Colorado Adopts Controls on Five Toxic Air Pollutants from Key Industries
Summary
The Colorado Air Quality Control Commission adopted emission control measures for five priority air toxic contaminants — benzene, ethylene oxide, formaldehyde, hexavalent chromium compounds, and hydrogen sulfide — under the Public Protections From Toxic Air Contaminants Act (HB22-1244). Affected facilities must reduce emissions through new technologies, adjusted work practices, and less toxic materials. New sources face more stringent requirements than existing sources, and the regulations prioritize reductions near disproportionately impacted communities.
Facilities that emit benzene, ethylene oxide, formaldehyde, hexavalent chromium compounds, or hydrogen sulfide should assess whether they meet the source categories specified in the rules — petroleum refineries, stationary spark-ignition engines, combustion turbines, chrome plating, sterilization facilities, asphalt/roofing operations, and manure digesters. New construction will face more stringent requirements than existing sources, and all affected facilities should evaluate what new technologies, work practice changes, and material substitutions are needed to achieve required emission reductions.
What changed
The Colorado Air Quality Control Commission adopted emission control regulations for five priority air toxic contaminants mandated by the Public Protections From Toxic Air Contaminants Act (HB22-1244). The regulations cover benzene from petroleum refineries, formaldehyde from stationary spark-ignition engines and combustion turbines, hexavalent chromium from decorative and functional chrome plating, ethylene oxide from sterilization facilities, and hydrogen sulfide from asphalt processing, roofing products, and manure digesters. Existing and new sources are subject to the regulations, with new sources subject to more stringent control requirements.
Facilities emitting these five contaminants should review their operations to determine applicability. The regulations prioritize emission reductions in communities disproportionately impacted by air toxics and in areas with multiple priority air toxic sources. The commission will revisit the pollutant list and consider adding emission control measures every five years.
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Apr 20, 2026GovPing captured this document from the original source. If the source has since changed or been removed, this is the text as it existed at that time.
Colorado approves measures to control toxic air pollution from key industries
Monday, April 20, 2026
Submitted by yesica.arcemendez Denver (April 17, 2026): The Colorado Air Quality Control Commission has adopted measures to control emissions of five priority air toxic contaminants: benzene, ethylene oxide, formaldehyde, hexavalent chromium compounds, and hydrogen sulfide. Certain facilities that emit these pollutants in Colorado will have to reduce emissions by implementing new technologies, adjusting work practices, and using less toxic materials.
“This is a big step in our work to protect the health of all Coloradans. More oversight and control measures from key sources of air toxics will help ensure we all have clean air,” said CDPHE Senior Director of State Air Quality Programs Michael Ogletree. “This progress would not have been possible without input from stakeholders. They helped us to devise programs that will protect public health while preserving economic growth.”
The Public Protections From Toxic Air Contaminants Act (HB22-1244) directed CDPHE and the Air Quality Control Commission to identify, monitor, establish health-based standards for, and adopt emission control regulations to reduce priority air toxics. Air toxics are pollutants that cause or are suspected of causing cancer, birth defects, and other serious health effects. The regulations aim to reduce priority air toxic contaminants from key sources that emit them:
- Benzene from petroleum refineries.
- Formaldehyde from stationary spark-ignition reciprocating internal combustion engines and combustion turbines.
- Hexavalent chromium from decorative and functional chrome plating.
- Ethylene oxide from sterilization facilities.
- Hydrogen sulfide from asphalt processing and roofing products and manure digesters. Existing and new sources are subject to these regulations, and new sources must meet more stringent control requirements. The regulations prioritize reducing emissions in sources located near or within communities that are disproportionately impacted as defined by Colorado law, and areas that have multiple sources of the priority air toxic contaminants. The CDPHE Air Pollution Control Division conducted extensive outreach while developing the proposal, including public meetings, site visits, and engagement with impacted industries and other stakeholders to explain the proposal and gather feedback.
The commission will revisit and consider adding pollutants to the list of priority air toxic contaminants and emission control measures every five years. For detailed background, including how each pollutant affects health, where it comes from, and how Colorado drafted the emission control measures, read the rulemaking hearing materials and visit the priority air toxics web page.
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Email cdphe.commentsapcd@state.co.us with questions or comments on air quality.
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