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Rhode Island Companies Reduce Their 1999 Toxic Releases by 40 Percent; EPA Lists Ten Largest Pollution Emitters

Release Date: 04/12/2001
Contact Information: Andrew Spejewski, EPA Press Office (617-918-1014) Dwight Peavey, EPA TRI Coordinator (617-918-1829)

BOSTON – Power plants, manufacturers and other facilities in Rhode Island reduced the amount of toxic pollutants released into the air, land and water by 40 percent between 1998 and 1999, according to the latest Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) data issued today by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Since 1988, Rhode Island has reduced pollutant releases by 85 percent – nearly double the 46 percent reduction achieved nationally over the same 12-year period.

The 1999 data shows a total of 1,391,000 pounds of chemicals released to the air, water, or landfills by facilities across the state. That's compared to 2,304,946 pounds in 1998. More than one million pounds of Rhode Island's releases in 1999 were from air emissions.

"Rhode Island companies have significantly reduced the amount of toxic chemicals they're using and releasing over the last decade, and the most recent data shows that trend continuing" said Ira W. Leighton, acting regional administrator at EPA's New England Office. "New England as a whole is leading the nation in slashing pollution and is setting the bar on how environmental improvements can occur when companies, the government and communities work together for a common goal."

Since 1988, New England facilities have cut their total pollutant releases by 83 percent.

"These significant reductions in toxic pollutant emissions in Rhode Island – 40 percent over a one-year period and 85 percent over an 11-year time-frame – are certainly good news for our state," said Department of Environmental Management Director Jan Reitsma. "DEM is committed to continuing its work to reduce toxics emissions in Rhode Island even further through the implementation of our air quality improvement programs."

Today's data includes information on releases and other wastes from 644 toxic chemicals and chemical compounds that companies are required to report under EPA's TRI Program. The data includes toxics released at the company's facility and those transported to disposal facilities off-site. All manufacturing companies, as well as coal and oil fired power plants, are required to participate.

The following is a list of Rhode Island's 10 largest on- and off-site emitters of the toxic chemicals. No attempt has been made to adjust the totals to reflect the relative seriousness of the chemicals emitted. It is important to note that these chemical emissions are reported to EPA under the TRI and do not reflect illegal discharges of pollutants to the environment.

COMPANY NAME	ADDRESS	TOTAL # POUNDS
Facile Holdings Inc.	Rumford	99,509
Arkwright Inc.	Fiskeville	91,714
Cooley Inc.	Pawtucket	89,905
Osram Sylvania Prods. Inc.	Central Falls	81,231
Dewal Ind. Inc.	Narragansett	57,120
Tech. Inds. Inc.	Woonsocket	47,233
TPI Composites Inc.	Warren	46,735
Albin Mfg. Inc.	Portsmouth	44,275
Stanley Fastening Sys. Inc.	East Greenwich	42,394

The reporting of data to the Toxics Release Inventory is required under the federal Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act, passed in 1986. The TRI provides the amount, location and type of release to the environment -- whether a pollutant is emitted into the air, discharged into the water, or released onto the land. It also includes information on waste shipped off-site for disposal or further treatment. The TRI has been credited with arming communities with valuable knowledge and encouraging facilities to reduce their releases of toxic chemicals into the environment through source reduction, or pollution prevention, measures.

TRI information is easily accessible to the news media and to the public. Information is available on-line, www.epa.gov/tri, in hard copy and in a variety of computer formats, including CD-ROM. For copies or more information, the public is encouraged to call EPA's toll-free Emergency Planning and Community Right to Know Hotline at 1(800) 424-9346.