Emission Intensities of Weather-Caused Industrial Upsets in Texas Exceed Other Causes and Have Increased

At industrial operations, nonroutine emissions events or “upsets” occur irregularly yet frequently. While upset emissions present a substantial health concern, little research exists comprehensively characterizing their root causes, which is necessary to inform effective prevention and mitigation measures. Weather can trigger upsets and poses well-known risks to industrial operations that are expected to worsen with climate change. In this study, we characterize weather-related upset emissions from 2003 to 2023 in the state of Texas. Weather was a major cause of upsets, accounting for 12% of all upset emissions. Emissions per upset were greater for weather-related upsets compared with other causes and increased. Weather-related upsets caused emissions with a median magnitude that was 1.8 times greater compared with emissions from upsets that were not related to weather. Median emissions per upset increased by 187% and 131% for weather-related and nonweather-related upsets, respectively. Thunderstorms, winter storms, hurricanes, and power outages were among the top causes of weather-related upset emissions. Our results indicate that while weather-related upsets continue to present a substantial public health risk in Texas, many weather-related upsets may be prevented. We conclude by discussing specific strategies that our findings indicate could help to prevent or mitigate weather-related upset emissions.