EPA Issues New Rules To Protect Neighborhoods Near Manufacturing Facilities That Release Airborne Toxins

CNN (4/9, Goodman) reports, “The US Environmental Protection Agency issued new rules on Tuesday to protect neighborhoods near more than 200 manufacturing facilities that release airborne toxins such as ethylene oxide, chloroprene, benzene, vinyl chloride, 1,3 butadiene and ethylene dichloride.” According to studies from the agency, “about 104,000 Americans live within 6 miles of factories that churn out certain synthetic organic chemicals or use them in the production of polymers and resins.” The “risk of cancer from that exposure is above 1 in 10,000 people – a threshold the agency deems to be unacceptably high.” The Hill (4/9, Frazin) reports that under the new rules, “the number of people who have elevated cancer risks because they live within 6 miles of a chemical plant would drop by 96 percent, the EPA said.” And “cancer cases within about 31 miles of facilities that release toxic pollution into the air are expected to fall by about 60 percent under the rule.” Among the locations “expected to benefit from the rule is an area of Louisiana known as ‘Cancer Alley,’ with a large number of chemical plants and high cancer rates, according to the agency.” The EPA “also said that the issue is one of environmental justice – as people of color and low-income people face disproportionately high pollution levels.” HealthDay (4/9, Mundell) reports that in a statement, the EPA said the rules “will significantly reduce toxic air pollution from chemical plants, including ethylene oxide [EtO] and chloroprene. ... Once implemented, the rule will reduce both EtO and chloroprene emissions from covered processes and equipment by nearly 80%.”