Plastic production plants, including a Dow Chemical Company facility in Texas, release high levels of pollutants into waterways due to outdated U.S. Environmental Protection Agency regulations.
Rebekah F. Ward reports for the Houston Chronicle.
In short:
- A Dow Chemical plant in Freeport discharged 3.3 million pounds of nitrogen and 500,000 pounds of phosphorus into the Brazos River in 2023, causing risks to aquatic ecosystems and water quality.
- The EPA has not updated wastewater discharge standards for plastics plants since 1987, leaving facilities free to release certain toxins like dioxins and mercury without limits.
- Over two-thirds of pollution from plastic production impacts communities of color, according to research by the Environmental Integrity Project.
Key quote:
“Most folks don’t know that the plastics industry is not required to use modern wastewater treatment controls to limit the amount of pollution they pour into our waterways.”
— Jen Duggan, executive director, Environmental Integrity Project
Why this matters:
Untreated discharges of nutrient pollutants and carcinogens harm ecosystems, threaten drinking water and exacerbate environmental injustices. Updating federal standards could reduce pollution and protect vulnerable communities.
