The West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection’s (WVDEP) Division of Air Quality (DAQ) is currently accepting public comments for Specialty Product’s draft air permit to emit ethylene oxide.

Ethylene oxide is a hazardous air pollutant known to cause cancer, mutations, and explosions. Here are the key concerns from WV Rivers, Environmental Protection Network, and our local partners:

1. Several facilities in the Kanawha Valley release ethylene oxide into the air we breathe. WVDEP must assess cumulative emissions and significantly reduce these harmful emissions to protect public health.
2. WVDEP must also require air monitoring and reporting to protect fenceline communities and ensure compliance with permit requirements.
3. WVDEP must provide transparency in air monitoring methods and results to community members.

The Environmental Protection Agency is proposing new rules by March 29, 2024, to reduce emissions of ethylene oxide and other toxic air pollutants. These rules will provide essential health protections to communities near chemical plants.

Join us in requesting WVDEP incorporate the latest data and recommendations from the EPA before finalizing the permit.

Take action to protect public health and our environment. Submit a comment by 5 p.m. on Friday, March 29.→

Thank you for your commitment to environmental justice and public health.

-WV Rivers