Westlake Calvert City Built on Safety, Powered by Purpose
What We Make – And Why It Matters
Essential Materials. Everyday Impact.
- Chlorine – Used to purify drinking water and in disinfection products
- Caustic Soda – Used in water treatment, paper production, and pharmaceuticals
- Ethylene – A building block for numerous plastics and chemicals
- EDC / VCM / PVC – Critical for pipes, siding, medical devices, and more
Commitment to Our Community Calvert City is Our Home, too.
INVESTING IN OUR COMMUNITY
GOVERNOR’S H&S AWARD
(4 YEARS IN A ROW)
OSHA VPP STAR SITE
5M+ HOURS WITHOUT
A LOST TIME INJURY
Chlorine Institute "Diamond Level" Status for Chlorine Unit
Environmental Responsibility
AT WESTLAKE CALVERT CITY, we employ environmental specialists and implement monitoring programs to ensure continuous oversight and commitment to our safety and environmental standards.
- NO ACUTE HEALTH RISKS PER 2024 EPA REPORT
- NO ACTUAL HEALTH ISSUES IDENTIFIED
- REDUNDANT CONTROLS AND ADVANCED MONITORING IN PLACE
- COOPERATING FULLY WITH EPA AND KY AGENCIES
- REGULAR UPDATES TO THE CALVERT CITY COMMUNITY ADVISORY TEAM
- Ongoing evaluation of options to voluntarily reduce emissions
Calvert City Environmental Air Quality
IN JANUARY 2024, THE U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (EPA) AND THE KENTUCKY DIVISION FOR AIR QUALITY (KDAQ) FINISHED A STUDY OF THE AIR NEAR THE CALVERT CITY INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX. THEY WERE CHECKING FOR VOLATILE ORGANIC COMPOUNDS (VOCS) IN THE AIR, INCLUDING ETHYLENE DICHLORIDE, OR EDC.
The EPA published an Air Toxics Risk Assessment report based on the completed study, which said the highest levels OF EDC FOUND WERE STILL BELOW WHAT WOULD BE CONSIDERED A SHORT-TERM HEALTH CONCERN.
- Westlake’s Calvert City plant regularly monitors air quality and employee exposure to EDC and vinyl chloride, as required by OSHA and the EPA.
- In 2020, the Kentucky Division for Air Quality (KDAQ) set up three air monitors in Calvert City to study local air quality. The EPA's study used air monitoring data from these stations from October 2020 through December 2021.
- Westlake has a long-standing record of cooperation with environmental agencies at both the state and federal levels. We remain committed to working with KDAQ and the EPA.
- The EPA’s recent report cites data from the National Emissions Inventory (NEI), which is based on information reported by companies. Westlake has traditionally used conservative methods to estimate emissions for the NEI. We’ve since reviewed actual emissions and found that real emissions are significantly lower.
A Committed Partner
WESTLAKE RETAINED AN INDEPENDENT ENVIRONMENTAL CONSULTANT TO ANALYZE AIR QUALITY AND HEALTH RISK DATA FROM THE EPA AND KDAQ . THEIR FINDINGS HAVE BEEN SHARED WITH THE KENTUCKY DIVISION FOR AIR QUALITY (KDAQ), THE EPA, AND THE CALVERT CITY COMMUNITY ADVISORY TEAM.
- THE RISKS CITED BY EPA ARE VERY LOW:
- An estimate of 1 in one million only means that if one million people are exposed to the assumed concentration of a chemical continuously for 70 years, then there is only the possibility of an additional cancer beyond what would typically occur. It is not an indication that an additional cancer will actually occur or that exceeding the 1 in one million concentration will cause an additional cancer.
- Westlake is already piloting expanded monitoring approaches. Westlake is taking proactive steps to understand our site emissions in more detail and identifying improvements to our equipment, processes and environmental performance.
Additional data supports a stable and safe environment in Calvert City:
A past health study by the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) found no signs of adverse impacts in Calvert City.
Actual cancer rates in Marshall County are similar to the state average — despite decades of industrial activity.
TRANSPARENCY MATTERS.
GET IN TOUCH: media@westlake.com