The EPA is taking a major step to reduce cancer-causing air pollution from chemical plants. This follows reporting by ProPublica that identified numerous areas with high cancer risk due to industrial emissions.

• The new regulation focuses on drastically reducing ethylene oxide, a chemical used in medical device sterilization and labelled by the EPA as a potent carcinogen. ProPublica’s analysis found it to be the biggest contributor to industrial cancer risk nationwide.
• The EPA expects a significant decrease (80%) in annual ethylene oxide emissions under the new rule.
• Additionally, the regulations will be updated for five other harmful chemicals.
• The burden of these pollutants hasn’t been shared equally. ProPublica’s investigation revealed that Black communities face more than double the cancer risk from air pollution compared to predominantly white areas. This is particularly concerning in “Cancer Alley,” an 85-mile stretch in Texas and Louisiana with many chemical plants located in communities of color.

Read more at the ProPublica website.