Residents Demand Ban on Refinery Chemical Amid Safety Concerns
Torrance, CA – Residents and advocates gathered Saturday, February 8, 2026, to demand a ban on the use of hydrofluoric acid at the Torrance Refinery, citing potential for a catastrophic disaster. The protest followed a teach-in detailing the risks associated with the chemical.
Hydrofluoric acid (HF) is used in approximately 40 gasoline refineries across the United States, according to the National Resources Defense Council. The organization states that exposure of even 1% of a person’s skin to HF – roughly the size of one’s hand – can be fatal. Inhalation of HF can also cause fatal lung damage and disrupt heart rhythms.
The Torrance Refinery utilizes a modified version of hydrofluoric acid, known as MHF, which refinery officials claim is a safer alternative. However, this assertion is disputed by advocates who maintain that MHF still poses significant risks.
Steve Goldsmith, president of the Torrance Refinery Action Alliance, which organized Saturday’s event, warned that a release of MHF into the air could create irreversible health effects within a 6.2-mile radius of the refinery, impacting communities throughout Los Angeles County. He pointed to a near-miss incident in 2015 as evidence of the potential danger.
On February 18, 2015, an explosion occurred at the refinery, then operated by ExxonMobil, caused by the rupture of an eroded valve. The incident released flammable hydrocarbons, injured four workers, and prompted lockdowns at 14 schools. Goldsmith emphasized that a piece of debris from the explosion came within five feet of puncturing storage tanks containing tens of thousands of gallons of MHF.
Saturday’s demonstration marked the 11th anniversary of the 2015 explosion. Goldsmith described hydrofluoric acid as “murderous.”
Residents expressed deep concerns about living near the refinery. Christopher Truman, whose parents live in the vicinity, stated, “I’m born and raised in the South Bay, and my family lives in, effectively, what would be the blast radius if another accident happened. So just in that aspect, I’m very worried about it.”
Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn echoed these concerns, stating that residents should not rely on luck to avoid another accident. She emphasized that only two refineries in California – Torrance and Valero in Wilmington – continue to use MHF, calling it “a flesh-eating, low-crawling, toxic vapor cloud” and asserting that communities will not be safe until the chemical is removed.
Advocates point to a Chevron refinery in Salt Lake City as an example of a facility that has successfully transitioned to an alternative alkylation process using an ionic liquid. Goldsmith noted that a 2025 explosion at a Chevron refinery in El Segundo did not involve MHF and resulted in a different outcome, suggesting that safer alternatives are viable.
U.S. Representative Maxine Waters has reintroduced the “Preventing Mass Casualties from Release of Hydrofluoric Acid at Refineries Act,” which would require refineries to find an alternative to HF within five years. Violators could face fines of up to $37,000 per infraction. Waters acknowledged facing opposition, particularly from the United Steel Workers Union, who expressed concerns about potential job losses if refineries were forced to convert to new technologies. Despite this opposition, she decided to proceed with reintroducing the bill.
Residents also called for greater transparency from local officials, citing concerns that key investigation reports related to the 2015 explosion have been withheld from the public. Ian Patton, a Long Beach resident, questioned why these reports remain inaccessible and emphasized the public’s right to know whether the plants are safe.
