Puerto Rico's tax incentives continue to support medical sterilization companies that emit dangerous chemicals, exposing nearby communities to elevated cancer risks.
Joaquín A. Rosado Lebrón, Lylla Younes, & Naveena Sadasivam report for Grist.
In short:
- Puerto Rico hosts many medical sterilization plants that use ethylene oxide, a carcinogenic chemical.
- Despite severe health risks, the Puerto Rican government grants tax breaks to these polluting companies.
- The local government’s lax enforcement of environmental regulations exacerbates public health risks.
Key quote:
“It’s not unusual that these laws that promote economic development not only don’t internalize environmental impacts…but go further and promote actions that limit the effectiveness of any health or environmental or safety protection.”
— Luis E. Rodríguez Rivera, University of Puerto Rico
Why this matters:
Communities near these plants face a much higher risk of cancer due to the government prioritizing economic incentives over public health. Stricter enforcement of environmental laws could reduce this risk and better protect residents.
