The Freepoint Eco-Systems plastic pyrolysis plant in Hebron has, yet again, violated Ohio’s environmental laws. During the first two weeks of December, almost immediately after Freepoint submitted their latest plan to return to compliance, an Ohio EPA inspector reported Freepoint for multiple violations of their air permit and state law.
The violations include exceeding particulate matter limitations and failing to notify the EPA of malfunctions. Additionally, the facility was cited for using an unpermitted HCl control system and failing to perform required emissions testing for both HCl and particulate matter.
On four different occasions between December 3rd and the 12th (Dec 3rd, 4th, 10th, and 12th), an Ohio EPA inspector visited the site and witnessed vapor combustor stacks releasing dark clouds of pollution into the surrounding air. After performing visible emissions observations, the Ohio EPA concluded that Freepoint had violated the visible particulate emissions limitations set by their air permit and Ohio law.
Under normal operations at Freepoint, the vapor combustors attached to Pyrolysis Units 1 and 2 will destroy the vast majority of the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that are produced during the pyrolysis process, and the vapor combustor stacks will produce lighter airborne plumes. Darker and denser plumes usually indicate that something is wrong.
And something was wrong. After the inspection, Freepoint revealed to the Ohio EPA that the pollution events on December 3 and December 4 were caused by malfunctions of the sponge oil absorber. On December 17, 2025, Freepoint emailed the Ohio EPA to report seven additional malfunctions that occurred from December 2 through December 15, 2025. That is a total of nine malfunctions in over 2 weeks—none of which were reported immediately to the EPA as is required by law.
That’s not all the EPA found. Freepoint’s air permit clearly states that the gas produced by the pyrolysis units must be vented to the scrubber (a device that removes pollution from gas streams) at all times. However, Freepoint told EPA officials during a December 2 site visit that they were not using the scrubber to control hydrochloride (HCl) emissions as required by their permit. Instead, Freepoint was using an unpermitted HCl system for an unknown period of time.
Hydrogen chloride (the gaseous form of HCl) is regulated under the Clean Air Act as a hazardous air pollutant, meaning it is a pollutant that is known or suspected to cause serious health effects or adverse environmental effects. According to the US EPA, short-term inhalation of hydrogen chloride can cause eye, nose, and respiratory tract irritation and pulmonary edema. Workers who are repeatedly exposed to hydrogen chloride may experience health problems, including chronic bronchitis, dermatitis, and gastritis. Using an unpermitted method to control hydrogen chloride in a manner inconsistent with regulatory standards represents a violation of EPA policies and a considerable threat to public health.
Freepoint also failed to conduct the required testing on Pyrolysis Unit 2 to demonstrate compliance with emissions limitations for hydrogen chloride or particulate matter. This means that they have not tested the emissions of the pyrolysis unit that malfunctioned repeatedly for over two weeks. Because hydrogen chloride is a hazardous air pollutant, emissions of this gas are tightly restricted. According to Freepoint’s air permit, “HCl emissions from the vapor combustor stack(s) shall not exceed 0.10 pounds per hour and 0.44 tons per year.” However, because Freepoint has not been performing the required hourly emissions testing, community members in Hebron and Union Township have no way of knowing how much hydrogen chloride is being released into the air they breathe.
Freepoint has repeatedly failed to meet the terms of their air permit and abide by Ohio law. Despite this, the company is moving ahead with plans to diversify the types of plastic they process in Hebron.
In late 2024, Freepoint Eco-Systems and Plastic Back, an Israeli company, received a large Bird Energy grant (up to 1.5 million USD in funding) to test “chemical recycling” of PVC waste streams and launch a pilot project at the Hebron facility. According to Plastic Back, this pilot project will be semi-commercial in 2027.
Through the Plastic Back process, PVC plastic waste will be broken down on site into brine and oils that will be shipped elsewhere and used as petrochemical feedstocks to produce vinyl chloride (a known human carcinogen), which in turn will be made into new PVC plastic products. We do not need a “circular PVC economy”—we need to phase out this poison plastic and invest in safer alternatives.
Freepoint’s continued noncompliance with air regulations makes it clear that they cannot be trusted to process and convert highly toxic PVC waste into oil. Ultimately, PVC “chemical recycling” is a false solution to the plastic pollution crisis, backed by fossil industry giants like Shell and funded by groups like the Vinyl Institute. The people of Hebron deserve clean air, clean water, and healthy jobs, not to become guinea pigs for more speculative, polluting technologies.
Freepoint’s inability to manage its air emissions is a bright red flag for the community. If the company cannot be trusted to follow basic air regulations, they certainly cannot be trusted to handle the hazardous byproducts of PVC depolymerization. By expanding into PVC “recycling,” Freepoint is doubling down on a risky process that threatens our environment from every angle, from polluted air to the potential mismanagement of dangerous chemical waste. We cannot allow them to continue to go unchecked.
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