Skip to main content

PVC plastic and environmental justice

 

Vinyl plants release cancer-causing chemicals into low-income communities of color

  •  373,262 U.S. residents live within three miles of a vinyl chloride, PVC manufacturing, or PVC waste disposal facility.
  • Many vinyl plastics plants and disposal sites are located in low-income and communities of color, exposing vulnerable communities to dangerous chemicals.

People living in these communities are much younger, more diverse, and earn far less than the national per capita income. Among the people living within a three-mile radius of these plants, 63% are people of color, compared to 41% nationwide. Residents of these areas earn an average of $23,747 per capita, which is 37% below the national average of $37,638. Twenty-seven percent are children, compared to the national average of 22%. For more details, see the table below. This is concerning as infants and children are particularly vulnerable to exposure to toxic chemicals.[8]

And over the years, people in low-income communities of color have been forced to relocate due to vinyl chloride and contamination from vinyl/PVC plants in at least four different communities in Louisiana including Mossville, Reveilletown, Morrisonville,  and Plaquemine.

Communities within three miles of a vinyl chloride, PVC plastic, or disposal facility

 

Facility Pop. Within 3 mi % Pop. Under 18yr People of Color % Per Capita Income Facility Type
Ash Grove – Foreman, AR 1,493 22% 36% $25,493 Disposal*
Chemical Waste Management – Sulphur, LA 1,138 27% 3% $32,507 Disposal
Clean Earth – Avalon, TX 594 25% 47% $33,598 Disposal
Clean Harbors – Deer Park, TX 62,646 28% 59% $24,848 Disposal
Clean Harbors – El Dorado, AR 12,753 24% 62% $23,630 Disposal
Clean Harbors – La Porte, TX 8,536 26% 40% $27,023 Disposal
Formosa – Baton Rouge, LA 35,168 25% 95% $18,079 VCM**
Formosa – Point Comfort, TX 586 21% 47% $33,032 VCM
Freedom Waste – Mayfield, KY 3,323 24% 13% $24,761 Disposal
Lubrizol – Louisville, KY 73,664 29% 82% $17,055 PVC***
Occidental – Deer Park, TX 37,080 26% 51% $27,885 VCM
Occidental – Ingleside (Gregory), TX 6,690 31% 59% $34,217 VCM
Occidental – La Porte, TX 4,624 25% 28% $27,808 VCM
Occidental – Pasadena, TX 42,540 32% 76% $20,520 PVC
Occidental – Pedricktown, NJ 4,722 17% 36% $24,950 PVC
Orbia (Mexichem) – Henry, IL 2,595 23% 4% $28,708 PVC
Orbia (Mexichem) – Pedricktown, NJ 4,294 17% 35% $24,239 PVC
Republic Services (BFI) – Itasca, TX 1,660 28% 44% $26,707 Disposal
Shintech – Addis, LA 7,176 28% 53% $30,386 PVC
Shintech – Freeport, TX 11,219 32% 80% $22,346 PVC
Shintech – Plaquemine, TX 2,350 23% 74% $20,590 VCM
Veolia – Port Arthur/Beaumont, TX 47 25% 20% $38,129 Disposal
Waste Management – Alvin, TX 9,361 22% 39% $32,116 Disposal
Westlake – Calvert City, KY 2,871 18% 3% $33,025 VCM
Westlake – Aberdeen, MS 5,445 22% 72% $26,339 PVC
Westlake – Geismar, LA 5,870 32% 33% $37,244 VCM
Westlake (South Plant) – Lake Charles, LA 10,392 24% 20% $35,309 VCM
Westlake – Plaquemine, LA 3,272 23% 74% $21,478 VCM
Westlake (North Plant)- Lake Charles, LA 11,153 20% 18% $32,964 VCM
Population weighted average of vinyl chloride-related facilities 27% 63% $23,747
National average 22% 41% $37,638

*Disposal denotes an incinerator, landfill, or cement kiln where wastes from vinyl chloride and/or PVC plants are sent for disposal
** VCM denotes a vinyl chloride monomer plant
*** PVC denotes a PVC resin plant
Data source for this table: EPA EJ Screen

Young residents of Mossville, Louisiana play near PVC plants. Many families have been forced to relocate due to contamination and the expansion of industry surrounding Mossville.