As the world transitions away from fossil fuels, oil and gas companies are looking towards plastic as their next major growth market.
Meanwhile, the domestic petrochemical buildout often has harmful effects on the communities where these plants are located, as factory pollutants can effect the surrounding air, water and soil.
Sharon Lavigne understands these issues well. She lives in St. James Parish, Louisiana, which lies along a stretch of the Mississippi River often referred to as"air pollution in the area has beenSigns protesting the construction of a Formosa Plastics petrochemical facility in St. James Parish, Louisiana
In 2018 she founded Rise St. James, with the goal of stopping the petrochemical expansion. The organization successfully halted construction of a $1.25 billion plastics plant by Wanhua Chemical, and is currently fighting to prevent Formosa Plastics from building a plant in the 5th district, where Lavigne lives. However, it looks like that project will proceed. "One time they wanted to build a plant in the white district and a parish council voted it down. They said no," Lavigne said.
also recently introduced EPR laws that make plastics producers pay for recycling programs, and other states, including California and New York, want to follow suit.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
'Utterly Shameless': Former Democratic Senators Join Fossil Fuel Lobby GroupVolts publisher David Roberts lambastes 'utterly shameless corporate shill' former Sen. Heidi Heitkamp, who is 'fresh from defending corporations against higher taxes' and 'is now shilling for natural gas,' adding 'I don't understand how these people sleep at night.'
Read more »
Australian Open Leads the Way — Game, Set, Match on Fossil Fuel SponsorshipTennis Australia dumped fossil fuel sponsorship.
Read more »
Non-fossil fuels forecast to be 50% of China's power capacity in 2022Non-fossil fuel energy sources such as wind, nuclear, solar and hydropower may make up half of China's total power generation capacity by the end of 2022, for the first time ever, the country's electricity council has forecast.
Read more »
As climate crisis worsens, this California city wants to build a gas plantThis city was founded in 1906 and shares a border with L.A. at Griffith Park. It’s home to Walt Disney Imagineering (for now) and has excellent hiking trails. Also, it’s possibly the last city that will build a fossil-fueled power plant in California.
Read more »
Australian Open Leads the Way — Game, Set, Match on Fossil Fuel SponsorshipTennis Australia dumped fossil fuel sponsorship.
Read more »
A New Internal Combustion Engine Produces Nearly Zero Harmful EmissionsAstron Aerospace unveils the Omega 1, an engine designed to give internal combustion a new lease of life amid increasing curbs on fossil fuel consumption.
Read more »