is written by lawyers to attract business.  They will take the case, but only if the client pays up front.

[mbourne]

Thanks for the reply.

The most recent published article I can find published June 2010 is:

Exposure to benzene at work and the risk of leukemia: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Abdul Khalade¹, Maritta S Jaakkola², Eero Pukkala^4,3 and Jouni JK Jaakkola^1,5*

• * Corresponding author: Jouni JK Jaakkola jouni.jaakkola@oulu.fi

  
  

• The conclusion states:

  
  

• Conclusions

  Our study provides consistent evidence that exposure to benzene at work increases the risk of leukemia with a dose-response pattern. The results showed some evidence of an increased risk for AML and CLL. The meta-analysis indicated consistently a lack of association between benzene exposure and the risk of CML. The evidence was insufficient to make any inference on the effects on ALL. For the purposes of clinical, occupational health, and policy implications, it is important to note that a significantly increased risk of any leukemia and AML was observed already in relation to the low benzene exposure and that the risk varied according to the type of leukemia.

  In 1946, The American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists set the first occupational exposure limit for benzene to 325 mg/m³ (100 ppm), and in 1963 the limit was reduced to 35 ppm. Currently most European and North American countries have harmonised the limit to 1.63-3.25 mg/m³ (0.5-1 ppm) This recent figure was agreed within the European Union in 1997 and was adopted within standard setting committee [23].

  
  

The studies for the relationship of CML and Benzene are fewer and less prevelant but the the conclusion clearly notes that "it is important to note that a signifigantly increased risk of any leukemai and AML was observed."

This is not anything new that wasn't already reported. The evidence is not clearly 100% that Benzene is not a contributing factor to CML. If like my husband you have an enormous exposure it cannot be ignored that Benzene easily could have been a contributing factor.