FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - June 19, 2003 03-119
OLYMPIA - Reported releases of toxic chemicals into Washington's environment went down by 5.4 million pounds from 2000 to 2001, according to the state Department of Ecology (Ecology).
For 2001, 22.3 million pounds of toxic chemicals were reported released to the air, land and water in Washington state. This included 15 million pounds released into the air, 5.2 million pounds distributed onto land and 2.2 million pounds discharged into water.
The toxic releases at most facilities reduced or stayed the same. Of 311 facilities reporting, twice as many (126) reported decreases as increases (59).
"We're really pleased with the progress these numbers indicate," said Greg Sorlie, who manages Ecology's hazardous-waste and toxics-reduction program.
"While some decrease can be attributed to curtailed production because of a slow economy, the lowered amounts mainly reflect pollution-prevention improvements and more precision in estimating releases of permitted chemicals by the facilities."
The annual "Chemicals in Washington State" report lists data about chemical releases to the air, water and soil by manufacturers throughout the state.
State law requires manufacturers to report releases that are allowed under their air, water or hazardous-waste permits, along with any accidental or one-time releases.
In addition to the core chemicals required by the federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to be monitored since reporting began in 1989, Ecology also requires reporting of certain long-lasting, toxic substances, such as mercury and lead, that also build up in the tissues of humans and animals.
Releases of mercury were lowered from 2,256 pounds in 2000 to 889 pounds in 2001. Most of the decrease comes from two mines in Ferry County that improved estimates of mercury released and curtailed production.
The requirement for reporting lead and lead-compound use was lowered to 100 pounds from 10,000 pounds, which increased the number of facilities reporting (158 out of 311 reporting facilities total, with 65 of those facilities new to the list).
"We see adding new chemicals or reduced amounts that must be reported as benefits, because it tells us more about the work facilities are doing to reduce releases and it lets us know what's out there," said Sorlie.
Methanol was the most-released chemical in 2001, at 3.6 million pounds (1.3 million pounds less than in 2000). Methanol comes primarily from the pulping process at paper mills.
Paper and allied-products companies reported 8.4 million pounds of chemical releases, a reduction of 1.7 million pounds from the year before. They were followed by electric-service industries, with 5.4 million pounds, and petroleum refineries, with 2.4 million pounds.
The three facilities with the highest amounts of releases were Transalta Centralia Generation and Mining in Centralia (an electric service), with 4.9 million pounds; Weyerhaeuser in Longview (paper and allied-products manufacturer), with 2.3 million pounds; and Tesoro Refining & Marketing in Anacortes (petroleum products), with 1.4 million pounds.
In 2001, the three counties reporting the largest amount of toxic chemicals released in the state were Lewis County, with 4.9 million pounds, Cowlitz County, with 3.2 million pounds, and Skagit County, with 1.8 million pounds of releases.
Sorlie stressed that toxic-release data are limited. The reports identify total releases for more than 600 chemicals identified in federal law as "toxic."
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.
The "Chemicals in Washington State" report can be viewed on the Internet at http://www.ecy.wa.gov/biblio/0304020.html (this is a pdf file)
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.
This page created and maintained by Chehalis River Council
Send comments or questions to the: Chehalis River Council