Rubbertown is a hotspot for chemical pollution, with 13 facilities in the area. The pollution emitted from these facilities negatively impacts the health of those who live and work in the area, causing health problems such as asthma, headaches, blurry vision, nausea, heart disease, diabetes, and cancer.
One of the first thing people who learn about Rubbertown want to know is "who are biggest offenders?," or who are the main polluters in Rubbertown. According to the Environmental Protection Agency's Toxic Release Inventory, three companies stand out: Chemours, Clariant, and Hexion.
1. Chemours
Although Chemours has only been operating in this location since 2016, a polluting plant has been there since 1941. Chemours, a subsidiary of DuPont, manufactures fluoropolymers and refrigerants, chemicals that go into everyday products such as cars, phones, airplanes, plastics, nonstick pans, refrigerators, and many more.
Chemours has recently been in the news for its HFC-23 emissions. This chemical, called a “super-pollutant,” is 14,600 times stronger than carbon dioxide when it comes to contributing to climate change. In order to lessen emissions of HFC-23, however, Chemours is seeking to increase its emissions of chloroform, chlorine, hydrogen fluoride, and hydrochloric acid—chemicals that hurt the health of people living nearby.
2. Clariant
The Clariant plant in Rubbertown makes polypropylene catalysts, or chemicals that aid in the production of certain plastics. These plastics then go into common products such as packaging, electrical equipment, car parts, chairs, pipes, household appliances, etc.
Clariant has a history with inaccuracies in emission reports, leaving community members feeling uncertain about who they can trust when talking about these dangerous chemicals.
3. Hexion
Hexion’s Louisville location, called "Bakelite," makes adhesives and resins. During this process, the facility emits chemical pollution in the form of phenol, methanol, and formaldehyde, a carcinogen. Hexion has been noted for its repeat violations, which include unreported emissions of formaldehyde and employees muting alarms.