Toxic chemicals in Oregon: EPA report details releases
The quantity of toxic chemicals released to Oregon's air, land and water decreased by 18 percent in 2013, according to new data from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
Across the state, 210 facilities reported releasing 22.9 million pounds of toxic chemicals.
In Marion and Polk counties, meanwhile, toxic releases increased 39 percent, to 191,361 pounds.
Manufacturing, metal mining, electric utilities and commercial hazardous waste facilities must report their release of toxic chemicals to the EPA each year. EPA then publishes a Toxics Release Inventory.
Chemicals are placed on the list based on their potential to cause adverse effects on human health or to the environment.
In Marion and Polk counties, nine companies released a total of 191,361 pounds of toxic chemicals in 2013, an increase of 39 percent from the previous year.
Most of that was due to increases at Ennis-Flint on Commercial Street NE in Salem. The company, which makes paint and coatings, released 24,098 pounds of toxics in 2013, about five times more than the previous year.
Company officials did not return calls seeking comment.
The biggest polluter locally remained Fiber-Fab in Gervais, which manufactures jetted tubs and shower stalls.
The most widely released chemical locally remained styrene, used in the production of plastics and resins.
The bulk of the styrene was released by Fiber-Fab, with a smaller amount released by Marquis Corp. in Independence and Specialty Polymers in Woodburn.
Two Oregon companies remain among the nation's top 100 polluters.
Chemical Waste Management of the Northwest, in Arlington, is the nation's 43rd-largest polluter. It accounted for 11 million pounds, or about half, of Oregon's chemical releases.
Cascade Steel Rolling Mills, in McMinnville, comes in at No. 74 nationwide, up from No. 87 the previous year. It released about 6 million pounds of toxic chemicals.
Nationwide, releases of listed toxic chemicals increased in 2013, following a decline the previous year.
More than 4.1 billion pounds of toxic chemicals were released into the environment across the country in 2013, a 15 percent increase from 2012.
The increase was primarily due to increases in on-site land disposal from the metal mining sector, EPA said in a news release.
tloew@statesmanjournal.com, (503) 399-6779 or follow at Twitter.com/SJWatchdog
Toxic releases
Here are the facilities with the largest releases of toxic chemicals in Oregon and locally, along with pounds released in 2013:
OREGON
•Chemical Waste Management of the Northwest (Arlington): 7,988,692
•Cascade Steel Rolling Mills (McMinnville): 5,964,201
•Georgia-Pacific Toledo: 1,206,748
•Cascade Pacific Pulp Halsey Pulp Mill: 1,163,155
•Dyno Nobel-St. Helens Plant (Deer Island): 723,623
•Boardman Plant: 693,059
•International Paper (Springfield): 595,092
•Georgia Pacific Consumer Products Wauna Mill (Clatskanie): 493,395
•TDY Industries DBA Wah Chang (Albany): 467,994
•SP Fiber Technologies Northwest (Newberg): 452,234
MARION & POLK COUNTIES
•Fiber-Fab (Gervais): 76,185
•Elkay Wood Products (Independence): 42,596
•Ennis-Flint (Salem): 24,098
•Marquis Corp. (Independence): 22,198
•Specialty Polymers (Woodburn): 14,013
•Akzo Nobel Coatings (Salem): 12,151
•Riverbend Sand & Gravel (Salem): 71
•Sanyo Solar of Oregon (Salem): 29
•Loxcreen Co. (Woodburn): 20
Here are the chemicals with the widest release in Oregon and locally, along with pounds released in 2013:
OREGON
•Methanol: 2,889,812
•Lead compounds: 2,340,594
•Asbestos (friable): 2,340,221
•Aluminum (fume or dust): 2,000,599
•Ammonia: 1,201,613
•Manganese compounds: 648,633
•Nitrate compounds: 549,926
•Barium compounds: 549,312
•Hydrochloric acid: 381,573
•Methyl isobutyl ketone: 364,161
MARION & POLK COUNTIES
•Styrene: 98,637
•Xylene: 42,374
•Toluene: 16,220
•Methanol: 12,829
•Vinyl acetate: 11,135
•Methyl Methacrylate: 4,907
•Ethylbenzene: 2,861
•N-Butyl alcohol: 896
•Methyl acrylate: 496
•Butyl acrylate: 490