FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - Aug. 20, 1998
98-148
Contact: Sheryl Hutchison, Communications Director, 360-407-7004
OLYMPIA - A new report by the state Department of Ecology (Ecology) reveals that little is known about the production, discharge and disposal of dioxins in Washington, and also illustrates the need for a statewide strategy to further reduce the production and release of toxic pollutants.
The "Washington State Dioxin Source Assessment" report concludes that more should be done to collect data about how much dioxin is produced at various types of facilities, including incinerators and hog-fuel boilers. Also, the state should take greater efforts to capture and confine fly ash from hog-fuel boilers and incinerators to prevent releases to the environment.
Ecology Director Tom Fitzsimmons said the report, combined with a growing body of knowledge about risks from other highly toxic chemicals, serves as a call to action for the state.
"We have made great strides over the years, but we still have much to do to prevent exposure to toxic chemicals," said Fitzsimmons. "It is time for bold discussion about the hazards these chemicals pose to our environment and the steps we must take now to protect future generations."
Fitzsimmons said his agency has decided to sponsor public discussion on the issue and seek commitment to a strategy for virtually eliminating the production and release of 27 chemicals that persist for a long time in the environment without breaking down, and which are known to build up in plant or animal tissues.
These persistent, "bioaccumulative" chemicals were taken from a list developed for Canada's toxics-elimination program. While some of the chemicals are no longer produced or used in the United States, they are still present in the environment due to past use, and others are still being created and released every day.
As part of the "virtual elimination" strategy, Ecology will more fully exercise its existing authority to control these chemicals, which include dioxins. The agency also will sponsor broad-based, public forums about what more could and should be done to prevent toxic pollution.
To begin the public discussion, Ecology will suggest a three-tier strategy that would result in the identified chemicals no longer being emitted or discharged: from new facilities by 2005, from existing facilities by 2020, and from cleanup sites by 2025.
Bill Backous, Ecology's manager for environmental investigations, said the dioxin report illustrates the need for greater attention to the problem. "We wanted to see how much dioxin is being generated in Washington, but we could find data for only 25 facilities out of several hundred -- and even those data are not completely reliable," said Backous.
Using existing data, the study attempted to identify the amount of dioxin produced at each facility and whether the chemical is dispersed through air emissions or water discharges, contained in ash that usually is sent to a landfill, spread on agricultural lands, or some combination of these.
The 25 facilities for which data were available include hog-fuel boilers, incinerators, cement kilns, wastewater treatment plants, pulp-and-paper mills, and plants that regenerate activated carbon. Six of the operations have shut down in recent years, including two of the largest sources of dioxins: the Cameron-Yakima carbon-regeneration plant and the Rayonier, Inc. pulp mill in Port Angeles.
Of the 19 that are operating, the study found that most of their dioxin is captured in fly ash, not discharged to air or water. Most of the ash is confined in landfills, providing varying levels of protection from exposure to humans and the environment. However, data were not available for most of the facilities in Washington that are known or suspected to generate dioxins, and source controls at many of those locations probably are not as good, said Backous.
For example, of the 250 municipal wastewater plants in Washington, no data were available to determine how much dioxin is being discharged to water bodies in Washington, and only one facility had data relating to dioxins in the biosolids (sludge) it produces. Among 84 hog-fuel boilers in the state, data were available to determine dioxin output for just four of them.
Backous cautioned against placing too much importance on the dioxin amounts identified in the report, since Ecology did not independently evaluate the quality of the data. Besides determining the amount of dioxin produced at a facility, he said, it's also important to identify whether dioxins are being released into the air or water, where they can be readily absorbed into the food chain, or whether they're being captured and safely disposed.
"Right now it's impossible to determine which facility is the largest dioxin producer in Washington," Backous said. "Depending on what types of pollution controls they have in place, we probably would find that some of the larger dioxin producers actually pose a lower risk to human health and the environment than facilities that generate smaller quantities."
Director Fitzsimmons said the study illustrates the need for more testing and monitoring to better understand where and how much dioxin is being produced. But more than that, he said, "We need a comprehensive strategy for getting dioxins and other persistent toxics out of emissions and out of the environment. This report is just a first step - we need to seriously challenge ourselves and each other to make Washington a healthier place to live."
Dioxins are byproducts of producing or burning substances that contain chlorine. There are 210 forms of dioxin-like chemicals, none with current commercial or domestic uses. Several forms of dioxin are known to be toxic to humans. A report on the human health effects of dioxins is being prepared by the federal Environmental Protection Agency, due for release around the end of the year.
The dioxin report is available on Ecology's Website at: http://www.ecy.wa.gov/biblio/98320.html
The list of 27 BCCs is located at http://www.ecy.wa.gov/biblio/98320.html