The Ohio River Valley Institute recently published a report examining a proposed plastics chemical recycling facility planned for West Virginia and the state’s support for the project. West Virginia has already provided nearly $17 million in loans to the proposed facility. State regulators may grant a permit that would allow the facility to evade air quality regulations.

The company behind the project is Clean-Seas West Virginia, a subsidiary of Clean Vision Corporation, which specializes in “converting millions of tons of waste plastic into clean, environmentally friendly products.” The proposed West Virginia facility would be located in the town of Belle, on a nine-acre site near residential and recreational areas.

The report questions West Virginia’s decision to provide loans, given the company’s limited track record: “the company’s spotty operational and financial history offers a compelling reason for state officials to publicly release the terms of its support for the Belle facility.” Clean Vision has announced 14 facilities but has only started chemical recycling (pyrolysis) operations at two sites.