For the first time in nearly two decades, the U.S. today set stricter limits on pollution from chemical plants. As a result, more than 200 plants across the country will be required to curb the toxins they release into the air.
The new rule is aimed at reducing the risk of cancer for people living near industrial sites. It specifically targets ethylene oxide, which is used to sterilize medical devices, and chloroprene, which is used to make rubber in footwear. These chemicals are considered a top health concern in an area of Louisiana so dense with chemical facilities that it is known as Cancer Alley.
In other environmental news, Europe’s top human rights court said the Swiss government had violated its citizens’ rights by not doing enough to stop climate change. “This is a landmark ruling, and it could trigger a wave of similar lawsuits in European countries,” said David Gelles, who writes our Climate Forward newsletter.
