Toxic chemicals in EV battery production raise health concerns

As the demand for electric vehicle batteries grows, communities near production sites worry about toxic chemical exposure and health risks.

Craig Welch, Jana Cholakovska, Pooja Sarkar, Alec Gitelman, Emilie Rosso, and Clare Fieseler report for Mother Jones.

In short:

• EV batteries use PVDF, a polymer made by companies previously linked to dangerous chemical emissions.
• Residents near these plants, such as in New Jersey and Georgia, report health issues and ongoing legal battles over contamination.
• Experts warn that new manufacturing methods may still produce harmful byproducts, posing ongoing risks.

Key quote:

"For 45 years we’ve lived in it, bathed in it, cooked with it, drank it.’"

— Richard Bond, local citizen who lives downriver of Solvay Specialty Polymers

Why this matters:

While the transition to EVs is celebrated for its promise of reducing carbon emissions and combating climate change, the environmental and health impacts of battery production are raising alarms.