Marathon Oil Company, former Laketon Avenue Refinery

Property owners notified: 53. Date notified: Sept. 21, 2003

Contaminants:

Benzene. Widely used in the United States; it ranks in the top 20 chemicals for production volume. Some industries use benzene to make other chemicals which are used to make plastics, resins, and nylon and other synthetic fibers. Benzene is also used to make some types of rubbers, lubricants, dyes, detergents, drugs, and pesticides. Natural sources of benzene include emissions from volcanoes and forest fires. Benzene is also a natural part of crude oil, gasoline, and cigarette smoke.

Possible dangers: Known carcinogen. The major effect of benzene from long-term exposure is on the blood. Benzene causes harmful effects on the bone marrow and can cause a decrease in red blood cells leading to anemia. It can also cause excessive bleeding and can affect the immune system, increasing the chance for infection.

Ethylbenzene. A colorless, flammable liquid that smells like gasoline.It is naturally found in coal tar and petroleum and is also found in manufactured products such as inks, pesticides, and paints. Ethylbenzene is used primarily to make another chemical, styrene. Other uses include as a solvent, in fuels, and to make other chemicals.

Possible dangers: Possible human carcinogen. Exposure to relatively low concentrations of ethylbenzene in air for several months to years causes kidney damage in animals.

Toluene. Clear, colorless liquid with a distinctive smell. It is a good solvent (a substance that can dissolve other substances). It is added to gasoline along with benzene and xylene. Toluene occurs naturally in crude oil and in the tolu tree. It is produced in the process of making gasoline and other fuels from crude oil, in making coke from coal, and as a by-product in the manufacture of styrene. Toluene is used in making paints, paint thinners, fingernail polish, lacquers, adhesives, and rubber and in some printing and leather tanning processes. 

Possible dangers: Not classified as carcinogen. A serious health concern is that toluene may have an effect on your brain. Toluene can cause headaches and sleepiness, and can impair your ability to think clearly. Whether or not toluene does this to you depends on the amount you take in, how long you are exposed, and your genetic susceptibility and age.

Xylenes. A colorless, sweet-smelling liquid that catches on fire easily. It occurs naturally in petroleum and coal tar. Chemical industries produce xylene from petroleum. It is one of the top 30 chemicals produced in the United States in terms of volume. Xylene is used as a solvent and in the printing, rubber, and leather industries. It is also used as a cleaning agent, a thinner for paint, and in paints and varnishes. It is found in small amounts in airplane fuel and gasoline.

Possible dangers: Not enough data to determine whether it causes cancer.

Properties listed:

2685 Laketon Ave., 2697 Laketon Ave., 2709 Laketon Ave., 2909 E. Laketon Ave., 2590 Evanston Ave., 2640 Evanston Ave., 2540 Evanston Ave., 2660 Evanston Ave., 2680 Evanston Ave., 2714 Evanston Ave., 2726 Evanston Ave., 2740 Evanston Ave., 2756 Evanston Ave., 2768 Evanston Ave., 2796 Evanston Ave.

2077 S. Walker Road, 2061 S. Walker Road, 2045 Walker Road, 2035 Walker Road, 2044 Walker Road, 2080 Walker Road, 2090 Walker Road

2820 Evanston Ave., 2832 Evanston Ave., 2842 Evanston Ave., 2862 Evanston Ave., 2896 Evanston Ave., 2912 Evanston Ave., 2930 Evanston Ave., 2625 Evanston Ave., 2645 Evanston Ave., 2667 Evanston Ave., 2675 Evanston Ave., NA Evanston Ave., 2701 Evanston Ave., 2705 Evanston Ave., 2719 Evanston Ave., 2729 Evanston Ave., 2745 Evanston Ave., 2753 Evanston Ave., 2761 Evanston Ave., 2777 Evanston Ave., 2795 Evanston Ave., 2799 Evanston Ave., 2811 Evanston Ave., 2821 Evanston Ave.

2400 South Sheridan Road

Laketon Avenue right-of-way (Muskegon County) Laketon Avenue right-of-way (Muskegon Twp.) Laketon Avenue right-of-way (DTE)

2200 South Sheridan

Laketon Avenue right-of-way (Ameritech), Laketon Avenue right-of-way (Verizon)