Columbia neighbors, scientists urge Maryland to reconsider W.R. Grace lab permits

Three scientists joined Columbia-area residents Tuesday in calling on the Maryland Department of the Environment to take another look at permits for a W.R. Grace pilot lab.

The Stop Grace Coalition has been fighting chemical company W.R. Grace for years, particularly over its efforts to build and operate the pilot facility at the company's Columbia headquarters.

The facility is researching a new method of plastic recycling and began operating in February after W.R. Grace received the necessary permits despite strong opposition from nearby residents.

The coalition is asking MDE to reevaluate those permits, arguing the facility could pose health risks to people who live nearby.

Bolstering with science

Shamieka Preston has lived near W.R. Grace's headquarters in Columbia for years. She and other Cedar Creek neighbors have long expressed concerns about the potential health effects of living near the facility.

Preston and other residents contend W.R. Grace is incinerating plastics at the pilot lab, an allegation the company has denied.

"Imagine if your neighbor who lives halfway down the block decided to have 400,000 bottles of plastic on their lawn over the course of one year," Preston said. "Would you be concerned? Would you let your kids play on their lawn?"

Three scientists stood with Preston and other Stop Grace Coalition members Tuesday outside MDE's main office in southwest Baltimore.

The scientists said they support the residents' concerns and believe there is scientific evidence that the facility could be releasing toxic chemicals.

Those who spoke Tuesday were Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health professors Dr. Marsha Wills-Karp and Dr. Ana Rule, as well as retired chemical engineer Dave Arndt.

The three also signed a letter to MDE earlier this month raising concerns about potential health risks associated with operating the facility near homes.

Among the chemicals the scientists say could be discharged are PFAS, benzene, lead and arsenic.

"Exposure to these chemicals can lead to serious health impacts. They're too numerous to list, but they include multiple types of cancers, altered development of reproductive organs in both men and women, and impaired fetal development," Wills-Karp said.

The scientists and the Stop Grace Coalition want MDE to take a closer look at W.R. Grace's permits and conduct additional testing of what the pilot lab is releasing.

"There's no public monitoring or reporting, we just have to trust them," Arndt said. "MDE, your mission is to protect us. You must test all the possible hazards, byproducts of this process. You must release the results to the public."

In a statement to WJZ, a W.R. Grace spokesperson said air emissions from the facility are in full compliance with state air regulations and that the facility's permit was issued by MDE following regulatory review.

The spokesperson also said the facility underwent an "extensive public and regulatory review process," including a 120-day public comment period.

"We would not support a project that would put our employees or neighbors at risk," the statement reads. "This small-scale research initiative is exploring a new way to recycle plastic and could help address a pressing global environmental issue."

Ongoing legal battle

Cedar Creek neighbors are also continuing their fight against W.R. Grace in court.

Neighbors appealed the Howard County Board of Appeals' decision in July, according to Stop Grace Coalition member Lisa Krause.

The Board of Appeals voted 4-0 in September 2025 to uphold a county staff decision that found W.R. Grace did not violate county zoning rules by operating the pilot lab.