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Poisoning Our Future

Section III: What We Do Know: An Analysis of 1996 TRI Data For Persistent Bioaccumulative Toxins
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The Community Right to Know Act’s Toxic Release Inventory (TRI) is the only EPA data source that reports quantities of many different chemicals in pounds. The following analysis was done of 1996 TRI data, the most current available data, to provide an idea of the distribution and quantity of 31 persistent bioaccumulative toxins (PBTs). (See Appendix E for explanation of how chemicals were selected)

We have broken the TRI data on PBTs into metals and non-metals. Because many metals are included in TRI, and because of the high usage of some metals like lead, the totals for metals are generally high. The non-metal PBTs have been broken out separately so that their data are not hidden by the much more extensive data on metals.

Table III.1 compares 1996 TRI summary data on metal and non-metal PBTs. In 1996, industries reported releasing nearly 20 million pounds of persistent bioaccumulative toxins into the environment: Approximately 18 million pounds were metal releases, and 1.6 million pounds were non-metal releases. In keeping with their chemical and physical properties, the vast majority of releases of metals are to land disposal. Non-metal PBTs are generally more volatile and would be expected to evaporate, so the majority of their releases are air emissions.

Tables III.2 and III.3 provide a breakdown of PBT releases state-by-state. The top five states for releases of metal PBTs were Missouri, Montana, Arizona, Illinois, and Utah. Perhaps because of the processes associated with mining activities, the top states for releases of metal PBTs are not all of the most highly industrialized states. The top state for releases of non-metal PBTs, Florida, made the 1996 list because of atrazine releases from sugar cane refineries. The remaining top 5 states were New York, Michigan, Missouri, and Illinois. Both Missouri and Illinois were also among the top five states for releases of metal PBTs.

Table III.1: 1996 TRI Releases of Metal and Non-Metal PBTs

Metals Non-Metals
Number of Facilities Submitting at Least One Form 2,099 300
TRI Releases to the Environment 17,896,925 pounds 1,628,824 pounds
Air Emissions 1,932,338 pounds 960,447 pounds
Surface Water Discharges 99,904 pounds 20,780 pounds
Underground Injection 16,802 pounds 3,920 pounds
Releases to Land 15,820,881 pounds 643,677 pounds
Top Five Chemicals Released:
  1. Lead Compounds
  2. Lead
  3. Cadmium Compounds
  4. Cobalt Compounds
  5. Cobalt
  1. Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs)
  2. Atrazine
  3. 1,4-Dichlorobenzene
  4. Pentachlorophenol
  5. Trifluralin

Table III.2: 1996 TRI Releases of Metal PBTs by State

State Release pounds Rank Air pounds Water pounds Under- ground injection pounds Land pounds Air % Water % Under- ground injection % Land %
AL 239,581 11 68,138 8,121 0 163,322 28.4 3.4 0 68.2
AR 53,521 21 21,760 153 0 31,608 40.7 0.3 0 59.1
AZ 3,550,371 3 167,099 0 0 3,383,272 4.7 0 0 95.3
CA 34,914 24 13,370 1,484 0 20,060 38.3 4.3 0 57.5
CO 24,958 26 3,557 1 0 21,400 14.3 0 0 85.7
CT 6,711 36 3,240 510 0 2,961 48.3 7.6 0 44.1
DE 4,305 39 4,286 19 0 0 99.6 0.4 0 0
FL 8,190 34 8,151 39 0 0 99.5 0.5 0 0
GA 106,015 16 26,191 953 0 78,871 24.7 0.9 0 74.4
IA 90,727 18 14,759 463 0 75,505 16.3 0.5 0 83.2
ID 338,444 8 480 0 0 337,964 0.1 0 0 99.9
IL 1,052,953 4 219,658 3,357 0 829,938 20.9 0.3 0 78.8
IN 309,054 9 47,772 6,346 0 254,936 15.5 2.1 0 82.5
KS 9,849 31 9,330 159 26 334 94.7 1.6 0.3 3.4
KY 107,453 15 21,733 760 0 84,960 20.2 0.7 0 79.1
LA 175,925 13 15,484 4,797 12,009 143,635 8.8 2.7 6.8 81.6
MA 6,552 37 6,287 265 0 0 96 4 0 0
MD 5,118 38 285 3,233 0 1,600 5.6 63.2 0 31.3
ME 408 45 401 6 0 1 98.3 1.5 0 0.2
MI 184,067 12 41,287 848 0 141,932 22.4 0.5 0 77.1
MN 20,507 27 20,212 295 0 0 98.6 1.4 0 0
MO 4,813,930 1 589,617 1,051 0 4,223,262 12.2 0 0 87.7
MS 81,287 19 8,089 1,367 0 71,831 10 1.7 0 88.4
MT 3,772,871 2 53,320 1,243 0 3,718,308 1.4 0 0 98.6
NC 34,270 25 16,517 4,308 0 13,445 48.2 12.6 0 39.2
ND 378 47 370 0 0 8 97.9 0 0 2.1
NE 37,170 22 27,966 2,438 0 6,766 75.2 6.6 0 18.2
NH 3,786 41 3,521 10 0 255 93 0.3 0 6.7
NJ 127,728 14 21,367 2,769 0 103,592 16.7 2.2 0 81.1
NM 12,182 30 677 0 0 11,505 5.6 0 0 94.4
NV 1,239 43 1,239 0 0 0 100 0 0 0
NY 35,993 23 30,854 1,237 0 3,902 85.7 3.4 0 10.8
OH 465,257 7 91,589 5,821 1,400 366,447 19.7 1.3 0.3 78.8
OK 8,214 33 7,305 141 490 278 88.9 1.7 6 3.4
OR 2,203 42 2,158 45 0 0 98 0 0 0
PA 247,368 10 143,650 10,390 0 93,328 58.1 4.2 0 37.7
PR 7,292 35 7,290 1 0 1 100 0 0 0
RI 985 44 923 62 0 0 93.7 6.3 0 0
SC 101,874 17 26,950 12,052 0 62,872 26.5 11.8 0 61.7
SD 15 48 10 5 0 0 66.7 33.3 0 0
TN 56,499 20 25,348 4,628 0 26,523 44.9 8.2 0 46.9
TX 728,769 6 110,748 6,187 2,877 608,957 15.2 0.8 0.4 83.6
UT 957,336 5 20,888 891 0 935,557 2.2 0.1 0 97.7
VA 3,879 40 2,612 1,267 0 0 67.3 32.7 0 0
VI 1 50 1 0 0 0 100 0 0 0
VT 389 46 38 5 0 346 9.8 1.3 0 88.9
WA 8,606 32 6,870 385 0 1,351 79.8 4.5 0 15.7
WI 13,213 29 12,164 1,049 0 0 92.1 7.9 0 0
WV 17,563 28 6,772 10,743 0 48 38.6 61.2 0 0.3
WY 5 49 5 0 0 0 100 0 0 0

Table III.3: 1996 TRI Releases of Non-Metal PBTs by State

State Release pounds Rank Air pounds Water pounds Under- ground injection pounds Land pounds Air % Water % Under- ground injection % Land %
AL 17,839 15 6,651 8,168 0 3,020 37.3 45.8 0 16.9
AR 3,223 22 2,973 250 0 0 92.2 7.8 0 0
AZ 0 38 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
CA 861 29 815 46 0 0 94.7 5.3 0 0
CO 349 34 329 20 0 0 94.3 5.7 0 0
DE 33,066 11 32,797 269 0 0 99.2 0.8 0 0
FL 614,494 1 141 0 0 614,353 0 0 0 100
GA 1,164 26 902 12 0 250 77.5 1 0 21.5
HI 0 38 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
IA 9,332 20 9,328 4 0 0 100 0 0 0
ID 0 38 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
IL 88,128 5 88,126 2 0 0 100 0 0 0
IN 27,476 12 27,160 6 0 310 98.8 0 0 1.1
KS 4,697 21 3,028 0 1,669 0 64.5 0 35.5 0
KY 17 36 17 0 0 0 100 0 0 0
LA 35,125 9 33,492 1,630 1 2 95.4 4.6 0 0
MA 49,000 6 49,000 0 0 0 100 0 0 0
ME 0 38 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
MI 110,513 3 110,513 0 0 0 100 0 0 0
MN 910 28 910 0 0 0 100 0 0 0
MO 107,526 4 97,990 191 0 9,345 91.1 0.2 0 8.7
MS 1,038 27 1,013 25 0 0 97.6 2.4 0 0
MT 20,883 14 20,883 0 0 0 100 0 0 0
NC 11,152 18 9,153 1,999 0 0 82.1 17.9 0 0
ND 540 32 540 0 0 0 100 0 0 0
NE 10,602 19 10,602 0 0 0 100 0 0 0
NJ 1,793 24 1,037 1 0 755 57.8 0.1 0 42.1
NV 10 37 10 0 0 0 100 0 0 0
NY 306,296 2 306,296 0 0 0 100 0 0 0
OH 23,268 13 21,625 149 0 1,494 92.9 0.6 0 6.4
OK 839 30 699 77 0 63 83.3 9.2 0 7.5
OR 1,408 25 658 500 0 250 46.7 35.5 0 17.8
PA 16,834 16 14,000 2,834 0 0 83.2 16.8 0 0
SC 2,405 23 2,405 0 0 0 100 0 0 0
SD 0 38 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
TN 13,439 17 9,234 100 0 4,105 68.7 0.7 0 30.5
TX 38,655 8 24,318 2,789 2,250 9,298 62.9 7.2 5.8 24.1
UT 232 35 210 0 0 22 90.5 0 0 9.5
VA 393 33 393 0 0 0 100 0 0 0
VI 809 31 809 0 0 0 100 0 0 0
WA 33,589 10 33,268 71 0 250 99 0.2 0 0.7
WI 0 38 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
WV 40,919 7 39,122 1,637 0 160 95.6 4 0 0.4

The majority of TRI releases are typically concentrated in a small number of industries18 and facilities. Table III.4 shows a breakdown of national releases of metal PBTs by industry sector (Standard Industrial Classification Code, SIC code).

Table III.4: 1996 TRI Releases of Metal PBTs by Industry

SIC Industry Sector Pounds Rank Percent of Total
20 Food Products 9 17 0
22 Textile Mills 10,635 10 0.1
24 Lumber and Wood 155 16 0
25 Furniture 9,978 11 0.1
26 Paper 1,565 14 0
27 Printing and Publishing 250 15 0
28 Chemical Manufacturing 685,049 2 3.8
29 Petroleum Refining 21,748 7 0.1
30 Rubber and Plastics 34,494 6 0.2
32 Stone/Glass/Clay/Concrete 282,128 3 1.6
33 Primary Metals 16,432,760 1 92
34 Fabricated Metals 132,136 5 0.7
35 Machinery 14,896 9 0.1
36 Electronic/Electric Prod. 208,749 4 1.2
37 Transportation Equipment 21,131 8 0.1
38 Instruments 2,691 13 0
39 Miscellaneous Products 4,079 12 0
Subtotal 17,862,453
More than one industry 7,278
No SIC (industry) code 194
Total 17,869,925

As can be seen from Table III.4, the primary metals industry was the overwhelming contributor with 92 percent of the releases. This is not surprising, since the primary metals industry uses many PBT metals as additives to their metal products, and facilities also bring PBT metals on site as impurities in raw materials. The top four industries, primary metals, chemicals, stone/glass/clay/concrete, and electronic and electrical equipment, totaled more than 98 percent of the releases.

Table III.5 shows the specific facilities across the country responsible for the most PBT metal pollution. Three Asarco primary metals facilities were responsible for 48.5 percent of the releases. The other two facilities in the top five were Cyprus Miami Mining Corp. with 10 percent and Doe Run Company with eight percent.

Table III.5: 1996 TRI Top 20 Facilities for Releases of Metal PBTs

Rank Facility Name Number of forms Industry Total releases (pounds) Percent of total
1 ASARCO INC. East Helena, MT 2 PRIMARY NONFERROUS METALS, NEC 3,772,371 21.1
2 ASARCO INC. Annapolis, MO 2 PRIMARY NONFERROUS METALS, NEC 3,160,856 17.7
3 CYPRUS MIAMI MINING CORP. Claypool, AZ 3 PRIMARY COPPER 1,775,300 9.9
4 ASARCO INC. Hayden, AZ 2 PRIMARY COPPER 1,727,871 9.7
5 DOE RUN CO. Herculaneum, MO 3 PRIMARY NONFERROUS METALS, NEC 1,480,338 8.3
6 KENNECOTT UTAH COPPER Magna, UT 2 PRIMARY COPPER 882,515 4.9
7 NORTHWESTERN STEEL & WIRE CO. , Sterling, IL 1 BLAST FURNACES AND STEEL MILLS 664,540 3.7
8 GNB TECHS. INC. Frisco, TX 1 SECONDARY NONFERROUS METALS 517,107 2.9
9 FMC CORP. Pocatello, ID 1 INDUSTRIAL INORGANIC CHEMICALS, NEC 338,304 1.9
10 GM POWERTRAIN DEFIANCE Defiance, OH 1 GRAY AND DUCTILE IRON FOUNDRIES 265,541 1.5
11 U.S. STEEL Gary, IN 3 BLAST FURNACES AND STEEL MILLS 209,105 1.2
12 KEYSTONE STEEL & WIRE CO. Peoria, IL 1 BLAST FURNACES AND STEEL MILLS 170,424 1
13 SCHUYLKILL METALS CORP.Baton Rouge, LA 1 SECONDARY NONFERROUS METALS 146,338 0.8
14 GMC Saginaw, MI 1 GRAY AND DUCTILE IRON FOUNDRIES 142,700 0.8
15 AUSTEEL LEMONT CO. INC. Lemont, IL 1 BLAST FURNACES AND STEEL MILLS 142,454 0.8
16 USS FAIRFIELD WORKS Fairfield, AL 1 BLAST FURNACES AND STEEL MILLS 96,135 0.5
17 GRIFFIN PIPE PRODS. CO. Florence, NJ 1 GRAY AND DUCTILE IRON FOUNDRIES 91,024 0.5
18 GULF STATES STEEL INC. Gadsden, AL 1 BLAST FURNACES AND STEEL MILLS 91,000 0.5
19 ENGELHARD CORP. Louisville, KY 3 INORGANIC PIGMENTS 87,860 0.5
20 AK STEEL CORP. Middletown, OH 3 BLAST FURNACES AND STEEL MILLS 79,496 0.4
Total for top 20 facilities 73 16,860,846
Percent of total 3 94
Total for all facilities 2,327 17,869,925

The picture is vastly different for non-metal PBTs. Table III.6 lists 1996 TRI releases for non- metal PBTs by industry, and Table III.7 lists the top 20 facilities for releases. The food products industry has the largest amount of releases, 38 percent of the total. Primary metals was second with 30 percent and chemical manufacturing third with 23 percent. These three industries together had 90 percent of the releases.

The large contribution of the food products industry came from three sugar cane refineries facilities reporting atrazine releases, while the top facility was Reynolds Metals, a primary aluminum manufacturer, reporting 18 percent of non-metal PBT releases. Reynold’s releases were of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), a byproduct of high-temperature smelting.

Table III.6: 1996 TRI Releases of Non-Metal PBTs by Industry

SIC Industry Sector Pounds Rank Percent
20 Food Products 614,353 1 37.7
22 Textile Mills 0 -- 0
24 Lumber and Wood 24,377 6 1.5
26 Paper 250 10 0
27 Printing and Publishing 10 11 0
28 Chemical Manufacturing 366,874 3 22.5
29 Petroleum Refining 44,149 5 2.7
30 Rubber and Plastics 1,261 9 0.1
32 Stone/Glass/Clay/Concrete 63,683 4 3.9
33 Primary Metals 492,610 2 30.2
35 Machinery 0 -- 0
36 Electronic/Electric Prod. 15,695 7 1
39 Miscellaneous Products 5,562 8 0.3
Subtotal 1,628,824
More than one industry 0
Total 1,628,824

Table III.7: 1996 TRI Top 20 Facilities for Releases of Non-Metal PBTs

Rank Facility Name Number of forms Industry Total releases (pounds) Percent of total
1 REYNOLDS METALS CO. Massena, NY 1 PRIMARY ALUMINUM 300,250 18.4
2 U.S. SUGAR CORP./WESTERN DIV.Clewiston, FL 1 RAW CANE SUGAR 222,943 13.7
3 U.S. SUGAR CORP. Canal Point, FL 1 RAW CANE SUGAR 201,410 12.4
4 OKEELANTA CORP. South Bay, FL 1 RAW CANE SUGAR 190,000 11.7
5 ALLIED-SIGNAL INC. Detroit, MI 1 CYCLIC CRUDES AND INTERMEDIATES 110,248 6.8
6 NORANDA ALUMINUM INC. New Madrid, MO 2 PRIMARY ALUMINUM 104,208 6.4
7 MONSANTO Sauget, IL 1 CYCLIC CRUDES AND INTERMEDIATES 77,000 4.7
8 BAY STATE STERLING Westborough, MA 1 ABRASIVE PRODUCTS 49,000 3
9 PPG IND. INC. New Martinsville, WV 1 ALKALIES AND CHLORINE 36,682 2.3
10 STANDARD CHLORINE OF DELAWARE Delaware City, DE 1 CYCLIC CRUDES AND INTERMEDIATES 33,066 2
11 REYNOLDS METALS CO. Longview, WA 1 PRIMARY ALUMINUM 22,874 1.4
12 NOVARTIS CROP PROTECTION INC., St. Gabriel, LA 2 INDUSTRIAL INORGANIC CHEMICALS, NEC 22,484 1.4
13 COLUMBIA FALLS ALUMINUM CO., Columbia Falls, MT 1 PRIMARY ALUMINUM 20,128 1.2
14 PHILLIPS CHEMICAL CO. Borger, TX 1 INDUSTRIAL ORGANIC CHEMICALS, NEC 16,220 1
15 BAY STATE STERLING Westborough, MA 1 ABRASIVE PRODUCTS 14,050 0.9
16 AMOCO PETROLEUM PRODS. Texas City, TX 1 PETROLEUM REFINING 10,523 0.6
17 HORNING WIRE CORP. Lake Zurich, IL 1 NONFERROUS WIRE DRAWING AND INSULATING 8,710 0.5
18 NATIONAL ELECTRICAL CARBON Fostoria, OH 1 CARBON AND GRAPHITE PRODUCTS 8,505 0.5
19 VELSICOL CHEMICAL CORP. Memphis, TN 4 CYCLIC CRUDES AND INTERMEDIATES 7,945 0.5
20 FORTRON IND. Wilmington, NC 1 PLASTICS MATERIALS AND RESINS 7,772 0.5
Total for top 20 facilities 65 1,574,029
Percent of total 19 97
Total for all facilities 344 1,628,824

18 Data in this report come from the 1996 Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) database released to the public in June 1998 by U.S. EPA. Facilities may report under more than one SIC (Standard Industrial Classification) code to TRI. This report uses the first SIC code on each form as the primary industry designation for the facility, as specified in the TRI reporting instructions. Essentially, that SIC code then represented the entire facility within each compilation by chemical, which may not be accurate in the case of individual chemicals used on site. However, as seen in EPA’s 1995 Toxics Release Inventory Public Data Release (EPA 745-R-97-005), facilities reporting more than one two-digit SIC code (and thus in more than one industry) account for seven percent of TRI releases and constitute the fourth highest “industry” for total releases in the database. This “multiple codes” designation leaves too many facilities unattributed for purposes of analyses in this report.



 
 

april 1999

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