Chemicals in plastics have been linked to a range of health issues, including neurodevelopmental disorders, asthma, allergies, reproductive harm, endocrine disruption, and cancer. Burning plastics releases chemicals known to cause cancer, birth defects, and other serious health harms. These include benzene, cadmium, dioxins, arsenic, lead, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and mercury.

Plastics are produced in some of the nation’s most underserved communities, blanketing neighborhoods in carcinogenic air pollution. Systemic racism has created practices that force people of color to live closer to industrial facilities and often in neighborhoods already overburdened by industrial air pollution. While air pollution is a threat to everyone, the impacts are not felt equally. For example, Black communities with greater exposure to air pollution have higher than average childhood asthma rates, and Black children have a 500% higher mortality rate from asthma than white kids.

Moms Clean Air Force’s work on plastics and petrochemicals is a natural extension of our ten-plus years fighting pollution from fracking and methane. Plastic is made from ethane, a fracking by-product, and petrochemical manufacturing facilities are often located near existing oil and gas operations. In 2021, we supported the Break Free From Plastic Pollution Act, the most comprehensive plan ever introduced in Congress to address the plastic pollution crisis, and we will continue to work with Congress on solutions that address the environmental injustices created by the buildout of petrochemical facilities in communities of color and low-income communities.

Moms Clean Air Force also supports state-based efforts to cut pollution from petrochemical facilities. Our organizers in the Ohio River Valley, Louisiana, and Texas are demanding that their elected officials and agencies show leadership in holding these facilities accountable.