Informational Webinar on EPA's Proposal to Strengthen Standards for Synthetic Organic Chemical, Polymers and Resins Plants

On Thursday, April 13, 2023, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) held a webinar to discuss a proposal that would provide critical health protections to hundreds of thousands of people living near chemical plants. It would do this by reducing emissions of hazardous air pollutants (also called “air toxics”) including the ethylene oxide (EtO) and chloroprene. Many air toxics, also called hazardous air pollutants, are known or suspected to cause cancer in humans and can have serious health effects even in small quantities. The proposal would also reduce harmful pollutants that contribute to smog.

EPA’s proposal would update several regulations that apply to chemical plants, including plants that make synthetic organic chemicals, and regulations that apply to plants that make polymers such as neoprene.

View slides from the April 13, 2023, webinar

View recording from the April 13, 2023, webinar

EPA held a separate webinar Monday, May 1 about its proposed actions to reduce exposure to ethylene oxide (EtO) from commercial sterilization facilities and healthcare facilities. Learn more about the commercial sterilizers proposal.