"Federal lawsuit alleges EPA’s rules on ethylene oxide and chloroprene emissions rely on weak industry estimates rather than real-world data on risks to health."

"Environmental groups are teeing up a legal challenge to new Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rules on pollution from chemical and plastics plants, citing concerns the EPA relied too heavily on lowball industry estimates as it sized up the risks to people’s health posed by ethylene oxide (EtO), chloroprene, and other toxic air pollution.

The EPA just announced the new rules in April, saying they’re intended to “significantly reduce” dangerous pollution from chemical plants and some plastics plants.

But the Environmental Integrity Project, Earthjustice, Sierra Club, California Communities Against Toxics, Air Alliance Houston, and others filed suit this week in the federal D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals, with attorneys for the groups telling DeSmog they believe the EPA’s rules remain too weak.

“The EPA’s underestimation of the risks posed by chemical facilities puts nearby communities in grave danger,” Earthjustice attorney Deena Tumeh said in a statement announcing the litigation. “By downplaying ethylene oxide emissions, the EPA fails to protect public health adequately.”"

Sharon Kelly and Julie Dermansky report for DeSmog July 19, 2024. [2]