Local polluters responsible for jump in chemical releases

Community manufacturing, power or disposal facilities are likely releasing more toxic chemicals into the environment than in the past, says the Commission for Environmental Cooperation (CEC).

The trinational organization has released its annual Taking Stock report, which reveals that a group of 15,000 industrial facilities across North America released and transferred 32 per cent more toxic chemicals from 1998 to 2000. These facilities, with chemical releases and transfers up to 100 tonnes, represent the majority of polluters in Canada and the United States.

“It’s very discouraging to see such a large number of facilities report releasing more pollution in our environment, since they are found in communities across the continent,” said Victor Shantora, acting executive director for the CEC. “The small ‘p’ polluter might not grab the same headlines as a large power plant or chemical manufacturer, but their effect is being felt throughout the North American environment.”

In Canada, these “small p” polluters registered a 66 per cent increase in chemical releases and transfers. In the United States, the same group recorded an increase of 29 per cent.

By comparison, 3,600 facilities reporting more than 100 tonnes of chemical releases and transfers, recorded a seven per cent reduction in pollutants. However, they still account for 90 per cent of the total pollution, with hydrochloric acid credited for the largest amount of releases.

All told, the report found more than 3.3 million tonnes of chemicals released and transferred in 2000, including known carcinogens and substances linked to birth defects. Six jurisdictions (Texas, Ohio, Ontario, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Indiana) accounted for 37 per cent of the total releases that year, with reports in excess of 165,000 tonnes of chemical releases and transfers each. The top 15 facilities reported 255,600 tonnes of releases and transfers, or 8 per cent of the total.

While the cross-border movement of pollutants is limited, Canada became a net exporter of toxic chemicals by virtue of a 43 per cent drop in U.S. exports to Canada from 1998 to 2000. Canadian facilities sent roughly 36,000 tonnes of chemicals to the U.S. in 2000

Overall, North America has reduced industrial releases and transfers of chemicals by five per cent in the six years from 1995 to 2000. Decreases were most dramatic in the U.S. where on-site air releases dropped 31 per cent over six years. Off-site releases increased by 41 per cent.

Do you have a question about a particular facility, industrial sector, province or state? The Taking Stock Online web site at www.cec.org/takingstock allows users to customize reports by chemical, facility, sector or geographic region.