Western PA Shell Plant To Pay Millions For Emissions Violations

HARRISBURG, PA — Shell will pay $10 million in penalties and other costs after acknowledging it exceeded emission limitations at its polyethylene cracker plant in Beaver County about 30 miles northwest of Pittsburgh.

Gov. Josh Shapiro announced Wednesday that the company has entered into a consent order in which it agreed to make repairs to the plant to reduce future emissions and agreed to make the $10 million $10 million payment. Half of the payment is a civil penalty; the other $5 million will go toward local environmental projects.

Shell will also have to pay additional monthly civil penalties for the rest of the year for any further exceedances.

The state Department of Environmental Protection also cited Shell for flaring violations, malodor violations from its wastewater treatment plant and other violations.

“Pennsylvanians have a constitutional right to clean air and pure water, and my Administration will hold all companies – no matter how big or small – accountable when they violate the laws and regulations protecting our air and water,” Shapiro said in a statement.

After more than five years of construction, Pennsylvania's first polyethylene cracker plant began operations in November 2022.

Dubbed Shell Polymers Monaca, the vast 384-acre plant can produce 3.5 billion pounds of polyethylene annually. Polyethylene pellets can be used in a variety of products such as household goods, consumer and food packaging and industrial and utility products.