In Youngstown, Ohio, officials have imposed a one-year moratorium on a proposed plant that would convert tire waste into synthetic gas, citing environmental justice issues.
James Bruggers reports for Inside Climate News.
In short:
- The proposed plant by SOBE Thermal Energy Systems, intended to turn tire waste into energy, sparked opposition from local and state environmental groups.
- Located near a jail and a university dormitory, the plant raised concerns about its impact on a neighborhood already burdened with environmental justice issues.
- The Ohio Environmental Protection Agency is reviewing the project, while local groups and national organizations like Beyond Plastics have voiced strong opposition.
Key quote:
“To put something like a tire or plastic or waste pyrolysis facility there is egregious for the environment and the health of the people who have lived there and worked to build up the area.”
— Jess Conard, Appalachia director of Beyond Plastics.
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