Plastics have long been in the crosshairs of environmental groups. They litter oceans and landfills and break down into microscopic particles that we consume. And the pollutants given off by their production are especially problematic in highly industrialized, generally poorly regulated regions of the United States, such as the Gulf Coast.
A new report, published in March by a climate nonprofit called the Environmental Integrity Project, concluded that the "rapidly growing plastics industry in the U.S. receives billions of dollars in government subsidies," but these companies "frequently violate their air pollution control permits, often releasing hazardous chemicals that risk the health and safety of nearby communities." A large portion of these subsidies come directly from taxpayers, the report said.
As with many of the environmental hazards in the United States, most of the people "living within three miles of the factories that manufacture the main ingredients in plastic products are people of color," the report said. It also attempted to examine whether "public funds used to subsidize this industry are addressing these inequities or making the problem worse by depriving local communities of tax revenues."
Not everyone is against the tax breaks for these corporations, though. A Pittsburgh-area Shell plant was "one of the best things that happened to Steamfitters Local 449," Ken Broadbent, the business manager for the Pittsburgh steamfitters union, told NPR. Union workers were able to make six figures constructing the plant, Broadbent said. But the report clearly suggests that the benefits of plastic production are outweighed by the problems. | 
