So-called ‘green’ fuel refineries have used loopholes in federal regulation to become massive polluters, according to a new report.
The 275 Biofuel and ethanol manufacturers in the US released 12 million tons of toxic materials into the air in 2022 compared to 15 million emitted by oil refineries, the report detailed.
Further, these plants released more of four kinds of toxic chemicals that can cause vomiting, diarrhea and shortness of breath in the short term, and have been linked to cancer in the long term.
These green fuel companies use products like corn or vegetable oil to make fuel instead of petroleum.
A majority of the biofuel facilities are located in the Midwest, with one in Illinois that generated the largest source of Hexane, a toxin that can cause nerve damage.