The EPA plans to reconsider Chevron’s approval to produce plastic-based fuels after discovering one fuel’s cancer risk could be more than a million times the acceptable level.
Sharon Lerner reports for ProPublica.
In short:
- The EPA approved Chevron in 2022 to make 18 plastic-based fuels, some with a very high cancer risk.
- The agency now admits there may have been an error in its original decision after environmental groups raised concerns.
- Chevron has not yet begun making the chemicals, but litigation is ongoing regarding their potential health risks.
Key quote:
“I would say it’s a victory with vigilance required. We are certainly keeping an eye out for a new decision that would reapprove any of these chemicals.”
— Katherine O’Brien, senior attorney at Earthjustice
Why this matters:
Producing plastic-based fuels could expose entire communities to dangerous cancer risks. With the EPA reconsidering its approval, the outcome may set a precedent for regulating high-risk chemical production.
