EPA TRI Facility · Petroleum

Valero Refining - Texas L.P. Houston Refinery

Houston, TX · Parent: Valero Energy Corp

Total releases
9.4M lbs
Chemicals reported
40
Carcinogens
12
Primary pathway
Water Discharges

WATER Form-R mix

Valero Refining - Texas L.P. Houston Refinery: how the 9.4M lbs splits

9.4M lbs across all reported pathways

  • Water Discharges 8.8M lbs 93.9%
  • Air Releases 571.0K lbs 6.1%
  • Off-site Transfers 1.5K lbs <0.1%
  • Land Disposal 0 lbs <0.1%

Valero Refining - Texas L.P. Houston Refinery's 9.4M lbs Form-R total is WATER - water discharges is 93.9% of the bar. Next segment: air releases at 6.1%. Leading chemical by pounds: Nitrate compounds (water dissociable; reportable only when in aqueous solution).

Carcinogen-classified pounds vs other reported pounds

Same cumulative TRI total as above, split by EPA/IARC carcinogen classification on each chemical: pounds share, not chemical count. Classification is not a site health-risk score.

HEAVY volume WATER pathway TRACE-CARC

Valero Refining - Texas L.P. Houston Refinery is an EPA Toxics Release Inventory reporter in Houston, TX, in the petroleum sector. It reported 2.1M lbs of releases across 31 chemicals in 2023, and 9.4M lbs in total across its 2019-2023 reporting years. That ranks 230 of 25,986 TRI facilities nationwide by cumulative reported pounds, counting each facility over however many years it has filed. In Texas's 2,016 reporting TRI sites, pounds #1 is not chemical-count #1. Valero Refining - Texas L.P. Houston Refinery is pounds #20 and chemical-count #28 at 9.4M lbs. Ascend Performance Materials-Chocolate Bayou Plant leads reported pounds (94.0M lbs) at 36 chemicals (chemical-count #35). Veolia Es Technical Solutions LLC Port Arthur Facility leads chemical count at 246 chemicals (1.5M lbs, pounds #112). Reported volume fell against 2022. Pounds reported are not a measure of toxicity or health risk. Nearest other TRI reporters: Valero Refining - Texas L.P. Houston Refinery; Usgypsum Co Galena Park; Invista Houston; Valero Houston Asphalt Terminal. Similar-scale Petroleum peers outside Texas: Chevron Products Co. Div of Chevron USA Inc.; Citgo Petroleum Corp; Bp Products Na Whiting Business Unit; Chevron Products Co Pascagoula Refinery. Other Valero Energy Corp sites in this extract: Valero Refining-Texas LP; Diamond Shamrock Refining Co LP; Valero Refining-Texas LP Corpus Christi West Plant; Premcor Refining Group Inc Port Arthur. Largest disclosed chemicals by pounds: Nitrate compounds (water dissociable; reportable only when in aqueous solution); Hydrogen cyanide; Ammonia; Propylene.

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Valero Refining - Texas L.P. Houston Refinery stamps HEAVY volume with a dominant WATER pathway (93.9% water discharges) across 40 chemicals · 12 carcinogen-classified. Cumulative Form-R extract: 9.4M lbs (2019–2023). All figures are self-reported EPCRA §313 estimates, not measured stack emissions or a health-risk score. Scale peers include Chevron Products Co. Div of Chevron USA Inc. and Citgo Petroleum Corp.

#230 of 25,986 TRI facilities nationwide by total reported releases - among the top 0.9% of reporting sites by volume. Ranking reflects reported pounds, not toxicity or health risk.

Valero Refining - Texas L.P. Houston Refinery vs. every reporting TRI facility

Cumulative reported release pounds, with this facility marked in the national distribution

9.4M lbs Top 1% higher than 99% of 25,986 reporting TRI facilities

This facility 0 lbs 20M+ lbs every reporting TRI facility, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $1M-wide band; taller bars hold more reporting TRI facilities. The dashed line and filled bar mark this facility. Hover, focus, or tap a bar for its full count, share, and position.

Source U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Toxics Release Inventory · 2023 reporting year

Valero Refining - Texas L.P. Houston Refinery: Nitrate compounds (water dissociable; reportable only when in aqueous solution)-led volume

Among the 902 Petroleum facilities in this database, Valero Refining - Texas L.P. Houston Refinery reports the 9th-largest volume, placing it in the top 1% of its sector. Its reported volume is concentrated rather than spread: Nitrate compounds (water dissociable; reportable only when in aqueous solution) alone is 93.8% of the total. Scale peers outside Texas include Chevron Products Co. Div of Chevron USA Inc. and Citgo Petroleum Corp.

Concentrated means ≥60% of Valero Refining - Texas L.P. Houston Refinery's pounds in one chemical - here Nitrate compounds (water dissociable; reportable only when in aqueous solution) at 93.8%. Not a toxicity score.

Annual disclosure change

What changed: EPA TRI 2023 reporting year

2022 → 2023
  • Valero Refining - Texas L.P. Houston Refinery's total reported releases fell from 2.2 million lb in 2022 to 2.1 million lb in 2023, based on EPA TRI filings.
  • Valero Refining - Texas L.P. Houston Refinery's chemicals reported rose from 29 in 2022 to 31 in 2023, based on EPA TRI filings.
  • Valero Refining - Texas L.P. Houston Refinery's water releases fell from 2.1 million lb in 2022 to 2.0 million lb in 2023, based on EPA TRI filings.
  • Valero Refining - Texas L.P. Houston Refinery's air releases rose from 107.8 thousand lb in 2022 to 112.7 thousand lb in 2023, based on EPA TRI filings.

Valero Refining - Texas L.P. Houston Refinery Form-R facts

Sector
Petroleum
HEAVY volume
9.4M lbs
WATER pathway
Water Discharges
TRACE-CARC chem count
40 · 12 carc.
Lead chemical
Nitrate compounds (water dissociable; reportable only when in aqueous solution)

Compare this facility

See how Valero Refining - Texas L.P. Houston Refinery stacks up against nearby facilities and the typical reporter.

Total reported releases
Valero Refining - Texas L.P. Houston Refinery
9.4M lbs
Valero Refining - Texas L.P. Houston Refinery
108.2K lbs

86.7× more than the comparison

Chemicals reported
Valero Refining - Texas L.P. Houston Refinery
40
Valero Refining - Texas L.P. Houston Refinery
17

2.4× more than the comparison

Comparison reflects reported pounds and chemical counts, not toxicity or health risk. Averages cover facilities reporting any release.

How does this facility release toxic chemicals?

How Valero Refining - Texas L.P. Houston Refinery releases toxic chemicals into the environment. Total: 9.4M lbs.

Water Discharges 8.8M lbs (93.9%)
Air Releases 571.0K lbs (6.1%)
Off-site Transfers 1.5K lbs (<0.1%)
Land Disposal 0 lbs (<0.1%)
View 5-Year Emissions Trend →

Emissions Trend Summary

From 2019 to 2023, total releases increased by 59% (1.3M lbs to 2.1M lbs).

Valero Refining - Texas L.P. Houston Refinery: annual Form-R pounds

HEAVY site · WATER pathway · TRI years 2019–2023

million lbs

What this shows Valero Refining - Texas L.P. Houston Refinery year-over-year reported totals (increased by 59% from 2019 to 2023). TRI figures are self-reported estimates and can swing with production, waste handling, and reporting changes, not only with controls. Lead chemical in the extract: Nitrate compounds (water dissociable; reportable only when in aqueous solution).

Source EPA Toxics Release Inventory (TRI)
Year Total Chemicals
2019 1.3M lbs 36
2020 1.9M lbs 33
2021 2.0M lbs 31
2022 2.2M lbs 29
2023 2.1M lbs 31

Chemical Releases

Aggregated across all reporting years (2019–2023). 12 of 40 chemicals are carcinogens. Sorted by total release volume.

Chemical Total Flags
Nitrate compounds (water dissociable; reportable only when in aqueous solution) 8.8M lbs -
Hydrogen cyanide 335.0K lbs -
Ammonia 130.3K lbs -
Propylene 29.4K lbs -
Toluene 18.7K lbs -
Xylene (mixed isomers) 9.8K lbs -
Benzene 8.3K lbs Carcinogen
Hydrogen sulfide 8.0K lbs -
Ethylene 7.4K lbs -
n-Hexane 6.6K lbs -
Carbon disulfide 4.3K lbs -
1,3-Butadiene 4.2K lbs Carcinogen
Cyclohexane 3.5K lbs -
Ethylbenzene 3.4K lbs Carcinogen
Sulfuric acid (acid aerosols including mists, vapors, gas, fog, and other airborne forms of any particle size) 3.2K lbs -
1,2,4-Trimethylbenzene 1.7K lbs -
Molybdenum trioxide 1.6K lbs Carcinogen
Cyanide compounds 1.1K lbs -
Naphthalene 1.0K lbs Carcinogen
Phenol 790 lbs -
Lead compounds 552 lbs -
Nickel compounds 390 lbs Carcinogen
Lead 333 lbs Carcinogen
Phenanthrene 304 lbs -
Cumene 223 lbs Carcinogen
Polycyclic aromatic compounds 206 lbs Carcinogen
Carbonyl sulfide 196 lbs -
Nickel And Nickel Compounds 190 lbs Carcinogen
Ozone 186 lbs -
Styrene 62 lbs Carcinogen
Lead And Lead Compounds 48 lbs -
Methanol 41 lbs -
Anthracene 36 lbs -
Vanadium compounds 22 lbs -
Cobalt compounds 21 lbs Carcinogen
Mercury compounds 19 lbs -
Cresol (mixed isomers) 14 lbs -
Benzo[g,h,i]perylene 5 lbs -
Mercury And Mercury Compounds 4 lbs -
Hydrochloric acid (acid aerosols including mists, vapors, gas, fog, and other airborne forms of any particle size) 0 lbs -

Valero Refining - Texas L.P. Houston Refinery · WATER-pathway site

Houston, TX
29.7187, -95.2538
County TRI context
Harris · 4.3% of county pounds
Parent company
Valero Energy Corp

Compare beyond Texas

Nationwide peers by reported pounds & chemical count

Cross-state TRI reporters nearest Valero Refining - Texas L.P. Houston Refinery on cumulative reported pounds (9.4M lbs) and distinct chemical count (40). Release-pound peers include Clearwater Paper - Augusta Mill, McCain Foods USA Inc, Chevron Products Co. Div of Chevron USA Inc.. Chemical-count peers include Cleveland-Cliffs Steel LLC, Marathon Mandan Refinery, Hf Sinclair el Dorado Refining LLC. Neighborhoods are forced disjoint so each axis surfaces a different set of sites.

About TRI Data

Data as of 2023 reporting year. Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Toxic Release Inventory.

On this page the largest disclosed chemicals include Nitrate compounds (water dissociable; reportable only when in aqueous solution), Hydrogen cyanide, Ammonia, Propylene; nearby reporters include Valero Refining - Texas L.P. Houston Refinery. Valero Refining - Texas L.P. Houston Refinery stamps HEAVY volume · WATER pathway · TRACE-CARC carcinogen-lbs on this Form-R extract. Totals are self-reported estimates under EPCRA §313, not measured stack emissions or a health-risk score.

Use and verify this record

This Valero Refining - Texas L.P. Houston Refinery TRI extract (HEAVY · WATER · TRACE-CARC · lead Nitrate compounds (water dissociable; reportable only when in aqueous solution)) joins EPA Form-R filings with facility identity - reported pounds, not a health-risk rating.

Valero Refining - Texas L.P. Houston Refinery totals are self-reported EPCRA §313 estimates for Houston, TX, latest year 2023. Form-R rows span 2019–2023 (5 years). NAICS 324110 · Petroleum. 4.3% of Harris TRI pounds in this extract. Nearest ABS peer: Clearwater Paper - Augusta Mill (Δ 3.9K lbs). Pounds ≠ exposure.

Valero Refining - Texas L.P. Houston Refinery stamps HEAVY volume · WATER pathway · TRACE-CARC · lead Nitrate compounds (water dissociable; reportable only when in aqueous solution). PlainEnviro renders this EPA Form-R extract from its pipeline; no figure is typed in by an editor. Corrections: editorial policy.

All federal data sources used on this page
  • EPA Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) Basic Data Files - annual self-reported chemical-release filings. epa.gov
  • EPA TRI Program reference - how chemicals and reported releases are counted. epa.gov
  • EPA Facility Registry Service - facility location and identity. epa.gov
  • EPA ECHO - regulatory and compliance context. epa.gov
  • EPA Envirofacts - the EPA data warehouse exposing these datasets. epa.gov