EPA: New Regulations on Toxic Chemical Plant Emissions

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The Environmental Protection Agency issued new regulations on Tuesday that force hundreds of chemical plants across the country to cut back on cancer-linked toxic chemicals they spew into the atmosphere, Axios reported.

The new rules mainly target two chemicals: ethylene oxide and chloroprene, which are used at some 200 factories across Texas and Louisiana, as well as other areas of the country.

Long-term exposure to these two chemicals have been shown to boost the risk of developing certain types of cancer.

The new rules are also designed to severely reduce the emission of other common toxins, such as benzene, ethylene dichloride, and vinyl chloride.

The EPA estimates that some 104,000 people in the United States, who are disproportionately poor and more likely to be Black or brown, live within about six miles of the facilities that use chemicals linked to higher risks of cancer.

The Biden administration said it expects the new regulations to limit more than 6,200 tons of toxic air pollution and 23,700 tons of smog-forming volatile organic compounds every year, according to Axios.

The new rules mandate that companies monitor for toxic emissions along a plant’s boundary starting at least two years from today.

If a company detects emission levels that rise higher than a limit set by the EPA, they will be required to find the source of the pollution and fix the problem.

In addition, the data collected during the monitoring will be made public by the EPA, the agency said.

EPA Administrator Michael Regan said, “We promised to listen to folks that are suffering from pollution and act to protect them. Today we deliver on that promise with strong final standards to slash pollution, reduce cancer risk, and ensure cleaner air for nearby communities.”