05/22/2026
🚨 Another Sad Attempt at “Regulation” 🚨
The Georgia EPD recently issued a draft air permit for the massive Brightmark plastic plant proposed for Thomaston in Upson County. Our team at Coastal Communities United (CCU) reviewed the draft permit, and we are deeply alarmed. This is yet another inadequate permit issued by the EPD that prioritizes corporate interests over the health of Georgia families. In fact, our comments to EPD called it “regulatory fiction.”
Thank you to everyone who stepped up and voiced their opposition at the EPD's public hearing and submitted comments this past Monday, May 18. CCU will continue to monitor the state's next steps closely, so please share this post to keep folks informed and united!
Read our full comments posted here along with the draft air permit and narrative about facility operations.
Summary of our demands to EPD:
Mandatory Feedstock Testing 🧪: Require strict, continuous testing of incoming plastic waste for contaminants like PVC to prevent unpredictable spikes in dangerous Hazardous Air Pollutants (HAPs).
More Frequent Performance Testing ⏳: Shorten the stack testing cycle to an annual requirement, rather than allowing the facility to wait every 60 months (5 years) to test its emissions control efficiency.
Cap Startup, Shutdown, and Malfunction Emissions 🛑: Establish clear, hard emission limits during periods of facility startup, shutdown, and equipment malfunctions, rather than exempting or relaxing standards during these times.
Finalize and Publicly Review the Emissions Accounting Protocol 📋: Demand that the formal protocol for tracking and calculating the plant's emissions be finalized and opened for public review before the final permit is officially issued.
Stricter Visible Emission Standards 💨: Tighten the allowed opacity limits to ensure that any visible smoke or emissions from the plant are caught and regulated under stricter thresholds.
If you appreciate this kind of regulatory watch for community and environmental health, check out or website or scan the code in the comments to donate.
