EPA meeting in Calvert City Tuesday discusses air monitoring study

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency will be holding a public meeting in Calvert City on Tuesday to discuss findings from an air monitoring study.

The meeting comes on the heels of a lawsuit filed by the Bryant Law Center on behalf of two Calvert City couples against Westlake Vinyls, its plant management, and Bluegrass Incineration Services, Inc. The suit claims that ethylene dichloride reportedly released by Westlake and others raises the cancer risk in Calvert City and Marshall County.

They also allege that the EPA report makes Calvert City and Marshall County an "undesirable and dangerous place to live, creating damage and loss to real estate values around the plant." 

The meeting hosted by the EPA and the Kentucky Division for Air Quality will discuss the findings of the study that shows elevated levels of what they call volatile organic compounds, which include ethylene dichloride. The higher levels they said can cause a higher risk of cancer and can cause liver and kidney issues, as well, if exposed over a long period of time. 

The EPA and Kentucky Division for Air Quality said that there are steps being taken to reduce emissions and exposure. Those steps will be discussed at the meeting, which will take place at the Calvert City Library located at 949 5th Ave SE in Calvert City across from the Rolling Hills Plaza.

The in-person meeting will be from 6-8 p.m. at the library but can be joined virtually. To register for the online access, click here.