Stricter zoning needed for large gas stations

Gov. Pritzker, city officials, county officials and the Illinois EPA need to act to protect children from increased risk of cancers due to the lack of zoning requirements for gas stations.

Gas stations have changed since the 1990s with the evolution to the super-sized gas stations in the last 10 to 20 years. These new stations have 4 to 10 times the capacity to sell gas on a high-volume low margin basis.

The dangers of gasoline toxic releases have been well documented, with the release of benzene and other volatile organic compounds that are known to have serious health effects including cancer and other health impacts on target organs. Benzene has been a known cancer-causing chemical since the 1920s. The World Health Organization has determined there is no safe level of exposure to benzene.

Living in close proximity to a large gas station will increase the exposure to gasoline, benzene and other VOCs that increase the risk to develop cancers and other health issues. There are a number of recent health studies that have found there is a direct relationship to increased risk to develop childhood leukemia and the distance to large gas stations. Children who live within 500 feet of large gas stations have four times increased risk in developing acute leukemia in children and seven times increased risk of developing acute non-lymphoblastic childhood leukemia.

To protect children and the elderly the Illinois, counties and cities can develop and implement zoning changes that address the changing business models of these super-sized gas station businesses. A 500-foot setback distance from residential and other sensitive areas should be zoned and added into the Illinois EPA regulations from the location from these super-sized gas stations to protect children and the elderly from harmful effects of the gasoline and benzene emissions

Michael R. Lynn

Arlington Heights