In less than four months last fall, the Southern California city of Carson experienced a sizable earthquake, major gas-flaring events at local refineries, a multi-day warehouse fire, an odor-induced state of emergency declaration, and a 9-million-gallon sewage spill. Over that period, one toxin – hydrogen sulfide – reached levels that were 230 times higher than the state’s safety standard, leading to the overwhelming stench and state of emergency declaration. Hydrogen sulfide, or H2S, is a gas regularly emitted during oil production, and it can be lethal at high levels of exposure. More commonly, it causes dizziness, headaches, weakness, unconsciousness, and upset stomachs.
During that time, Ana Meni joined more than 3,400 families who local authorities relocated from their homes due to the debilitating odor, which made it “impossible” to be both outside and inside, as the smell became “trapped” in residents’ homes. For 40 days, she lived in a single hotel room separated from the rest of her family, all while symptoms that developed after the toxic events caused her sister to experience incessant nose bleeds, bo... Read more
