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In search of the principles of life

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Tuesday, November 22, 2022

MIT Associate Professor Otto Cordero has always gravitated toward the most basic questions of life. How do ecosystems assemble? Why do species divide labor in nature? He believes these are some of the most central questions for understanding life. “The challenge is discovering something that applies across organisms and across environments — now we’re talking about a fundamental constraint of life,” says Cordero, who recently earned tenure in the MIT Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering. “I really care about that type of thing. That’s where it ends for me. Why are things the way they are? Why do they look the way they do and function the way they do? It’s because there are constraints. It’s evolution. It’s how the world works. Discovering those principals is the ultimate prize.” Cordero’s search has led him into areas of research he never could have imagined. Along the way, he’s made progress toward understanding microbial ecosystems through the broad factors that dictate their composition and behavior. “I talk to a lot of physicists, and they all tell the same story,” Cordero says, smiling. “Many years ago, there were people looking at the molecules of a gas, trying to predict where each one will be, and then somebody at some point figured out there were master variables: pressure, volume, and temperature, and they all relate to each other very nicely. Now they have the gas law, and everything makes sense once you understand those variables. It’s unclear if master variables like that exist in biology, and even more so in microbial ecology, but it’s certainly worth looking for them.” Embracing chance Cordero was raised by his mother in Guayaquil, Ecuador, where he says scientific activity was sparse. “I never met a scientist in my life,” Cordero says. “At my university in Ecuador, there was one teacher who had a PhD, and everybody called him doctor.” Although no one in Cordero’s family had gone to college, his mother prioritized his education, and Cordero gained an appreciation for reading and learning from his grandfather. Those influences led him to a technical college for his undergraduate degree. Cordero’s childhood was humble — there were days he had to borrow 25 cents just to catch a bus to campus. But a pivotal moment came when he received a scholarship to attend Utrecht University for graduate school in the Netherlands. “Everything is serendipitous,” Cordero says. “I tell my students when I look back, I could never have predicted where I’d be in three to five years.” Up to that point, Cordero hadn’t met many people outside of Ecuador, but he jokes that he met someone from every country in Europe within a week. He’d go on to make friends from around the world. While majoring in artificial intelligence as a master’s student, Cordero became interested in algorithms that described the organization of organisms like insects. One day he was searching through papers on the subject when a Dutch name caught his eye. It turned out to be a professor in the building next to him. He hurried over and met the professor, Paulien Hogeweg, who was studying fundamental questions of life using computational biology. Cordero fell in love with the subject, and Hogeweg would become his PhD advisor. Serendipity struck again when Cordero began his postdoctoral work at MIT, where he worked under longtime MIT professor Martin Polz, who is now a professor at the University of Vienna. “I ended up opening this area of research for myself that I never imagined before,” Cordero says. “I started to study microbial interactions — essentially how different strains or species of bacteria interact in the environment.” Through that work, Cordero uncovered mechanisms microbes use to work together or kill off competing species, which have major implications for microbial ecosystems and perhaps also large biogeochemical processes like the carbon cycle. “From there, I was an expert in microbial interactions and evolution,” Cordero says. “I was working on exciting projects, and when that happens at MIT the environment lifts you up. Everybody wants to talk to you about the next idea. It’s stimulating. I enjoy that very much. The dynamics and exposure here are unrivaled. I feel like I go to a talk and I know what the next big-impact paper is going to be.” Cordero joined the faculty at MIT in 2015, and he’s continued studying microbes to explore how biological systems function and evolve. In keeping with that mission, in 2017 Cordero helped assemble an interdisciplinary group of researchers from around the world to look for universal principles of biology that could help explain and predict the behavior of microbial systems. The resulting collaboration, called Principles of Microbial Ecosystems (PRIME), has made progress identifying environmental factors and constraints that help shape all ecosystems. For instance, PRIME researchers have profiled the metabolic processes of hundreds of species of microbes to place them into broader metabolic classes that can be used to accurately model and predict the behavior of ecosystems. “Trying to make sense of the diversity of microorganisms, or any organism, in an environment is really complex, so the natural instinct is to start with little things — to see what one organism does,” Cordero says. “I wanted to look for things that could be generalized. Is there some sort of principal that helps explain or predict why communities assemble this way, or what we should expect in this environment or that environment? We see these broad patterns, and it begs the question of what the right variables are to study. Things become much simpler and more predictable when you identify those right variables.” Focusing on the bigger picture Cordero says he wants to break stereotypes about academics, like that they all come from elite schools and affluent families. He also wants to show students that researchers can have fun while working hard. Before the pandemic, Cordero played in a band with students from his department that featured two PhD students on guitar, a postdoctoral drummer, an MBA on the trumpet, and a master’s student singing. “That was the highlight of the week for me,” Cordero says. “Hopefully we bring it back!” Cordero’s personal life has also gotten a bit busier since the start of the pandemic — he now has a 2-year-old and 5-month-old. Overall, whether in his personal life or work, Cordero tries to focus on the big picture. “When you sequence [the genome] of something, you get this long list of taxa with Latin names, but that’s not really the most important information,” Cordero says. “The vision is that one day — hopefully not too far into the future — we can transform that information into more functional variables. [This goes back to] the pressure-volume-temperature analogy. Maybe these ecosystems can be understood with simple models, and maybe we can predict what they will do in the future. That would be a huge game-changer.”

Associate Professor Otto Cordero is looking for the fundamental constraints that shape microbial ecosystems.

MIT Associate Professor Otto Cordero has always gravitated toward the most basic questions of life. How do ecosystems assemble? Why do species divide labor in nature? He believes these are some of the most central questions for understanding life.

“The challenge is discovering something that applies across organisms and across environments — now we’re talking about a fundamental constraint of life,” says Cordero, who recently earned tenure in the MIT Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering. “I really care about that type of thing. That’s where it ends for me. Why are things the way they are? Why do they look the way they do and function the way they do? It’s because there are constraints. It’s evolution. It’s how the world works. Discovering those principals is the ultimate prize.”

Cordero’s search has led him into areas of research he never could have imagined. Along the way, he’s made progress toward understanding microbial ecosystems through the broad factors that dictate their composition and behavior.

“I talk to a lot of physicists, and they all tell the same story,” Cordero says, smiling. “Many years ago, there were people looking at the molecules of a gas, trying to predict where each one will be, and then somebody at some point figured out there were master variables: pressure, volume, and temperature, and they all relate to each other very nicely. Now they have the gas law, and everything makes sense once you understand those variables. It’s unclear if master variables like that exist in biology, and even more so in microbial ecology, but it’s certainly worth looking for them.”

Embracing chance

Cordero was raised by his mother in Guayaquil, Ecuador, where he says scientific activity was sparse.

“I never met a scientist in my life,” Cordero says. “At my university in Ecuador, there was one teacher who had a PhD, and everybody called him doctor.”

Although no one in Cordero’s family had gone to college, his mother prioritized his education, and Cordero gained an appreciation for reading and learning from his grandfather. Those influences led him to a technical college for his undergraduate degree.

Cordero’s childhood was humble — there were days he had to borrow 25 cents just to catch a bus to campus. But a pivotal moment came when he received a scholarship to attend Utrecht University for graduate school in the Netherlands.

“Everything is serendipitous,” Cordero says. “I tell my students when I look back, I could never have predicted where I’d be in three to five years.”

Up to that point, Cordero hadn’t met many people outside of Ecuador, but he jokes that he met someone from every country in Europe within a week. He’d go on to make friends from around the world.

While majoring in artificial intelligence as a master’s student, Cordero became interested in algorithms that described the organization of organisms like insects. One day he was searching through papers on the subject when a Dutch name caught his eye. It turned out to be a professor in the building next to him. He hurried over and met the professor, Paulien Hogeweg, who was studying fundamental questions of life using computational biology. Cordero fell in love with the subject, and Hogeweg would become his PhD advisor.

Serendipity struck again when Cordero began his postdoctoral work at MIT, where he worked under longtime MIT professor Martin Polz, who is now a professor at the University of Vienna.

“I ended up opening this area of research for myself that I never imagined before,” Cordero says. “I started to study microbial interactions — essentially how different strains or species of bacteria interact in the environment.”

Through that work, Cordero uncovered mechanisms microbes use to work together or kill off competing species, which have major implications for microbial ecosystems and perhaps also large biogeochemical processes like the carbon cycle.

“From there, I was an expert in microbial interactions and evolution,” Cordero says. “I was working on exciting projects, and when that happens at MIT the environment lifts you up. Everybody wants to talk to you about the next idea. It’s stimulating. I enjoy that very much. The dynamics and exposure here are unrivaled. I feel like I go to a talk and I know what the next big-impact paper is going to be.”

Cordero joined the faculty at MIT in 2015, and he’s continued studying microbes to explore how biological systems function and evolve.

In keeping with that mission, in 2017 Cordero helped assemble an interdisciplinary group of researchers from around the world to look for universal principles of biology that could help explain and predict the behavior of microbial systems. The resulting collaboration, called Principles of Microbial Ecosystems (PRIME), has made progress identifying environmental factors and constraints that help shape all ecosystems.

For instance, PRIME researchers have profiled the metabolic processes of hundreds of species of microbes to place them into broader metabolic classes that can be used to accurately model and predict the behavior of ecosystems.

“Trying to make sense of the diversity of microorganisms, or any organism, in an environment is really complex, so the natural instinct is to start with little things — to see what one organism does,” Cordero says. “I wanted to look for things that could be generalized. Is there some sort of principal that helps explain or predict why communities assemble this way, or what we should expect in this environment or that environment? We see these broad patterns, and it begs the question of what the right variables are to study. Things become much simpler and more predictable when you identify those right variables.”

Focusing on the bigger picture

Cordero says he wants to break stereotypes about academics, like that they all come from elite schools and affluent families.

He also wants to show students that researchers can have fun while working hard. Before the pandemic, Cordero played in a band with students from his department that featured two PhD students on guitar, a postdoctoral drummer, an MBA on the trumpet, and a master’s student singing.

“That was the highlight of the week for me,” Cordero says. “Hopefully we bring it back!”

Cordero’s personal life has also gotten a bit busier since the start of the pandemic — he now has a 2-year-old and 5-month-old.

Overall, whether in his personal life or work, Cordero tries to focus on the big picture.

“When you sequence [the genome] of something, you get this long list of taxa with Latin names, but that’s not really the most important information,” Cordero says. “The vision is that one day — hopefully not too far into the future — we can transform that information into more functional variables. [This goes back to] the pressure-volume-temperature analogy. Maybe these ecosystems can be understood with simple models, and maybe we can predict what they will do in the future. That would be a huge game-changer.”

Read the full story here.
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Baytown plant with troubled track record could receive up to $332 million from federal government to lower emissions

Federal regulators found at least 25 air quality violations at the ExxonMobil Baytown Olefins Plant over the last five years. However, the facility could receive millions in federal funding as part of a national decarbonization initiative.

This Friday, Oct. 13, 2017, photo taken from upper Galveston Bay shows the Exxon Mobil Baytown refinery and chemical plant in Baytown, Texas.A Baytown power plant with a track record of federal air quality violations could get up to $332 million from the U.S. Department of Energy as part of a national decarbonization initiative. On Monday, the U.S. Department of Energy announced $6 billion in funding for 33 decarbonization projects across the country — including six projects specifically in Texas. One of those projects could grant up to $331.9 million to the ExxonMobil Baytown Olefins Plant to “enable the use of hydrogen in place of natural gas” for ethylene production, with the goal of cutting down the plant’s total emissions by more than half. However, environmental advocacy groups say they’re skeptical. Luke Metzger, the executive director of Environment Texas, said the hydrogen that Exxon would use would likely be produced using natural gas, which would add to the plant’s omissions and nullify the benefits of the project. “Ultimately, it could be a wash in terms of the emissions impact and further delaying the transition towards clean, renewable energy,” Metzger said. “This hydrogen scheme, I worry, is not actually going to be a net positive for public health or the environment.” Over the last few years, the Baytown plant has repeatedly violated federal standards. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s website, several “high priority” air quality violations were found during at least 12 separate inspections before May 2022 — a total of 25 violations have been found over the last five years. ExxonMobil operates a multi-facility complex in Baytown comprised of the olefins plant, along with a chemical plant and refinery. In total, the ExxonMobil complex has seen at least 60 federal violations over the last five years and has been penalized at least $442,451 for significant violations, according to the EPA. Additionally, at least four workers were injured in an explosion at the ExxonMobil refinery in 2021, which resulted in a $10 million lawsuit against the company. In 2019, more than 30 people were injured in another explosion at the refinery. Environment Texas was among a trio of environmental nonprofits that sued ExxonMobil back in 2010 for violating the EPA’s Clean Air Act for multiple years. The courts kicked the case around for more than a decade, but ultimately ruled against Exxon in March 2021, hitting the company with more than $14 million in fines — a ruling that Exxon is currently appealing. Both ExxonMobil and the U.S. Department of Energy did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Deer Park Shell chemical plant flaring that started Thursday still active, could last days longer

Flaring during an emergency is normally a good sign that emergency systems are working as they should, and burning materials that would otherwise be released into the community, but flaring incidents still have physical and mental impacts on nearby communities, County Judge Lina Hidalgo said.

Gregory Bull/APFILE: Thursday, Aug. 31, 2017, a flame burns at the Shell Deer Park oil refinery in Deer Park, Texas.Flaring at a Shell chemical plant in Deer Park that started after a power outage around 3:45 p.m. Thursday was still going on Monday morning, and could last days longer, according to the Deer Park Office of Emergency Management. In a statement Friday, Shell said it’s taking steps to minimize any noise, light or smoke associated with the flaring activity that’s expected to last until power is fully restored. An Environmental Duty Representative at Shell Deer Park said there is no threat to community members or industry neighbors. “As you know, the flares play a key role in keeping our planet safe,” according to Shell. “Once flared, the hydrocarbon has been safely treated and potential emissions have been reduced by at least 98 percent. We want to apologize for any inconveniences this activity may cause.” “The flares are currently very high in the air, which means there is low risk for contaminants to reach the community,” County Judge Lina Hidalgo said in a statement.” Hidalgo said the Harris County Office of Emergency Management and Pollution Control are continuing to monitor the situation, despite having unanswered questions surrounding it. “Unfortunately, Harris County Pollution Control has not received specific answers as to which chemicals are involved in the incident or why the flaring will last so long,” Hidalgo said. “Although that disclosure is not required by state law, Shell owes it to our community to let our regulatory department know which chemicals are being released.”   Flaring during an emergency is normally a good sign that emergency systems are working as they should, and burning materials that would otherwise be released into the community, but flaring incidents still have physical and mental impacts on nearby communities, she said. “We also don’t want to accept incidents like this as ‘business as usual,” Hidalgo said. “We are doing everything in our power to understand what the potential impact to the community might be.”

Yellowstone fish still under scrutiny months after derailment

Nine months after a train accident spilled asphalt into the Yellowstone River, officials debate the safety of its fish for consumption.Brett French reports for The Billings Gazette.In short:State officials are evaluating the safety of consuming fish from a section of the Yellowstone River affected by a train derailment that released asphalt.Various fish species tested showed high levels of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), raising health concerns.Efforts are underway to further assess the spread of PAHs and decide on the continuation of the fish consumption advisory.Key quote:“The agencies are developing a plan for additional sampling in the spring to help delineate the extent of PAHs for human consumption concerns and confirm whether continuing the advisory is warranted.”— Moira Davin, public relations specialist for the Montana Department of Environmental QualityWhy this matters:Train derailments can be toxic to fish and other aquatic organisms, leading to reduced populations or even local extinctions. The contamination of water and soil can affect the entire food chain. Smaller species that are directly exposed to pollutants can be consumed by larger predators, causing bioaccumulation of hazardous substances in wildlife. Public health can also be affected, as residents of East Palestine found after a Norfolk Southern train derailed carrying an array of toxic chemicals.

Nine months after a train accident spilled asphalt into the Yellowstone River, officials debate the safety of its fish for consumption.Brett French reports for The Billings Gazette.In short:State officials are evaluating the safety of consuming fish from a section of the Yellowstone River affected by a train derailment that released asphalt.Various fish species tested showed high levels of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), raising health concerns.Efforts are underway to further assess the spread of PAHs and decide on the continuation of the fish consumption advisory.Key quote:“The agencies are developing a plan for additional sampling in the spring to help delineate the extent of PAHs for human consumption concerns and confirm whether continuing the advisory is warranted.”— Moira Davin, public relations specialist for the Montana Department of Environmental QualityWhy this matters:Train derailments can be toxic to fish and other aquatic organisms, leading to reduced populations or even local extinctions. The contamination of water and soil can affect the entire food chain. Smaller species that are directly exposed to pollutants can be consumed by larger predators, causing bioaccumulation of hazardous substances in wildlife. Public health can also be affected, as residents of East Palestine found after a Norfolk Southern train derailed carrying an array of toxic chemicals.

Biden's $6 billion industrial carbon offensive

The Energy Department plans to award up to $6 billion across 33 projects to wring carbon dioxide from heavy industries like metals, chemicals, and cement.Why it matters: It's the "single largest industrial decarbonization investment in American history," DOE boss Jennifer Granholm told reporters.Industrial processes create roughly a fourth of U.S. CO2 emissions — and even close to a third — depending on how you slice the national pie.It's also the Biden administration's latest in a multi-pronged effort to tame domestic carbon emissions.State of play: The projects are funded largely through the Democrats' 2022 climate law, with some cash from the 2021 bipartisan infrastructure law, too.They would together provide yearly emissions cuts that match the annual CO2 output of 3 million gasoline-powered cars, the agency estimates.It's a federal cost-share with companies, so officials see over $20 billion in total investment.Monday's announcement also touts efforts to use union labor and tackle environmental justice — both key Democratic policy priorities.Data: Rhodium Group; Chart: Axios VisualsThe big picture: Making heavy industries climate-friendly is a tough nut to crack, as these sectors often need massive energy inputs and extremely high heat. And unlike the electricity system, a similarly large CO2 source, solutions are often lacking at commercial scale.Zoom in: Examples of the 33 projects include...Converting a Constellium aluminum plant in West Virginia to use furnaces that can run on cleaner fuels including hydrogen.Installing a CO2 capture and storage system at a Heidelberg Materials cement plant in Indiana.Slashing process heat emissions from Kraft Heinz facilities in nine states by using various electrification technologies.Yes, but: These are initial decisions subject to more grant negotiations. And if funded, a project faces "go/no-go" decision points at various phases, where the agency weighs progress and community benefits.What's next: Officials hope this spurs use of cleaner tech in these industries more widely — in the U.S. and worldwide."The solutions that we are funding are replicable, and they're scalable," Granholm said.

The Energy Department plans to award up to $6 billion across 33 projects to wring carbon dioxide from heavy industries like metals, chemicals, and cement.Why it matters: It's the "single largest industrial decarbonization investment in American history," DOE boss Jennifer Granholm told reporters.Industrial processes create roughly a fourth of U.S. CO2 emissions — and even close to a third — depending on how you slice the national pie.It's also the Biden administration's latest in a multi-pronged effort to tame domestic carbon emissions.State of play: The projects are funded largely through the Democrats' 2022 climate law, with some cash from the 2021 bipartisan infrastructure law, too.They would together provide yearly emissions cuts that match the annual CO2 output of 3 million gasoline-powered cars, the agency estimates.It's a federal cost-share with companies, so officials see over $20 billion in total investment.Monday's announcement also touts efforts to use union labor and tackle environmental justice — both key Democratic policy priorities.Data: Rhodium Group; Chart: Axios VisualsThe big picture: Making heavy industries climate-friendly is a tough nut to crack, as these sectors often need massive energy inputs and extremely high heat. And unlike the electricity system, a similarly large CO2 source, solutions are often lacking at commercial scale.Zoom in: Examples of the 33 projects include...Converting a Constellium aluminum plant in West Virginia to use furnaces that can run on cleaner fuels including hydrogen.Installing a CO2 capture and storage system at a Heidelberg Materials cement plant in Indiana.Slashing process heat emissions from Kraft Heinz facilities in nine states by using various electrification technologies.Yes, but: These are initial decisions subject to more grant negotiations. And if funded, a project faces "go/no-go" decision points at various phases, where the agency weighs progress and community benefits.What's next: Officials hope this spurs use of cleaner tech in these industries more widely — in the U.S. and worldwide."The solutions that we are funding are replicable, and they're scalable," Granholm said.

Paused Ohio chemical recycling plant puts spotlight on Appalachia as “prime target” for the controversial practice

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio — On a bright, cold day in February, Akim Lattermore stood in front of her house gesturing toward the site of a proposed facility that would convert old tires, electronic waste and plastic into fuel.The site, owned by SOBE Thermal Energy Systems, is currently home to crumbling old buildings and a natural-gas-powered steam heat generating unit. It’s less than half a mile from Lattermore’s home, visible from her front yard, which bears a sign with a picture of a black plume of smoke and the message “Stop SOBE. We have enough toxic air pollution.”“I’m a two-time cancer survivor,” Lattermore told Environmental Health News (EHN). “I believe that our environment has a lot to do with it.”Youngstown has a long industrial history and is still home to numerous sources of industrial pollution, including a steel plant and other metal fabricators, a concrete plant and a hazardous waste processing facility. Youngstown’s polluting industries released 80,600 pounds of toxic chemicals into air and water in 2022, including carcinogenic heavy metals like lead, nickel and chromium compounds, and possible carcinogens like ethylbenzene, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) Toxics Release Inventory. Residents like Lattermore fear that SOBE’s proposed chemical recycling plant — currently on hold after the city passed a one-year moratorium — will only add to this toxic burden. “I’m a two-time cancer survivor. I believe that our environment has a lot to do with it.” - Akim Lattermore, Youngstown, Ohio, residentThere are proposals in the works for similar chemical recycling plants across the country. According to a 2023 report by the nonprofit organization Beyond Plastics, 11 such facilities had already been constructed in the U.S. as of September 2023, with one closing this year. Proposals for projects similar to SOBE’s throughout the Ohio River Valley have also met with community resistance — but more are likely on the way. “Appalachia is definitely a prime target for chemical recycling,” Jess Conard, Appalachia director of the nonprofit Beyond Plastics, told EHN. “There are often big tax subsidies available for these kinds of industries in states like Pennsylvania, Ohio and West Virginia, and it’s part of the culture of this region that people feel like they have to make health sacrifices to put food on the table, as we’ve seen with extractive industries like coal mining and fracking.”At least two other chemical recycling plants in Ohio have received state or local subsidies, according to a 2023 Beyond Plastics’s report. Alterra, located in Akron, Ohio, received a $1.6 million state loan and support from the city of Akron in the form of various discounts, including a $1 per year property lease in return for “a percentage of the project’s future cash flow,” while Purecycle in Ironton, Ohio, received $250 million in revenue bonds from the Southern Ohio Port Authority. Chemical recycling facilities may also receive federal subsidies through numerous programs, including the Department of Energy’s $25 million Strategy for Plastic Innovation, grants and loans from the Department of Defense and the Department of Agriculture, and the federal Inflation Reduction Act. While these projects plow ahead promising an answer to the plastics crisis, communities are concerned about the impacts. “Right now there’s no proof that this is safe,” Tom Hetrick, president of Youngstown City Council, which passed the year-long moratorium, told EHN. Chemical recycling controversy Chemical recycling is an umbrella term for processes that use heat, chemicals or both to break down plastic waste into component parts for reuse as plastic feedstocks or as fuel. These processes are different from conventional or mechanical plastic recycling, which breaks down plastic waste physically but not at a molecular level. Only 5 to 6% of plastic waste gets recycled in the U.S., and proponents of chemical recycling say it could help create a truly circular economy. “We’re not going to create circularity for plastics with one single solution,” Chris Layton, director of sustainability for specialty plastics at Eastman Chemical Company, told EHN. “We’re going to have to eliminate some plastics we really don't need, figure out ways to reduce and reuse and maximize what we can do for mechanical and advanced recycling.” However, opponents say chemical recycling facilities worsen climate change and emit toxic chemicals like polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, dioxins and other persistent pollutants; volatile organic compounds and heavy metals. Lattermore worries about the cumulative effects. “So many other members of my family who have lived in this house have also had cancer. My grandma, my dad, my sister,” Lattermore said. “I have four grandkids, two daughters. How are they going to survive living so close to that type of waste?” The American Chemistry Council is advocating for relaxed environmental regulations for these types of facilities, encouraging states to reclassify them from solid waste facilities to manufacturing facilities, which requires less rigorous permitting applications, reduces regulatory oversight of air emissions and toxic waste and allows them to seek additional taxpayer subsidies. Ohio is one of 24 states that have already done this, along with Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Virginia, Kentucky and Mississippi — a grouping that encompasses most of the Ohio River Valley and much of Appalachia. “We’re not going to create circularity for plastics with one single solution.” Chris Layton, Eastman Chemical CompanyMeanwhile, environmental advocates are fighting to stop these plants from being constructed. “Even if all of the advanced recycling plants in the U.S. were functioning at full capacity with no issues, they would only be managing 1.3% of global plastic waste we currently have,” Conard said. “The plastic industry is pushing this technology as a solution so they can continue manufacturing new plastic.”Environmental justice concerns Lattermore was among a group of local residents who fought to stop SOBE’s plant in Youngstown. They distributed fliers, called policymakers and knocked on doors to gather hundreds of petition signatures. Eventually, they garnered support from Youngstown City Council. “I think one of my primary concerns is the location,” Hetrick said. “It's in a busy neighborhood. There are residential neighbors, two popular bars right there, a restaurant caddy corner, a church on the other side, a five or six story jail a half block in the other direction, and a bunch of Youngstown State University student housing right there.” “It’s also an environmental justice area, and in terms of environmental risks and hazards it just seems like a terrible place to put this kind of operation,” he explained. In September, a representative from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) sent a letter to the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency noting that the project “raises potential environmental justice concerns” because Youngstown ranks in the 80th percentile in the state for pollution from include ozone, diesel particulate matter, air toxics cancer risk, traffic proximity, lead paint, Superfund site Proximity, Risk Management Program (RMP) facility proximity, hazardous waste proximity, underground storage tanks and wastewater discharge. “The population living in the area around the facility is significantly comprised of people of color, linguistically isolated households (Spanish language), those with low income, those with less than a high school education and a high unemployment rate,” the letter noted, before advising the Ohio EPA to “conduct a more thorough environmental justice analysis of appropriate scope to inform the permitting decision.” In December, Youngstown City Council unanimously voted to adopt a one-year moratorium on pyrolysis, gasification or combustion of tires, plastics and electronic waste. Council said they intended to spend the year further researching these types of facilities. "In terms of environmental risks and hazards it just seems like a terrible place to put this kind of operation.” - Tom Hetrick, president of Youngstown City CouncilWhen Hetrick researched other facilities, he found stories about dangerous accidents and fires at a chemical recycling plant in Ashley, Indiana, which amplified his concerns. In a statement about the moratorium on its website, SOBE said the company “respects this cautious approach and is committed to working closely with city officials and community members.” SOBE did not respond to a request for an interview. In February, the Ohio EPA issued an air permit for SOBE’s proposed plant, prompting outcry from the community. “I am deeply disappointed in the Ohio EPA and their decision to grant a permit to SOBE,” Hetrick said in a statement after the announcement. “It’s clear to me that the Ohio EPA spent months copying, categorizing and calculating the hundreds of comments from concerned Youngstown residents, but not actually listening to us or responding in any meaningful way.”

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio — On a bright, cold day in February, Akim Lattermore stood in front of her house gesturing toward the site of a proposed facility that would convert old tires, electronic waste and plastic into fuel.The site, owned by SOBE Thermal Energy Systems, is currently home to crumbling old buildings and a natural-gas-powered steam heat generating unit. It’s less than half a mile from Lattermore’s home, visible from her front yard, which bears a sign with a picture of a black plume of smoke and the message “Stop SOBE. We have enough toxic air pollution.”“I’m a two-time cancer survivor,” Lattermore told Environmental Health News (EHN). “I believe that our environment has a lot to do with it.”Youngstown has a long industrial history and is still home to numerous sources of industrial pollution, including a steel plant and other metal fabricators, a concrete plant and a hazardous waste processing facility. Youngstown’s polluting industries released 80,600 pounds of toxic chemicals into air and water in 2022, including carcinogenic heavy metals like lead, nickel and chromium compounds, and possible carcinogens like ethylbenzene, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) Toxics Release Inventory. Residents like Lattermore fear that SOBE’s proposed chemical recycling plant — currently on hold after the city passed a one-year moratorium — will only add to this toxic burden. “I’m a two-time cancer survivor. I believe that our environment has a lot to do with it.” - Akim Lattermore, Youngstown, Ohio, residentThere are proposals in the works for similar chemical recycling plants across the country. According to a 2023 report by the nonprofit organization Beyond Plastics, 11 such facilities had already been constructed in the U.S. as of September 2023, with one closing this year. Proposals for projects similar to SOBE’s throughout the Ohio River Valley have also met with community resistance — but more are likely on the way. “Appalachia is definitely a prime target for chemical recycling,” Jess Conard, Appalachia director of the nonprofit Beyond Plastics, told EHN. “There are often big tax subsidies available for these kinds of industries in states like Pennsylvania, Ohio and West Virginia, and it’s part of the culture of this region that people feel like they have to make health sacrifices to put food on the table, as we’ve seen with extractive industries like coal mining and fracking.”At least two other chemical recycling plants in Ohio have received state or local subsidies, according to a 2023 Beyond Plastics’s report. Alterra, located in Akron, Ohio, received a $1.6 million state loan and support from the city of Akron in the form of various discounts, including a $1 per year property lease in return for “a percentage of the project’s future cash flow,” while Purecycle in Ironton, Ohio, received $250 million in revenue bonds from the Southern Ohio Port Authority. Chemical recycling facilities may also receive federal subsidies through numerous programs, including the Department of Energy’s $25 million Strategy for Plastic Innovation, grants and loans from the Department of Defense and the Department of Agriculture, and the federal Inflation Reduction Act. While these projects plow ahead promising an answer to the plastics crisis, communities are concerned about the impacts. “Right now there’s no proof that this is safe,” Tom Hetrick, president of Youngstown City Council, which passed the year-long moratorium, told EHN. Chemical recycling controversy Chemical recycling is an umbrella term for processes that use heat, chemicals or both to break down plastic waste into component parts for reuse as plastic feedstocks or as fuel. These processes are different from conventional or mechanical plastic recycling, which breaks down plastic waste physically but not at a molecular level. Only 5 to 6% of plastic waste gets recycled in the U.S., and proponents of chemical recycling say it could help create a truly circular economy. “We’re not going to create circularity for plastics with one single solution,” Chris Layton, director of sustainability for specialty plastics at Eastman Chemical Company, told EHN. “We’re going to have to eliminate some plastics we really don't need, figure out ways to reduce and reuse and maximize what we can do for mechanical and advanced recycling.” However, opponents say chemical recycling facilities worsen climate change and emit toxic chemicals like polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, dioxins and other persistent pollutants; volatile organic compounds and heavy metals. Lattermore worries about the cumulative effects. “So many other members of my family who have lived in this house have also had cancer. My grandma, my dad, my sister,” Lattermore said. “I have four grandkids, two daughters. How are they going to survive living so close to that type of waste?” The American Chemistry Council is advocating for relaxed environmental regulations for these types of facilities, encouraging states to reclassify them from solid waste facilities to manufacturing facilities, which requires less rigorous permitting applications, reduces regulatory oversight of air emissions and toxic waste and allows them to seek additional taxpayer subsidies. Ohio is one of 24 states that have already done this, along with Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Virginia, Kentucky and Mississippi — a grouping that encompasses most of the Ohio River Valley and much of Appalachia. “We’re not going to create circularity for plastics with one single solution.” Chris Layton, Eastman Chemical CompanyMeanwhile, environmental advocates are fighting to stop these plants from being constructed. “Even if all of the advanced recycling plants in the U.S. were functioning at full capacity with no issues, they would only be managing 1.3% of global plastic waste we currently have,” Conard said. “The plastic industry is pushing this technology as a solution so they can continue manufacturing new plastic.”Environmental justice concerns Lattermore was among a group of local residents who fought to stop SOBE’s plant in Youngstown. They distributed fliers, called policymakers and knocked on doors to gather hundreds of petition signatures. Eventually, they garnered support from Youngstown City Council. “I think one of my primary concerns is the location,” Hetrick said. “It's in a busy neighborhood. There are residential neighbors, two popular bars right there, a restaurant caddy corner, a church on the other side, a five or six story jail a half block in the other direction, and a bunch of Youngstown State University student housing right there.” “It’s also an environmental justice area, and in terms of environmental risks and hazards it just seems like a terrible place to put this kind of operation,” he explained. In September, a representative from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) sent a letter to the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency noting that the project “raises potential environmental justice concerns” because Youngstown ranks in the 80th percentile in the state for pollution from include ozone, diesel particulate matter, air toxics cancer risk, traffic proximity, lead paint, Superfund site Proximity, Risk Management Program (RMP) facility proximity, hazardous waste proximity, underground storage tanks and wastewater discharge. “The population living in the area around the facility is significantly comprised of people of color, linguistically isolated households (Spanish language), those with low income, those with less than a high school education and a high unemployment rate,” the letter noted, before advising the Ohio EPA to “conduct a more thorough environmental justice analysis of appropriate scope to inform the permitting decision.” In December, Youngstown City Council unanimously voted to adopt a one-year moratorium on pyrolysis, gasification or combustion of tires, plastics and electronic waste. Council said they intended to spend the year further researching these types of facilities. "In terms of environmental risks and hazards it just seems like a terrible place to put this kind of operation.” - Tom Hetrick, president of Youngstown City CouncilWhen Hetrick researched other facilities, he found stories about dangerous accidents and fires at a chemical recycling plant in Ashley, Indiana, which amplified his concerns. In a statement about the moratorium on its website, SOBE said the company “respects this cautious approach and is committed to working closely with city officials and community members.” SOBE did not respond to a request for an interview. In February, the Ohio EPA issued an air permit for SOBE’s proposed plant, prompting outcry from the community. “I am deeply disappointed in the Ohio EPA and their decision to grant a permit to SOBE,” Hetrick said in a statement after the announcement. “It’s clear to me that the Ohio EPA spent months copying, categorizing and calculating the hundreds of comments from concerned Youngstown residents, but not actually listening to us or responding in any meaningful way.”

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