EPA eyes further cuts in toxic air pollutants

EPA is determining whether certain industrial facilities need to make reductions beyond what is currently required in their emissions of carcinogens and other hazardous air pollutants. Pharmaceutical producers, petroleum refineries, and makers of certain polymers and resins are among the industries that EPA is focusing on, the agency said last week. These industries' facilities currently must comply with EPA's technology-based standards for controlling releases of hazardous air pollutants, which are also known as air toxics. The agency is seeking comment on the data it will use to determine whether emissions of hazardous air pollutants from these already regulated industrial plants pose a "residual risk" to health or the environment. The agency will use risk estimates and evaluations of costs, availability, and feasibility of further emission controls as it decides whether these facilities need to do more to diminish releases of air toxics. EPA said it plans to propose its residual risk decisions for these facilities later this year.