Silent Spills: Environmental damage from Hurricane Harvey is just beginning to emerge

Galena Park is hemmed in by heavy industry just east of downtown Houston along the ship channel. Galena Park is hemmed in by heavy industry just east of downtown Houston along the ship channel. Photo: Elizabeth Conley/Houston Chronicle Photo: Elizabeth Conley/Houston Chronicle Image 1 of / 90 Caption Close Silent Spills: Environmental damage from Hurricane Harvey is just beginning to emerge 1 / 90 Back to Gallery

HOUSTON -- As first responders and residents struggled to save lives and property during the record-shattering deluge of Hurricane Harvey, the toxic onslaught from the nation's petrochemical hub was largely overshadowed.

But nearly seven months after floodwaters swamped America's fourth-largest city, the extent of the environmental assault is beginning to surface, while questions about the long-term consequences for human health remain unanswered.

Read part 1: In Houston and beyond, Harvey's spills leave a toxic legacy





County, state and federal records pieced together by the Associated Press and the Houston Chronicle reveal a far more widespread toxic impact than authorities publicly reported after the storm slammed into the Texas coast in late August, then stalled over the Houston area.

HARVEY'S AFTERMATH: Read all of our Harvey coverage here

Benzene, vinyl chloride, butadiene and other known human carcinogens were among the dozens of tons of industrial toxins released throughout Houston's petrochemical corridor and surrounding neighborhoods and waterways following Harvey's torrential rains.

In all, reporters cataloged more than 100 Harvey-related toxic releases — on land, in water and air. Most were never publicized, and in the case of two of the biggest releases, Arkema and Magellan, the extent or potential toxicity was initially understated.

Only a handful of the industrial spills have been investigated by Texas and federal regulators, the news organizations found. Testing by state and federal regulators of soil and water for contaminants was largely limited to Superfund toxic waste sites.

Read part 2: For Crosby residents, a bitter taste about Arkema and little help from government

Read part 3: Texas officials ignore spread of dioxin in key Houston waterways

Read more about the after effects of the chemical spills that occurred during Harvey on our subscriber website, HoustonChronicle.com. Click here to subscribe.