Keynote Emerging Issues Speaker/Author/Retired Vice President and Emerging Issues Officer at Gen Re
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced it’s reviewing vinyl chloride under the Toxic Control Substance Act (TSCA), which could lead to restrictions or a ban on the widespread, toxic chemical. Vinyl chloride is used primarily to make polyvinyl chloride (PVC) plastics. The chemical is already classified by the U.S. EPA as a carcinogen, and is linked to higher rates of lung and liver cancer, as well as liver disease, neurological problems and miscarriage. Still, billions of pounds are produced annually in the U.S. A report published in April found 19 PVC factories in the U.S. released more than 400,000 pounds of vinyl chloride into the air in 2021. According to this article, 5 companies – Westlake Chemical, Formosa Plastics, Occidental Chemical, Shintech and Orbia (Mexichem) – were the worst offenders. #insurance #underwriting #insuranceindustry #reinsurance