Overview

In Southern California, in Wilmington, Carson, and West Long Beach, which are situated on the ancestral homelands of the Tongva people, communities are forced to breathe toxic emissions from the drilling, transportation, and refining of crude oil. Five refinery complexes operate there, owned by Marathon Petroleum, Phillips 66, and Valero. Over the years, there have been explosions, multiple fires, fugitive emissions from leaks, and flaring at these refineries, all in close proximity to homes, schools, and parks. Predominantly low-income communities of color live there. They suffer from high rates of asthma, cancer and other illnesses due to the cumulative impacts of multiple industrial polluting facilities. The Port of Long Beach is the largest port complexe in the United States and one of the largest in the world. Plastics are within the top exports for containerized cargo at the Port of Long Beach.