The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has awarded a $1 million grant to fund a new study on toxic emissions in Louisville’s Rubbertown area. The study, led by the Louisville Metro Air Pollution Control District (APCD), aims to monitor air and wastewater pollution in the West End over the next three years.
The Ambient Air Toxics and Health Action for the Rubber Town Area project will collect data to better understand pollutant exposure in the community. The results will inform policy recommendations and help medical professionals improve early detection and treatment of pollution-related health issues.
Rubbertown, an industrial complex home to 11 chemical plants, has long been Louisville’s largest source of toxic emissions. This new study follows the landmark West Louisville Air Toxics Study from nearly two decades ago, which led to the creation of the Toxic Air Reduction (STAR) program in 2005. STAR has since reduced air contaminants in the area by 80%.
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The current project will build on the past study by using modern monitoring techniques, including wastewater sampling—a first for this kind of research. Local residents, many of whom have expressed concerns about the health impacts of living near Rubbertown, will be involved through community meetings and workshops.
The study’s findings are expected to influence updates to local pollution control measures and improve public health outcomes in West Louisville.
This article appears in LEO Weekly presents Readers’ Choice 2024.