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Executive Summary
Industries across the United States pump billions of pounds of toxic
chemicals into our air, land, and water each year, many of which can
cause cancer and other severe health effects. The Environmental
Protection Agency’s Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) program provides
Americans with the best information about toxic chemicals released in
their communities. Unfortunately, in December 2006 the Bush
administration limited the public’s right-to-know about this pollution
by giving some polluters a free pass on reporting their toxic emissions.
The
TRI program is a critical tool for citizens, public health officials,
and policy-makers interested in identifying trends in toxic pollution
at the local, state and national levels. Each year, the country’s
largest facilities from a range of industries report their air, water,
and land releases of more than 600 toxic chemicals, providing valuable
information about which chemicals are entering the environment and
where. For some of these chemicals, scientists know little about their
effects on public health and the environment. For many, however,
scientists have linked exposure to harmful health effects ranging from
chronic bronchitis to developmental problems to cancer.
Using
the latest available TRI data, we examined releases of chemicals known
or suspected to cause serious health problems and identified states and
localities that are bearing the brunt of this pollution. Specifically,
we looked at releases of substances recognized by the state of
California to cause cancer, birth defects or reproductive problems; we
also looked at releases of substances suspected by scientists to damage
the neurological or respiratory systems.
Our findings include:
Industries continue to release toxic chemicals linked to severe health effects into our air and water.
In
2004, U.S. facilities—led by the chemical and paper industries—released
more than 70 million pounds of recognized carcinogens to the air and
water. Texas, South Carolina, Louisiana, Alabama and Florida ranked
highest for air and water releases of carcinogens.
In 2004,
U.S. facilities—led by the chemical industry—reported more than 96
million pounds of air and water emissions of chemicals linked to
developmental problems, such as birth defects and learning
disabilities, and almost 38 million pounds of chemicals linked to
reproductive disorders.
In 2004, U.S. facilities—led by the
chemical and paper industries and electric utilities—released more than
826 million pounds of suspected neurological toxicants to the air and
water. Texas, Tennessee, Georgia, Louisiana, and Ohio ranked highest
for air and water releases of neurotoxicants.
In 2004, U.S.
facilities released almost 1.5 billion pounds of suspected respiratory
toxicants to the air, with electric utilities accounting for almost
half of the pollution. Ohio, North Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and
Pennsylvania ranked highest for respiratory toxicant releases to air.
In
2004, U.S. facilities reported releasing 2,631 grams of dioxins—one of
the most dangerous substances known to science—to the air and water.
The chemical industry and electric utilities released the most dioxins.
A relatively small number of communities often experience the bulk of the air and water pollution.
In
2004, almost a quarter (24 percent) of all air and water releases of
carcinogens occurred within just 20 U.S. counties. Four Texas
counties—Harris, Galveston, Brazoria, and Jefferson—ranked in the top
five counties for most carcinogenic emissions.
Tennessee, Texas
and Illinois accounted for more than 40 percent of the nation’s
developmental toxicant releases and more than 70 percent of the
reproductive toxicant releases in 2004.
Almost two-thirds (62
percent) of all air and water releases of dioxins reported to TRI in
2004 occurred within just 20 zip codes. Zip code 77541 in Freeport,
Texas and 70765 in Plaquemine, Louisiana are home to the two
facilities—both owned by Dow Chemical—that released the most dioxins in
2004.
The mining industry overwhelmingly releases the most toxic pollution to land.
In
2004, U.S. facilities reporting to TRI released more than 608 million
pounds of carcinogens, developmental toxicants and reproductive
toxicants to land. The metal mining industry was responsible for about
485 million pounds (80 percent) of these releases.
Two-thirds
(67 percent) of the land releases of carcinogens, developmental
toxicants and reproductive toxicants were lead or lead compounds.
Exposure to lead can affect almost every organ and system in the human
body, especially the central nervous system.
Nevada, Alaska,
and Utah ranked highest for land releases of carcinogens, developmental
toxicants and reproductive toxicants in 2004, accounting for 71 percent
of the land
releases of these substances nationally.
The Bush administration has limited the public’s right-to-know about toxic releases.
On
December 22, 2006, the Bush administration finalized a new rule that
will reduce the quantity and quality of toxic chemical data submitted
under TRI and available to the public. Specifically, the new rule
allows facilities to avoid submitting detailed reports for management
of persistent bioaccumulative toxins (other than dioxins) under 500
pounds.
These substance persist in the environment, and even
minute amounts pose a serious risk to public health. For all other
chemicals, the Bush administration raised the threshold at which
companies are required to submit detailed reports from 500 pounds to
5,000 pounds per year of waste generation, if not more than 2,000
pounds are released to the environment. The end result is that the
public will have less information about toxic pollution released in
communities.
The public needs more information about toxic pollution, not less, and facilities need to cut toxic chemical use and releases.
The
Bush administration should reverse its policy that limits reporting of
toxic chemicals and instead strengthen the quality and quantity of data
provided to the public. Moreover, the United States needs to make
toxics use reduction a priority and require facilities to find safer
alternatives to dangerous chemicals.
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