Among the facilities recently granted air pollution exemptions by the federal government are two chemical plants located in Indiana.  

What's happening?

As reported by Indiana Public Broadcasting News in late July, SABIC Innovative Plastics in Posey County and Cook Group Inc. in Monroe County have each had an exemption application approved by federal officials.

This spring, the Trump administration invited companies nationwide to apply for exemptions to air pollution rules under Section 112 of the Clean Air Act, which enables the president to excuse "stationary sources of air pollution" from compliance with any standard or limitation for up to two years "if the technology to implement the standard is not available and it is in the national security interests of the United States to do so."

An Environmental Protection Agency webpage describing how to apply for 2025 exemptions also says that "an exemption may be extended for up to two additional years and can be renewed, if appropriate."

In what the New York Times described in March as a "novel way" for companies to be considered for these exemptions to what the publication called an "obscure section" of the law, applicants were invited to email the EPA with their requests.

In late July, a follow-up report from the Times said that the companies receiving exemptions included at least 15 coal plants and four chemical facilities. Indiana's SABIC and Cook Group Inc. are among them.

According to a previous Detailed Facility Report from the EPA, SABIC has seen multiple high-priority violations of the Clean Air Act for 12 quarters, dating back to 2022. IPB News reported that the plastics plant "ranks sixth for most toxic releases in the state."

Medical device manufacturer Cook Group Inc. has been noted for its ethylene oxide emissions. The gas is often used in the production of various chemicals, including antifreeze, textiles, plastics, and adhesives. 

Why are air pollution exemptions concerning?

The SABIC plastics polymers plant releases around four million pounds of toxic chemicals in Indiana every year, according to IPB News.

A 2022 report from Public Health Watch said that SABIC "released an average of 22,690 pounds of ethylbenzene each year between 2016 and 2020" in southern Indiana. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have noted that exposure to high levels of ethylbenzene, primarily used in the production of styrene, can cause irritation of the eyes and throat as well as dizziness at even higher levels.

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Exposure to the ethylene oxide that Cook generates has also been associated with serious health risks. The flammable chemical can cause respiratory irritation and lung injury with short-term exposure. Long-term exposure to ethylene oxide has been linked to cancers such as lymphoma and leukemia.

What's being done about air pollution standards in Indiana and beyond?

According to SABIC's corporate website, the company "is dedicated to environmental stewardship. We always seek to improve our own performance, and encourage others to take actions that reduce pollution, conserve energy, and raise environmental awareness."

SABIC is not known to have released a statement following the company's federal exemption.

Meanwhile, Cook has said that it plans to achieve compliance with air pollution standards despite the recent exemption, according to IPB News.

"A majority of commercial sterilizing companies requested an extension because the supply chain for the needed materials and monitoring equipment was uncertain," Cook said in a statement.

Meanwhile, according to a mid-June press release from Earthjustice, 12 environmental and community groups have filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration in response to the federal exemptions received by what the organization identified as 68 coal-fired power plants across 23 states, including Indiana.

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