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Mid-Atlantic Highlights from National EPA’s Toxics Report;Fifty percent reduction in chemicals originally reported

Release Date: 5/23/2002
Contact Information: Bonnie Smith (215) 814-5543

Contact:  Bonnie Smith (215) 814-5543
PHILADELPHIA — The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has issued its thirteenth annual Toxics Release Inventory (TRI), providing detailed information on toxic chemicals used and released in communities across the nation.

“TRI is a public report card for the industrial community. It creates a strong motivation for pollution prevention. But more importantly, it’s a powerful tool for citizens to understand what is released into the air, land, and water where they live, work and play,” said Donald S. Welsh, EPA mid-Atlantic regional administrator.

The report is based on yearly reports submitted to EPA and state agencies by companies and federal facilities within the industrial and manufacturing sectors. It monitors whether toxic chemicals are released at a company’s location, treated, recycled or transferred elsewhere. It also reviews pollution prevention methods. This report is based on data from 2000.

The 2000 report shows that facilities in the agency’s mid-Atlantic region cut toxic chemical releases by more than 50 percent since 1988, based on the original list of 644 toxic chemicals and chemical compounds and industries.

In 1998, seven new industries were added to the report. As anticipated, there was an overall increase the first year the new industries reported. But, now, three reports later in 2000, these totals have dropped to 465 million pounds from 472 million in 1999. The industries are: electric utilities, coal and metal mining, chemical and petroleum bulk terminals, and commercial hazardous waste treatment and solvent recovery facilities.

In response to citizen interest, for the first time, this year’s report includes more information about persistent bioaccumulative toxic chemicals (PBT). PBT chemicals include dioxin and dioxin-like compounds, polycyclic aromatic compounds, and mercury and mercury compounds. The threshold levels for many PBT chemicals have been lowered. PBT chemicals are of particular concern because they are toxic, they remain in the environment for long periods of time, are not readily destroyed, and they build up in body tissue.

In EPA Region III, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, and mercury and mercury compounds were the highest PBT reported releases - - 620,656 and 107,958 pounds respectively. Both these chemicals are primarily the result of fuel burning. In the case of dioxin and dioxin-like compounds, which are reported in grams, the highest reported releases were 38,662 grams transferred off-site for disposal from the DuPont Edge Moor facility in Delaware and 2,721 grams disposed onsite to land from Millennium Inorganic Chemicals Inc. in Maryland.

In Delaware, Delmarva Power Indiana River plant had the highest on-site releases –
three million pounds, Connectiv EdgeMoor Power Plant was second with 1.9 million pounds, and Motiva Enterprises was third with 1.8 million pounds. These releases were primarily acid aerosols from fuel combustion and land disposal of metals.

In Maryland, Brandon Shores & Wagner Complex of Baltimore Gas & Electric had the highest on-site releases – 12.4 million pounds. Pepco Morgantown Generating Station was second with 7.5 million pounds, and Pepco Chalk Point Generating Station was third with 3.9 million pounds. These releases were also primarily acid aerosols from fuel combustion and land disposal of metals.

In Pennsylvania, AK Steel Butler Works had the highest on-site releases with 31.4 million pounds. Almost all of this was nitrates in surface water resulting from use of nitric acid in cleaning of steel. Keep in mind, this report is based on data from 2000. Now, in 2002, as a part of a consent order with EPA, AK Steel is installing non-nitric acid processes for steel cleaning which will dramatically reduce nitrate releases, a TRI success story.

Also in Pennsylvania, Reliant Energies Inc., Keystone Station in Shelocta, Armstrong County, had the second highest releases – 19.3 million pounds. Allegheny Energy Inc. Hatfield Power Station, Masontown, Greene County was third highest with releases of 10 million pounds. These releases were also primarily acid aerosols from fuel combustion and land disposal of metals.

In Virginia, Chesterfield Power Station had the highest on-site releases of 6.1 million pounds, primarily air releases of acid aerosols and land releases of metals. The Westvaco Bleached Board Division in Covington was second with 5.1 million pounds, mostly air releases of methanol. Honeywell’s Hopewell plant was third with total on-site releases of 4.9 million pounds. Most of this was ammonia air emissions.

In West Virginia, the John E. Amos Power Plant in Winfield, Putnam County was ranked first with total on-site releases of 15.5 million pounds. American Electric Power Plants in Moundsville, Marshall County and Allegheny Energy Inc., Fort Martin Power Station, Maidsville, Monongalia County were ranked second and third with total on-site releases of 11.2 and 8.1 million pounds respectively. These releases were primarily acid aerosols from fuel combustion and land disposal of metals.

Complete TRI data is available on the Internet at EPA’s “Envirofacts Warehouse” https://www.epa.gov/enviro/html/tris/tris_query.html and www.epa.gov/tri/