Sunoco Shuttering Damaged Plant, Laying Off 50

Sunoco is permanently closing its ethylene unit at its Marcus Hook, Pennsylvania refinery, after the facility was damaged in an explosion and fire in May. Fifty workers will be laid off.

The firm is negotiating with the United Steelworkers to work out details of severance packages. The union represents 700 employees at the refinery.

Ethylene is a petroleum by-product, used to make polypropylene.

Founded in 1886 as the Sun Company, Sunoco is an American petroleum and petrochemical manufacturer headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.