The Freepoint Eco-Systems plastics processing plant just north of Hebron in Licking County has gone quiet, with operations paused after the company told state regulators it would suspend its advanced recycling work. On May 28, Freepoint notified the Ohio EPA that it would move the facility into a care-and-maintenance state while it evaluates strategic options. Neighbors and environmental groups say the pause follows months of visible plumes and recurring malfunction reports at the site.
Company Hits Pause, Puts Safety Out Front
Freepoint told state officials on May 28 that it would suspend processing and begin a “controlled transition to a care-and-maintenance state,” according to reporting by Newark Advocate. The company said its stated priorities are safety, environmental stewardship, and support for affected employees as it evaluates options for the plant.
Ohio EPA Logged Permit Problems in Writing
An Ohio EPA Notice of Violation dated Dec. 18, 2025, details visible-particulate exceedances observed on multiple days, missed or late malfunction reports, and questions about whether required controls were used during some operations. It ordered the company to submit a compliance plan within 30 days, according to the Ohio EPA. The agency's letter also flagged incomplete emissions testing for certain pollutants and raised concerns about how pyrogas from the pyrolysis units were being routed and controlled.
State Crackdown Followed a String of Incidents
State regulators opened an enforcement case after a run of notices and inspections that found ongoing malfunctions and excess emissions during 2025, as reported by Inside Climate News. That reporting links citizen complaints and video of sooty plumes to the agency's inspections and subsequent notices. The pattern of upsets and bypassed controls led state staff to press the company for technical explanations and fixes.
Advocates Zero In on Reclassification and the 70 Percent Test
Environmental groups say Ohio EPA notified Freepoint on April 28 that the facility no longer qualified for a recycling exemption after company filings showed pyrolysis-oil yields below the threshold regulators expect - a determination that would subject the plant to municipal-incinerator rules - according to Earthworks. Local advocates who filmed visible smoke welcomed the pause and called for thorough testing and transparent reporting on any emissions and waste streams.
What the Law Demands and What Could Happen Next
If the plant is treated as a municipal waste combustion unit, it would fall under Clean Air Act performance standards for small municipal waste combustors (40 C.F.R. part 60, Subpart AAAA), which set emission limits along with monitoring and testing requirements for units that combust solid waste, per GovRegs. The state had given Freepoint a May deadline to submit a plan showing how it would comply with those standards, according to local reporting. Regulators, the company, and community groups said they will be watching for any compliance filings or formal enforcement orders.
For central Ohio residents, the pause eases immediate worries about visible plumes but raises longer-term questions about chemical-recycling technologies and whether the plant will reopen under new limits or stay idle. WOSU's Tech Tuesday segment has been tracking both the shutdown and the broader debate over pyrolysis and regulation in Ohio. Hoodline previously covered Freepoint's Eloy plans, which critics say should be viewed in light of the company's Ohio record.
