A raw materials storage
pond lies in front of the U.S. Magnesium facility in... (Tribune file
photo)
Utah
is continuing to slip from its longtime status as a hot spot for toxic
waste.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) reported
Thursday the state's national rank fell from third in 2004 to sixth in
2005 for releases of toxic chemicals to the air, land and water even
while its overall toxic output increased slightly.
Many of the state's top 10 polluters from last year's EPA list
remained on this year's. Kennecott Utah Copper's concentrator and power
plant in Salt Lake County topped the Utah list, followed by the
company's smelter and refinery.
"After more than 20 years, the Toxic Release Inventory
continues to be a fundamental tool in our efforts to protect public
health and the environment," said Kerrigan Clough, deputy administrator
for EPA's Denver region.
"The TRI is an important record of the production and use of
toxic chemicals in our communities, a valuable resource that citizens,
companies and governments can use to make informed decisions about the
potential impacts of these chemicals."
The EPA said releases of the 650 monitored chemicals increased
3 percent nationwide between 2004 and 2005. But the agency found a 23
percent decline in dioxin and a 9 percent decrease in mercury.
About 23,500 facilities are required to detail their toxic
emissions each year under the 1986 Emergency Planning and Community
Right-to-Know Act. The
agency is contemplating changes to its reporting system that many
people have criticized as cutbacks in information vital to communities.
In 2005, the latest year for which reports are available, Utah
companies generated 172,622,269 pounds of toxic waste, compared with
163,942,536 pounds the previous year. That represents a 5.3 percent
increase.
For the carcinogen dioxin, Utah wound up fifth in the nation, behind
Texas, Delaware, Mississippi and Michigan.
Utah's biggest dioxin generator, U.S. Magnesium, reported about
9.6 pounds of the chemical, a byproduct of its magnesium processing
operations. U.S. Magnesium also ranked fourth of all U.S. plants for
dioxin. The company did not respond to a call seeking comment.
The
biggest change in toxic
waste volume was reported by EnergySolutions, which disposes of
low-level radioactive and hazardous waste at a mile-square landfill in
Tooele County. The site logged a greater than sixfold increase, largely
because of its role in burying contaminated cleanup material from Cold
War weapons production at Rocky Flats in Colorado, said Tye Rogers,
vice president of regulatory affairs.
"That's basically what we put in our disposal cell," said
Rogers, noting that the facility is designed to contain and control the
waste safely.
Utah's western neighbor, Nevada, continues to be the largest
source of mercury reported in the nation, according to the latest
toxics report. Gold mines in the state reported emitting 3.6 million
pounds of the 4 million pounds of mercury released nationwide. Utah
companies reported just under 40,000 pounds, from Kennecott facilities,
EnergySolutions and the Clean Harbors Grassy Mountain.
Kennecott has had a quarrel with the way EPA reports the data
since the agency began to count mining material as toxic pollution a
few years ago. Under current regulations, when a mining company moves
rock containing low concentrations of, say, naturally occurring lead or
mercury from one place to another, it is considered a release, noted
company spokesman Larry Bunkall.
"Releases are regulated and permitted by state or federal
environmental agencies after an evaluation has concluded the release
will not adversely affect human health or the environment," he said.
"In all cases, Kennecott closely monitors our releases and operates in
full compliance with all environmental regulations."
Vanessa Pierce, director of the Healthy Environment Alliance
of Utah, said the increase in national and Utah toxic chemicals is a
disappointment in light of the public's increasing awareness about the
health hazards they pose.
Much more could be done to reduce toxics, she said, noting
that about 6.9 pounds of toxic chemicals were generated by Utah
businesses for each state resident in 2005.
"This is an area where we all have a lot of room and a real need for
improvement," she said.
fahys@sltrib.com
