There have been several recent announcements regarding regulatory changes that affect the chemical process industries (CPI). One of the latest is a set of final rules announced on April 9 by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA; www.epa.gov) that significantly limits emissions of air pollutants from chemical manufacturing facilities. The main compounds targeted are ethylene oxide (EtO) emissions from synthetic organic chemical production and chloroprene emissions from neoprene manufacture. Describing these chemicals as “air toxics,” the EPA points out that these two chemicals can have serious health effects in small quantities, and the new rule is expected to reduce related cancer risks in communities near facilities that emit them. According to the EPA, the rule will reduce emissions of these two compounds by nearly 80%.
In an earlier announcement on March 14, the EPA had disclosed its final rule specifically for EtO commercial sterilization facilities, which was aimed at reducing EtO emissions from those facilities by 90%.
Rule to reduce toxic air emissions
One of the requirements in the “Final Rule to Strengthen Standards for Synthetic Organic Chemical Plants and Polymers and Resins Plants” relates to improving the efficiency of flares that are used to control pollution. The EPA states that it is also finalizing stronger standards for heat exchangers, process vents and storage vessels. Emission-control exemptions from startup and shutdown operations are being eliminated.
The rule further requires fenceline monitoring of six compounds. In addition to EtO and chloroprene, the compounds include benzene, 1,3-butadiene, ethylene dichloride and vinyl chloride. The EPA cites that this type of monitoring has been very effective in identifying and reducing benzene emissions at petroleum refineries. “Action levels” that will prompt corrective action from the owners and operators have been defined for the monitored chemicals. Fenceline monitoring for chloroprene is required to begin 90 days after the rule goes into effect. There is a two-year deadline for monitoring of the other five chemicals.
The EPA did make adjustments to the proposed rule based on consideration of public comments. For example, EtO flare limit loads were not included, and emissions control levels for chloroprene from process vents and storage tanks were revised.
The American Chemistry Council (ACC; www.americanchemistry.com) responded to the release of the final rule with a statement that stated in part: “We are reviewing the details of this final rule as well as its impacts on vital industries across the country. This rule will have significant implications on the production of key chemistries such as ethylene oxide, which supports national priorities like electric vehicle battery development, domestic semiconductor manufacturing, and healthcare access.” The ACC raised several concerns over the rule, including the toxicity value for ethylene oxide that was used by the EPA. Full details of the EPA’s final rule and the ACC’s statement can be found on their respective websites.
Update to recent SEC rule
Last month’s column discussed a final ruling by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC; www.sec.gov) regarding reporting of climate-related risks. At the time of this writing, implementation of that rule has been paused, pending the outcome of legal challenges. ■
Dorothy Lozowski, Editorial Director
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November 9-11, 2026Irving Convention Center | Dallas, TX
Explore this topic and more — live at Clean Americas. Join environmental, health, safety, and emergency response professionals tackling the industry's most urgent hazards. View Conference Program →
When a major incident strikes, the people stepping into Incident Command aren't always the ones who trained for it. Engineers, operators, trades supervisors, and compliance specialists may suddenly find themselves filling Command and General Staff roles — not because they volunteered, but because the situation demands it. Panelists will share practical strategies for leading without positional authority, tools and frameworks that help personnel rapidly orient to ICS roles, and approaches for closing the gap between day-to-day job functions and emergency command readiness before the next incident makes it urgent.
Speaking
Scott Andrews (Trans Mountain Canada Inc., Manager Emergency Management)
Kelly Codlin , MSPH, CIH (Marathon Petroleum Company, Emergency Preparedness Director)
Nick Hickson (Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service (TEEX), Hazmat Training Manager)
Josh Dubach MSc, CEM (Onterris, Senior Response Management Consultant)
This session will examine produced water as the largest waste stream in the oil and gas industry and one of its most pressing emerging challenges. It will address the growing volumes of produced water, the increasing regulatory and public scrutiny of constituents such as PFAS, salts, and Naturally Occurring Radioactive Material (NORM), and the operational implications for management, treatment, reuse, and disposal. The discussion will also explore how operators, regulators, and communities are redefining approaches to produced water management in response to environmental, technical, and stakeholder pressures.
Speaking
Steve Pepper, Ph.D., (Onterris, Director of Response Management)
Charles Maguire (Railroad Commission of Texas, Advisor, Oil and Gas Division)
Prof. Shane Walker Ph.D. (Texas Produced Water Consortium, Director)
Ray Cheatham (Onterris, Energy Sector Leader)
This session will present a detailed case study of a large-scale lithium-ion battery fire response that extended over 12 months. Attendees will explore the hazards associated with thermal runaway events, the operational challenges of suppressing lithium battery fires, and the response strategies that proved effective in this prolonged incident. The
Drawing on insights from U.S. EPA Region 9 wildfire response efforts, the session will also highlight tactics such as hazard characterization, air monitoring and evaluation, and household hazardous waste collection and disposal. Participants will leave with a stronger understanding of the complexities involved in large-scale battery fire incidents and the critical factors to consider when planning and executing an effective response.
Speaking
Robert W. May PG (Clean Harbors, Senior Vice President, Branch Services and Sales)
Crosley Welch (Missouri Department of Natural Resources, State On-Scene Coordinator)
Samuel Cheek , CSP, RRPT (U.S. EPA, Region 6, Federal On-Scene Coordinator)
Christopher Myers (U.S. EPA, Region 9, Federal On-Scene Coordinator)
This session introduces use of remote sensing technologies to detect, characterize and monitor spills across marine and coastal environments. Discussion will highlight how tools can integrate into modern spill response workflows to improve safety and support data-driven decision making.
Speaking
James Hanzalik (Clean Gulf Associates, Vice-President)
Gordon Staples (MDA Space Ltd., Senior Radar Applications Scientist)
Grant Coolbaugh (Applied Research Associates / Ohmsett, Mechanical Engineer)
Speaking
Allyson Purcell MEP, CEM (ConocoPhillips, CMER Director)
Michael Delio (Maxum Petroleum, EHS & SECURITY MGR)
This session provides a practical, ground‑level introduction to the essential steps required after a battery undergoes a thermal event. We’ll break down how to assess site conditions, stabilize and prepare damaged cells or packs, select appropriate containment and packaging methods, and navigate the regulatory landscape that governs transport and disposal. The lecture emphasizes real‑world decision‑making, safety considerations, and compliance requirements, giving participants a clear framework they can apply immediately in field operations or emergency response planning.
Speaking
Mark Steadman (The Battery Network, Program Manager)
Chemical Engineering
Regulating air emissions
| By Dorothy Lozowski
There have been several recent announcements regarding regulatory changes that affect the chemical process industries (CPI). One of the latest is a set of final rules announced on April 9 by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA; www.epa.gov) that significantly limits emissions of air pollutants from chemical manufacturing facilities. The main compounds targeted are ethylene oxide (EtO) emissions from synthetic organic chemical production and chloroprene emissions from neoprene manufacture. Describing these chemicals as “air toxics,” the EPA points out that these two chemicals can have serious health effects in small quantities, and the new rule is expected to reduce related cancer risks in communities near facilities that emit them. According to the EPA, the rule will reduce emissions of these two compounds by nearly 80%.
In an earlier announcement on March 14, the EPA had disclosed its final rule specifically for EtO commercial sterilization facilities, which was aimed at reducing EtO emissions from those facilities by 90%.
Rule to reduce toxic air emissions
One of the requirements in the “Final Rule to Strengthen Standards for Synthetic Organic Chemical Plants and Polymers and Resins Plants” relates to improving the efficiency of flares that are used to control pollution. The EPA states that it is also finalizing stronger standards for heat exchangers, process vents and storage vessels. Emission-control exemptions from startup and shutdown operations are being eliminated.
The rule further requires fenceline monitoring of six compounds. In addition to EtO and chloroprene, the compounds include benzene, 1,3-butadiene, ethylene dichloride and vinyl chloride. The EPA cites that this type of monitoring has been very effective in identifying and reducing benzene emissions at petroleum refineries. “Action levels” that will prompt corrective action from the owners and operators have been defined for the monitored chemicals. Fenceline monitoring for chloroprene is required to begin 90 days after the rule goes into effect. There is a two-year deadline for monitoring of the other five chemicals.
The EPA did make adjustments to the proposed rule based on consideration of public comments. For example, EtO flare limit loads were not included, and emissions control levels for chloroprene from process vents and storage tanks were revised.
The American Chemistry Council (ACC; www.americanchemistry.com) responded to the release of the final rule with a statement that stated in part: “We are reviewing the details of this final rule as well as its impacts on vital industries across the country. This rule will have significant implications on the production of key chemistries such as ethylene oxide, which supports national priorities like electric vehicle battery development, domestic semiconductor manufacturing, and healthcare access.” The ACC raised several concerns over the rule, including the toxicity value for ethylene oxide that was used by the EPA. Full details of the EPA’s final rule and the ACC’s statement can be found on their respective websites.
Update to recent SEC rule
Last month’s column discussed a final ruling by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC; www.sec.gov) regarding reporting of climate-related risks. At the time of this writing, implementation of that rule has been paused, pending the outcome of legal challenges. ■
Featured Conference
When a major incident strikes, the people stepping into Incident Command aren't always the ones who trained for it. Engineers, operators, trades supervisors, and compliance specialists may suddenly find themselves filling Command and General Staff roles — not because they volunteered, but because the situation demands it. Panelists will share practical strategies for leading without positional authority, tools and frameworks that help personnel rapidly orient to ICS roles, and approaches for closing the gap between day-to-day job functions and emergency command readiness before the next incident makes it urgent.
This session will examine produced water as the largest waste stream in the oil and gas industry and one of its most pressing emerging challenges. It will address the growing volumes of produced water, the increasing regulatory and public scrutiny of constituents such as PFAS, salts, and Naturally Occurring Radioactive Material (NORM), and the operational implications for management, treatment, reuse, and disposal. The discussion will also explore how operators, regulators, and communities are redefining approaches to produced water management in response to environmental, technical, and stakeholder pressures.
This session will present a detailed case study of a large-scale lithium-ion battery fire response that extended over 12 months. Attendees will explore the hazards associated with thermal runaway events, the operational challenges of suppressing lithium battery fires, and the response strategies that proved effective in this prolonged incident. The
Drawing on insights from U.S. EPA Region 9 wildfire response efforts, the session will also highlight tactics such as hazard characterization, air monitoring and evaluation, and household hazardous waste collection and disposal. Participants will leave with a stronger understanding of the complexities involved in large-scale battery fire incidents and the critical factors to consider when planning and executing an effective response.
This session introduces use of remote sensing technologies to detect, characterize and monitor spills across marine and coastal environments. Discussion will highlight how tools can integrate into modern spill response workflows to improve safety and support data-driven decision making.
This session provides a practical, ground‑level introduction to the essential steps required after a battery undergoes a thermal event. We’ll break down how to assess site conditions, stabilize and prepare damaged cells or packs, select appropriate containment and packaging methods, and navigate the regulatory landscape that governs transport and disposal. The lecture emphasizes real‑world decision‑making, safety considerations, and compliance requirements, giving participants a clear framework they can apply immediately in field operations or emergency response planning.