How would you feel if you had to live next to a neighbor who consistently burned waste in their backyard, left trash scattered around your neighborhood and pushed off any growing concerns with a, “I’ll fix it later.”
This is the reality for many Beaver County residents who live next to the Shell ethane cracker plant on the Monongahela River. As a student at the University of Pittsburgh, my academic focus is on plastic and producer responsibility. I have learned about the harms of plastic production and how corporations like Shell are able to evade equitable consequences for their actions.
The Shell cracker plant is a concern because it pollutes our waterways, emits nitrogen oxide and has malfunctions that release dangerous chemicals like benzene in our environment. For too long, Shell has violated its permit to release these toxic emissions.
While other toxic emissions have lowered, the Shell cracker plant still releases nitrogen oxide well above its permitted levels. To protect our communities, corporations should be held to a greater accountability so they think twice before skimping on the proper measures to clean industrial byproducts.
Clara Jane Mack
Oakland