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Department of Ecology News Release - March 28, 2005
05-068
OLYMPIA - An improving economy and increased production led some facilities to increase the amount of toxic chemicals they released into Washington's environment in 2003, resulting in an overall increase of 600,000 pounds.
The information was collected by the state Department of Ecology (Ecology) for the agency's annual Chemicals in Washington State report.
On the positive side, releases have dropped for certain long-lasting, toxic substances such as mercury and lead, which build up in the tissues of humans and animals.
For 2003, 20.5 million pounds of toxic chemicals were reportedly released into Washington's environment. This included 12.7 million pounds released into the air, 6.4 million pounds distributed onto land and 1.4 million pounds discharged into water.
Since 1995, total releases of all chemicals reported by manufacturing facilities have decreased by about 50 percent.
"A strong economy is important, but it can be a double-edged sword," said Darin Rice, Ecology's hazardous-waste manager. "We need to work together so that, even when operating at full capacity, Washington facilities are able to significantly reduce their pollution releases."
Rice said that many facilities across the state have received assistance from Ecology to improve their pollution-prevention planning and to re-design their industrial processes to reduce the amount of chemicals they use or generate.
The Chemicals in Washington State report lists data about chemical releases to the air, water and soil by manufacturers throughout the state, presenting a cross-media record of where wastes are going. Federal law requires manufacturers to report specific toxic chemicals discharged, even if they are not discharged in harmful quantities at any one time. Any accidental or one-time releases also are reported.
Methanol was the most-released chemical in 2003, at 3.6 million pounds, which was 600,000 pounds more than in 2002. Methanol comes primarily from the pulping process at paper mills.
Paper and allied-products companies reported 8 million pounds of chemical releases, an increase of 300,000 pounds from the year before. Electric-service industries reported 5.6 million pounds, a 700,000-pound increase, and petroleum refining reported 1.3 million pounds, a reduction of 100,000 pounds.
The three facilities with the highest amounts of releases were Transalta Centralia Generation and Mining in Centralia, a coal-fired electric plant, with 5.5 million pounds; Weyerhaeuser in Longview, with 2.6 million pounds; and Boise Cascade Paper Division in Wallula, with 1.3 million pounds. The three facilities reported 45 percent of all releases.
In 2003, the three counties reporting the largest amount of toxic chemicals released in the state were Lewis County, with 5.5 million pounds, Cowlitz County, with 3.1 million pounds, and Snohomish County, with 1.5 million pounds of releases.
The reports identify total releases for more than 650 chemicals identified in federal law as toxic. Ecology is particularly concerned about long-lasting, toxic substances that build up in humans and animals. From 2000 to 2003, mercury releases in Washington dropped 71 percent, lead and lead compounds dropped 16.8 percent, and polycyclic aromatic compounds have decreased by 84 percent.
"We're pleased to see considerable progress on some of the worst toxic substances," Rice said. "This shows that we can work successfully with companies to make a measurable difference."
Other factors to consider: only annual pounds are reported, not the rate of release, concentration or size of the facility; the report does not include toxic chemicals introduced through pesticide applications, motor vehicles and wood stoves; and a report of toxic release does not necessarily mean there were toxic effects on humans or the environment.
For more information on the report or the chemicals in individual communities, citizens may call Ecology's Hazardous Substance Information Office at 800-633-7585.
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Media contact: Caitlin Cormier, public information manager, 360-407-6149
Hazardous substance information:
http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/hwtr/hazsubinfo.html
Ecology's Hazardous Waste and Toxics Reduction Program:
http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/hwtr/index.html
The Beyond Waste project: http://www.ecy.wa.gov/beyondwaste/
Copyright © Washington State Department of Ecology. See http://www.ecy.wa.gov/copyright.html.
