Groups File Appeal to Limit Tire Burning for Fuel at Seattle Cement Plant

The Duwamish River Community Coalition, joined by a statewide environmental justice group, filed an appeal seeking to overturn a regional air agency decision allowing the Ash Grove Cement Company to burn more tires for fuel at its Seattle plant.

The Puget Sound Clean Air Agency (PSCAA) approved the permit modification in early December, allowing Ash Grove to no longer limit tires to 30% of its fuel mix, paving the way for increased tire burning in a community that already experiences the highest rate of childhood asthma hospitalizations in King County.

Tire burning releases particulate matter and hazardous air pollutants known to harm human health in many ways, from respiratory diseases to cancer and other chronic health problems. While pollution control technology can control some of this pollution, one of the issues raised in the appeal is that by burning more tires as fuel, Ash Grove will release more toxic air pollution, but PSCAA failed to include adequate pollution controls and emission limits to prevent this harmful increase in toxic air pollution.

The cement plant is located along the Duwamish River near businesses and neighborhoods, just south of the West Seattle Bridge. Nearby neighborhoods, which include Georgetown, South Park, and Delridge, already suffer from worse air quality and health outcomes compared to most Seattle and King County residents.

“Ash Grove is one of the largest polluters in the Seattle area and has been allowed, for far too long, to harm the health of Duwamish Valley residents,” said Mia Ayala-Marshall, Duwamish River Community Coalition Clean Air Program Manager. “The recent permit modification issued by Puget Sound Clean Air Agency puts the health of Duwamish Valley families at even greater risk and should not be allowed to stand.”

“The Duwamish Valley is already overburdened with air pollution, and as the agency responsible for protecting our health from harmful air pollution, PSCAA should have given close scrutiny to how increased tire burning could harm public health.” said Jaimini Parekh, Earthjustice Attorney. “Instead, PSCAA’s decision is riddled with errors and questionable assumptions. Our communities deserve better.”

Another concern raised in the appeal is that PSCAA should have addressed the environmental impacts from the permit modification under Washington State’s Environmental Policy Act (SEPA) by conducting an environmental analysis, as required by state law. Instead, PSCAA said the modified permit had no impacts, illegally relying on a past analysis it issued in 1995 which fails to address any of the pollution impacts from increased tire burning, which would increase pollution in South Seattle — an area designated by the state as overburdened by air pollution.

“Ash Grove has a long history of violations and non-compliance,” said Jamie Hearn, Front and Centered Climate and Community Planning Policy Lead. “We’re joining with DRCC to ensure that the communities near the cement plant no longer have to suffer from air pollution they should be protected from by federal and state laws.”

The appeal was filed last Friday with Washington State’s Pollution Hearings Board.

Background

PSCAA first issued a draft order of approval for the permit in December 2024 and its final approval in December 2025. Over 500 community members and 30 organizations joined a local coalition led by DRCC to oppose unlimited tire burning at Ash Grove.

DRCC is a nonprofit organization seeking to elevate the voices of those impacted by the Duwamish River pollution and other environmental injustices with the goal of a clean, healthy, equitable environment for people and wildlife. For more information, visit DRCC’s Clean Air program webpage.

Front and Centered is a statewide, community-driven coalition working to advance equity, climate justice, and environmental justice.