NEWS FROM THE DELAWARE DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL
December 1, 2009
Vol. 39, No. 460
NOTE: Please see TRI Fact Sheet that follows the press release below.
Contact: John Parker, Emergency Prevention and Response Branch, (302) 739-9405; or Melinda Carl, Public Affairs Office, (302) 739-9902
Annual State TRI data and reports show decreases in emissions;
company efforts, economic conditions are factors
Trend continues downward since 1998 reported data
The annual Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) data and reports for 2008 from Delaware’s facilities compiled by the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control show a decrease in reported emissions since 2007 and also since 1998 – a baseline year when TRI reporting requirements expanded significantly and more facilities began reporting to the program.
This is the 22nd year of TRI data collection from facilities for distribution to the public and the 2008 data partly reflect the impact that economic conditions played in the decrease in emissions in the form of lower power production and the closing of two reporting facilities.
Statewide, TRI total on-site releases reported in Delaware for 2008 were lower by 11 percent compared to 2007. For 2008, reported on-site releases totaled 9.45 million pounds, down from the 10.65 million pounds reported for 2007, and down 20 percent from the 11.86 million pounds reported for 1998.
The data indicate the decrease is in large part attributable to reports of less acid gas releases by the Indian River, Edge Moor/Hay Road, and Valero refinery power plants, and reduced nitrate compound discharges into the Delaware River from the Valero refinery and into the Nanticoke River from INVISTA Seaford. To a smaller degree, facility closings at Chrysler and Dow Reichhold also added to the reductions.
Although reported on-site emissions decreased and total toxic waste amounts decreased, on-site releases of known, probable or possible carcinogens increased in 2008, primarily from amounts disposed on-site to land and released to air.
“Our department is committed to working with business and government sectors and members of the public to improve air quality and water quality by developing cost-effective methods of reducing all toxic emissions across all industries,” said DNREC Secretary Collin O’Mara. “The state facilities taking voluntary action to reduce their release amounts deserve recognition for their contributions to the goal of reducing all toxic emissions in Delaware, said O’Mara, who noted that additional reductions will be realized when full compliance with the department’s multi-pollutant regulation is achieved.
Releases to air were down by 17 percent, the result of decreased power production and a change to lower sulfur coal at the Indian River Power Plant, decreased power production and a change in types of fuel used at the Edge Moor/Hay Road Power Plant, and decreases in propylene released from the frozen earth storage unit and in sulfuric acid released from the Valero refinery.
Valero announced on Nov. 20 that it would close the Delaware City facility immediately; however, since the facility operated for most of 2009, TRI data will be reported in next year’s TRI report.
In 2009, the Indian River Power Plant obtained permits to begin a major upgrade to reduce emissions. Construction is expected to be complete at the end of 2011. Reductions of more than 75 percent are expected for nitrogen oxides (NOx), nearly 85 percent for sulfur dioxide (SO2) and almost 90 percent for mercury in compliance with DNREC’s multi-pollutant air regulation (1146), a two-phase regulation designed to significantly reduce emissions from Delaware power plants, and a subsequent consent decree.
Although these are not all TRI-reportable chemicals, reductions from compliance also include hydrochloric acid, hydrofluoric acid, and sulfuric acid. Mercury reductions are expected under phase one in 2009, additional interim reductions will occur with shutdown of Unit 2 in 2010 and Unit 1 in 2011, and the full reductions will occur under phase two in 2012.
Similarly, Conectiv Edgemoor in response to the multi-pollutant regulation undertook measures that are designed to reduce NOx, SO2 and mercury emissions in 2009.These measures will also produce reductions in other TRI reportable emissions such as hydrochloric acid, hydrofluoric acid and sulfuric acid for calendar 2009 and beyond.
Releases to land increased, however, largely because of a change from off-site disposal of ash to on-site disposal at the Indian River Power Plant. The facility has been issued a permit to construct a state-of-the art landfill, which includes protective elements such as a cap to prevent escape of air-borne dust, and an impervious liner to prevent leakage of liquids. Considering both on-site releases to land and off-site disposals for all TRI chemicals, the net change at this facility was a 37,600-pound increase for 2008.
Reported on-site releases of all carcinogens (known, probable, and possible) increased by 76,500 pounds (33 percent) for 2008, generally the result of on-site disposal of carcinogens in ash at the Indian River Power Plant. Reported releases of cobalt compounds released to land by the Indian River Power Plant, however, fell by 9,700 pounds, and, since 1998, on-site releases in Delaware for all carcinogens are down by 548,500 pounds, or 64 percent.
Analysis of Delaware’s 2008 toxic waste data indicates that TRI-reported total toxic waste amounts, including on-site releases, transfers off-site, and waste managed on-site, decreased 4.2 percent, or 4.34 million pounds, compared to 2007.
The TRI reports and data for calendar year 2008 are now available through the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control at: www.serc.delaware.gov/reports. The attached fact sheet provides additional details about the 2008 TRI reports.
Delaware Toxics Release Inventory
2008 Data and Reports
FACT SHEET
What is TRI?
The Toxics Release Inventory, or “TRI,” is a data set containing information reported annually since 1987 for toxic chemicals manufactured, processed, or otherwise used by certain facilities in Delaware and throughout the United States. The TRI was established in 1986 under Title III, Section 313, of the Federal Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act (SARA 313) to provide information to the public about the presence and release of toxic chemicals in their communities. Title III is also known as the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA).
Toxic release reporting was required in the reporting year 2008 for:
• 581 individual chemicals, ranging from highly toxic and persistent compounds like mercury to relatively less toxic (per amount) and less persistent chemicals like methanol.
• 30 chemical categories, within which there are a number of chemicals, such as the 17 different chemicals in the “dioxins, furans and PCB” category).
The list of facilities that must report to the government under TRI is determined by whether they fall under one of the covered North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) codes. Primarily, these NAICS codes include:
• Manufacturing facilities
• Oil and coal fired electric utilities, and
• Bulk petroleum terminals.
Facilities submit information to Delaware’s Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on the amount of each toxic chemical that is
(1) Released to the environment and/or
(2) Managed onsite as waste, or
(3) Managed offsite as waste.
Data from Delaware facilities is compiled by DNREC. Reports summarizing the data are prepared and published annually by DNREC and the EPA. It is noteworthy that TRI only requires reporting of releases and waste management activities. The control of those releases is achieved separately through a variety of DNREC and EPA permits, laws and regulations.
Delaware Results: On-Site Releases to the Environment
For the 2008 calendar year, 68 facilities reported releases of 100 different TRI chemicals in Delaware. Reported on-site releases to the environment were approximately 9.45 million pounds. Of this amount, approximately 5.8 million pounds were reported as released to the air, while 2.8 million pounds were released to water and 886,000 pounds were released to land. For the TRI chemicals released to the air, 73 percent were from hydrochloric acid releases, largely from coal-fired power plants (e.g., Connectiv in Edgemoor and NRG in Millsboro). Total on-site releases reported for 2008 were lower by 11.3 percent when compared to 2007.
Several factors contributed to the decrease in reported amounts of on-site releases in 2008. The total reported releases on-site to air decreased by 1,149,000 pounds (17%) and reported releases to water decreased by 531,000 pounds (16%) for 2008. NRG’s Indian River Power Plant reported a reduction of 400,000 pounds, and the Edge Moor/Hay Road Power Plant reported a reduction of 321,000 pounds of hydrochloric acid released to air. INVISTA Seaford reported a 210,000-pound decrease in nitrate compounds released to water. Premcor reported a 171,000-pound decrease, and Perdue Georgetown reported a 160,000-pound decrease in nitrate compounds released to water as a result of improving reporting accuracy and improved methodology for estimating this release. Premcor also reported a 203,000-pound decrease in sulfuric acid release to air for 2008, and a decrease of 87,000 pounds of propylene released to air. The reported propylene release is the result of Premcor attempting to quantify fugitive releases of propylene from the frozen earth storage unit, which, pursuant to a conciliation order, was to have been replaced with alternative storage by May 1, 2010, and closed by December 15, 2010. See
the DNREC press release issued at the time for more details.
However, since Valero announced on Nov. 20 that it would close the Delaware City facility immediately, plans for this unit may change, but because the facility operated for most of 2009, TRI data from this facility for 2009 will be reported in next year’s TRI report
The total amount released on-site to land increased by 480,000 pounds. This was largely the result of increases in the reported amounts of by-products from coal combustion disposed of at the facility on-site landfill in 2008, but which was sent to off-site landfills in 2007, from the Indian River Power Plant.
Delaware Results: Total TRI Waste
Analysis of Delaware 2008 toxic waste data indicates that TRI-reported total toxic waste, including on-site releases, transfers off-site, and waste managed on-site, was approximately 99.2 million pounds, a 4.2% decrease from 103.5 million pounds reported for 2007. This is also a 35% decline, or 53.3 million pounds, compared to the 152.4 million pounds reported for 1998. (The 1998 year is typically used as a baseline because the TRI reporting requirements were significantly expanded that year, requiring more facilities to begin reporting to the TRI program.)
Although reported on-site releases decreased for 2008, waste amounts managed on-site increased by 2.9 million pounds (4.0%) compared to 2007, primarily the result of changes in amounts treated for destruction.
Waste amounts sent off-site for processing and disposal decreased by 6 million pounds in 2008, largely the result of decreases in manganese, chromium, and vanadium compounds sent off-site for disposal reported by the DuPont Edge Moor facility, a reduction in xylene recycle from General Motors, a reduction in barium compounds and several other metallic compounds from the Indian River Power Plant, and reductions in the amounts of methanol and toluene sent off-site for energy recovery by Noramco. Barium, vanadium, and several other metallic compounds were contained in byproducts of coal combustion sent to off-site landfills for disposal in 2007, but which were disposed of at the Indian River Power Plant on-site landfill in 2008. Other variations were reported as part of normal cycles of increasing and decreasing production and finding better ways to manage the waste products created at the respective facilities.
Delaware Results: TRI Reporting of Persistent, Bioaccumulative and Toxic Chemicals (PBTs)
Of the 68 reporting facilities for 2008, 27 reported on 11 PBT substances for a total amount of 33,673 pounds of PBT substances released on-site to the environment. This is up from the 21,008 pounds reported in 2007. Higher reported amounts from the Indian River Power Plant were largely responsible for the increase. These amounts were shipped off-site in 2007, but were sent to the facility’s on-site landfill in 2008. The facility has been permitted to construct a state-of-the art landfill, which includes protective elements such as a cap to prevent escape of air-borne dust, and an impervious liner to prevent leakage of liquids. NRG is cooperating with DNREC to install monitors for particulate matter to determine any off-site impacts of air-borne ash. Considering both on-site releases to land and off-site disposals for all TRI PBT chemicals at this facility, the net change was a 58-pound decrease for 2008. For all PBTs at all facilities, the total of on-site releases and disposal off-site was a decrease of 42,241 pounds compared to 2007. Most prominent was a 44,000-pound decrease in off-site disposals of lead compounds at the DuPont Edge Moor facility, balanced by smaller increases and decreases at other facilities.
In conjunction with efforts to reduce mercury emissions, DNREC, with the aid of a review committee, developed a new multi-pollutant regulation to reduce nitrogen oxides (NOx), sulfur oxides (SOx) and mercury (Hg) emissions from Delaware's coal and residual oil fired electric generating power plants. The reduction in emissions will improve ambient air quality in Delaware and in downwind states, and help the state demonstrate progress toward attaining air quality standards for ground level ozone and other clean air federal obligations.
National Perspective
As of the date Delaware’s TRI inventory was released, EPA had not released the national 2008 TRI report. However, placing the 2008 Delaware reports alongside the 2007 EPA reports provides a national TRI perspective for the state. This data shows that Delaware ranks 42nd of 50 states in lowest total on-site releases for all TRI chemicals.
For more information
Copies of submittals from individual facilities are available upon request. Because the program reporting requirements change each year, comparison with prior years may not be valid without proper adjustments. The 2008 TRI data, as well as data from earlier years dating back to 1995, is available in an easy to use on line searchable format at: www.serc.delaware.gov/services/search/index.shtml.
DNREC has published both technical and non-technical reports summarizing the 2008 TRI data. Reports for the 2008 data and previous years back to 1998 are available online at: www.serc.delaware.gov/reports.
