08/29/2025

New Map Exposes Which US Communities Have Dangerous Levels of Toxic Air Pollution — These Areas Are Most at Risk

The Cool Down | Alexis McDonell | August 29, 2025

New Map Exposes Which US Communities Have Dangerous Levels of Toxic Air Pollution — These Areas Are Most at Risk

Toxic air isn't spread evenly across the U.S. — some communities are being forced to shoulder the worst of it. A new map is exposing exactly where petrochemical pollution is most dangerous, and who's responsible.

What's happening?

The Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) has launched the Petrochemical Air Pollution Map, an interactive tool that tracks toxic emissions from petrochemical plants nationwide. According to the Mom's Clean Air Force (MCAF), a nonprofit and nonpartisan group, the map pinpoints the locations of facilities, identifies the companies responsible for the pollution, and highlights the neighborhoods facing the highest health risks.

The release comes as federal regulators weigh policies that would roll back regulations on industrial and manufacturing pollution. "EPA has recently offered to help industrial facilities pollute more rather than comply with existing clean air rules," said Michelle Allen, EDF's Manager of Petrochemicals. Industry groups have already asked for blanket exemptions for 218 plants, potentially opening the door to unchecked pollution.

Why is petrochemical pollution concerning? And where is it most concentrated?

Petrochemicals are used to produce plastics, pesticides, synthetic fabrics, and numerous other products we use daily. But producing them comes at a steep cost. Exposure to petrochemical pollution has been linked to asthma, respiratory illness, cancer, preterm birth, and developmental harm for infants and children.

These dangers are most concentrated in places like the Ohio River Valley, Louisiana, and Texas, where many of these petrochemical facilities cluster near historically marginalized communities. EDF's map displays gray and blue dots for facility locations, often surrounded by red hotspots that indicate health risks. The darker the red, the greater the danger.

"Every step of the petrochemical and plastics supply chain releases greenhouse gases and toxic pollutants that come at a steep cost to our health, our environment, and our climate," said Patrice Tomcik, National Field Director at MCAF. She pointed to western Pennsylvania, where dozens of new petrochemical plants are being planned, warning that "our children are most vulnerable to these risks."

What's being done about petrochemical pollution?

Across the country, communities are suing petrochemical giants. In Louisiana's "Cancer Alley," residents have sued state and federal regulators for failing to protect them from toxic emissions. At the same time, other lawsuits have targeted chemical companies directly for polluting neighborhoods and endangering public health.

The Petrochemical Air Pollution Map builds on that momentum by giving parents, advocates, and local leaders a powerful tool to push back. By pairing hard data with lived experiences, it equips communities to demand accountability and spotlight the critical issues that often go ignored.

MCAF is helping lead that fight. They make it simple for families to get involved, from educating parents about health risks to organizing campaigns that call out polluters. Currently, they're urging people to sign a petition asking Congress to prevent petrochemical companies from exploiting loopholes in clean air regulations.