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The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has issued new rules aimed at protecting neighborhoods near over 200 manufacturing facilities releasing airborne toxins like ethylene oxide, chloroprene, benzene, vinyl chloride, 1,3 butadiene, and ethylene dichloride. Studies indicate that approximately 104,000 Americans live within 6 miles of these factories. They face a cancer risk above 1 in 10,000 people, a level deemed unacceptably high by the EPA. This region is also known as "Cancer Alley."
Rule Changes
The new rule reduces the allowed release of hazardous pollutants by about 6,200 pounds, substantially decreasing cancer risks. It mandates air monitoring at facility perimeters to detect and address hazardous air pollutants, marking a significant win for environmental advocates. This rule, the second requiring fenceline monitoring by the EPA, extends compliance deadlines and applies stricter regulations to neoprene manufacturers.
Notably, this rule targets areas like "Cancer Alley" in Louisiana, addressing heightened cancer risks due to plant emissions. EPA Administrator Michael Regan emphasizes the rule's impact on reducing emissions and acknowledges ongoing efforts to regulate ethylene oxide exposure from various sources, underscoring the agency's commitment to environmental health.
What is "Cancer Alley"
This is an 85 mile stretch of communities along the banks of the Mississippi River in Louisiana. People there live side by side with around 200 fossil fuel and petrochemical companies. The pollution from these companies leads to elevated rates of cancer, respiratory illness, and reproductive harm. Low birthrate and preterm birth alone were triple the US average. Antonia Juhasz, a senior researcher on fossil fuels at Human Rights Watch, refers to it as a "sacrifice zone." Health advocates have been calling for intervention from the government for years.
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