US: Environmental Protection Agency steps up crackdown on chemical companies

Chloroprene is the main reason for tightening US environmental protection regulations (Image: NEUROtiker)

In the United States, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is tightening regulation of chemical companies. A few days ago, the Environmental Protection Agency issued a regulation that obliges 218 companies and plants to reduce emissions of toxic compounds. Particular attention is paid to ethylene oxide, chloroprene, vinyl chloride, benzene, butadiene and ethylene dichloride. In addition, measuring devices should be installed in the vicinity of the respective production to document violations – so-called fenceline monitoring.

Monitoring should begin in most locations one year after the regulation goes into effect. For some plants, the transition period was extended to two years. One exception: the 90-day waiting period applies only to manufacturing facilities that produce, store, or process the halogenated hydrocarbon chloroprene.

Air pollution control requirements will be tightened in the United States for the first time in two decades, according to the EPA. The main reason is pressure from populations — often from communities with a high proportion of African Americans — who feel their health is being seriously harmed by these products.