The Contra Costa County health department says residents living near the refinery in Martinez should not eat produce grown in soil that was potentially exposed to a "spent catalyst with heavy metals" until further testing is finished.
"We are making this recommendation out of an abundance of caution," county health officer Dr. Ori Tzvieli said Tuesday in a statement. "There is no immediate health threat to the community. That said, it’s also always better to be safe than sorry."
The Martinez Refining Company "inadvertently showered" neighborhoods near the refinery with over 20 tons of the spent catalyst between about 9:30 p.m. on Nov. 24, 2022, and the early hours of Nov. 25, the health department said. The spent catalyst was a dust-like substance that contained "elevated levels of aluminum, barium, chromium, nickel, vanadium and zinc," the health department said.
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Tzvieli said residents in the area can safely plant seeds in their yards and gardens now. But he advised residents to wait for the environmental test results before eating anything that was grown in soils potentially exposed to the spent catalyst. Those results are expected in the late spring or early summer.
People still worried about gardening can safely grow produce in pots, planters or raised garden beds with fresh soil, Tzvieli said.
Marlene Lerner-Bigley takes pride in her garden every year. Now what was once a calming past time, is turning into a source of concern and frustration.
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“I’m a two-time breast cancer survivor and I don’t need this in my life,” she said. “I’m not touching my soil, I’m not doing that. It is not in my interest to do that.”
She lives next to the Martinez refining company.
“My fear is that it is very toxic, and for how long will it stay there,” said Lerner-Bigley.
Neighbors like Brenda Jacobs say they aren't waiting for results. She’s spent more than $300 replacing all the soil in her garden.
“These are really heavy metals and they are terrible from ingestion and to put in your body,” said Jacobs. “Whenever we are being rained on with these metals, it is concerning.”
The health department is still trying to determine just how far the ash cloud spread, whether any soil is impacted, and how to solve any problems they find.
“Repeated ingestion build up in the body and have all sorts of adverse health effects,” said Tzvieli. “They can affect the immune system, some of these metals can be carcinogenic … we are just wanting people to be very cautious.”
It could take months to find the answers, a timeline frustrated neighbors say is too long when it comes to their health.
“They have to do something and they have to do it quicker, they have to act faster, this is an unacceptable timeline,” said Jennifer Rogers of Martinez.
The case has been referred to the district attorney's office.
