Colorado Begins Regulating Five Toxic Air Contaminants for Health Safety

Colorado is set to regulate five harmful air toxins that pose serious health risks to residents, aiming to improve air quality and public health.

Denver: Colorado is stepping up its game when it comes to air quality. The state’s regulators usually focus on greenhouse gases, but now they’re zeroing in on five toxic chemicals that can make people sick.

These five new compounds will be prioritized as toxic air contaminants. Over the next couple of years, the Department of Public Health and Environment will figure out how to regulate them.

Starting this Thursday, the Air Pollution Control Division will recommend these compounds during two meetings. This move comes after years of pressure from environmentalists and health advocates who want stronger protections against pollution that can lead to serious health issues like cancer and respiratory diseases.

Ean Tafoya from GreenLatinos Colorado emphasized the need for laws that prioritize health over pollution permits. He mentioned that communities have been reporting strange cancers and birth defects, raising concerns about what’s causing these issues.

In 2022, advocates pushed for a bill that requires the state to identify harmful pollutants and enforce measures to limit them. The new regulations will roll out in phases from 2025 to 2026, with the possibility of adding more pollutants in 2029.

The five toxic air contaminants on the list include acrolein, benzene, ethylene oxide, hydrogen sulfide, and hexavalent chromium. Each of these has its own health risks, from respiratory issues to cancer.

To create this list, experts analyzed air monitoring data to identify the most harmful pollutants. Once finalized, the state will set health-based standards for each compound, determining safe exposure levels.

There’s some debate over which pollutants should be prioritized. For instance, some groups want formaldehyde on the list instead of acrolein, while others argue that hydrogen sulfide is unavoidable in wastewater treatment.

The oil and gas industry is also keeping a close eye on these developments. They want to ensure that the state carefully assesses the health impacts of these substances without causing unnecessary panic among the public.

Until the health department releases its standards, it’s tough to predict how these regulations will affect the industry long-term.