LANXESS in Kalama Fined For Major Air Pollution Violations—Klog 100.7 News

The Southwest Clean Air Agency has issued a $2.7 million penalty to LANXESS Corporation for major air pollution violations at its chemical plant in Kalama.

Investigators say the facility repeatedly exceeded permit limits in 2022 and 2023, releasing more than 24 tons of hazardous air pollutants each year, including toluene, isooctane, and methanol. The company’s permits capped a single pollutant at 9.5 tons annually.

This is not the first time LANXESS has been fined for these types of violations either. They were fined over $300,000 in November of 2024 for separate air quality violations from 2018 to 2022. 

Southwest Clean Air Officials say the latest violations establish the facility as a major source of hazardous air pollution, meaning they will now be subject to stricter federal oversight. The agency says additional harsh penalties could follow for violations in 2024 and beyond.