Colorado Adopts Measures to Control 5 Priority Air Toxins

Last week, the Colorado Air Quality Control Commission  adopted measures to control emissions of five priority air toxic contaminants: benzene, ethylene oxide, formaldehyde, hexavalent chromium compounds, and hydrogen sulfide. Certain facilities that emit these pollutants in Colorado will have to reduce emissions by implementing new technologies, adjusting work practices, and using fewer toxic materials.

“More oversight and control measures from key sources of air toxics will help ensure we all have clean air,” said Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) Senior Director of State Air Quality Programs Michael Ogletree. “This progress would not have been possible without input from stakeholders. They helped us to devise programs that will protect public health while preserving economic growth.”

The Public Protections From Toxic Air Contaminants Act (HB22-1244) directed CDPHE and the Air Quality Control Commission to identify, monitor, establish health-based standards for, and adopt emission control regulations to reduce priority air toxics. Air toxics are pollutants that cause or are suspected of causing cancer, birth defects, and other serious health effects. The regulations aim to reduce priority air toxic contaminants from key sources that emit them:

• Benzene from petroleum refineries.
• Formaldehyde from stationary spark-ignition reciprocating internal combustion engines and combustion turbines.
• Hexavalent chromium from decorative and functional chrome plating.
• Ethylene oxide from sterilization facilities.
• Hydrogen sulfide from asphalt processing and roofing products and manure digesters.

Existing and new sources are subject to these regulations, and new sources must meet more stringent control requirements. The regulations prioritize reducing emissions in sources located near or within communities that are disproportionately impacted as defined by Colorado law, and areas that have multiple sources of the priority air toxic contaminants. The CDPHE Air Pollution Control Division conducted extensive outreach while developing the proposal, through public meetings, site visits, and engagement with impacted industries and other stakeholders to explain the proposal and gather feedback.

The commission will revisit and consider adding pollutants to the list of priority air toxic contaminants and emission control measures every five years.

For detailed background information, including how each pollutant affects health, where it comes from, and how Colorado drafted the emission control measures, read the rulemaking hearing materials and visit the priority air toxics webpage.