Shelter in Place. Living in the Shadow of the Petrochemical Industry

Your Playlist:

Description

It is the vast, sprawling complexes of oil refineries and petrochemical plants that help make the Texan economy one of the largest in the world. But does the wealth come at too high a price to local residents? This film is an intimate portrait of a community battling not only the health effects of environmental pollution, but the corporate powers that deny their responsibility. As the refineries release millions of tons of toxins into the air each year, the townspeople, typically poor and powerless to protest, are periodically advised to "shelter in place" - stay home, shut off all ventilation systems, and tape up their windows and doors. Viewers hear from the affected families, E.P.A. officials, an attorney who brought suit against the refineries, and petrochemical industry spokespeople.