We have been writing a few posts lately about benzene exposure and how dangerous and harmful it can be, but Lake Charles readers might not actually know much about the chemical itself. If benzene is so bad, why do we even use it?

Unfortunately for people who are exposed to it, benzene is actually quite useful in many industrial applications. It is used in the manufacture of pesticides, rubbers, lubricants, plastics and synthetic fibers like nylon. In fact, it's so useful that it ranks among the top 20 chemicals in volume of production. That's why many of the plants and facilities around Lake Charles involved benzene in their production activities.

Although some benzene is naturally occurring (as a result of volcanic eruptions and forest fires, for example) it is only present at concentrations harmful to people as a result of man-made activity.

And sadly, benzene is very harmful to humans. Essentially, it causes cells to not work correctly, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. One result can be that bone marrow does not produce enough red blood cells. It can impair the immune system and lead to a deficiency of white blood cells and dangerously low levels of antibodies.

Now, we have rules and regulations in place to keep people from coming into contact with benzene, at least at levels that are harmful. Unfortunately, companies that use benzene are not always as careful as they ought to be and as a result, dangerous levels of man-made benzene are sometimes allowed to come into contact with people.

Source: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, "Facts About Benzene," Last accessed Feb. 7, 2012