February 15, 2008
Volume 38, Number 65
Division of Air and Waste Management
Contact: John Parker, Emergency Prevention and Response Branch, phone: (302) 739-9405 or Melinda Carl, Public Affairs, phone: (302) 739-9902
Annual State TRI Data and Reports Show Increases That Largely Reflect More Accurate Reporting; Trend Continues Downward Since 1998 Reported Data
The annual Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) data for 2006 from Delaware facilities compiled by the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control show progress in two important areas: an increase in accuracy and decrease in emissions since reported data year 1998.
This is the 20th year of TRI data collection from facilities for distribution to the public and this year, an increasing number of Delaware’s reporting facilities used directly monitored data results instead of estimates based on a formula using “emissions factors.”
Statewide, TRI on-site releases reported in Delaware for 2006 were higher by 32 percent when compared to 2005. This was largely attributable to a more accurate method for reporting nitrate discharges into the Delaware River from Premcor’s refinery in Delaware City. The company reported a more accurate nitrate release about 10 times greater than its 2005 data showed.
Excluding this correction to nitrate discharges into the Delaware River, the total TRI releases for Delaware increased about two percent over the 2005 reported releases. This increase is due largely to an increase reported by Perdue Georgetown for nitrate compounds released to water, and increased releases to air associated with the use of more coal at the Edgemoor Conectiv Power Plant.
Despite these increases, however, the long-term trend since 1998 shows a decrease of approximately six percent in overall reported TRI on-site releases. Likewise, the trend for on-site releases of carcinogenic compounds continues downward with vinyl chloride falling by 33,000 pounds, 46 percent less than in 2005.
“We would like to see reductions rather than a roughly constant level of emissions year to year, but we are pleased with the move by facilities toward more accurate reporting methods,” said DNREC Secretary John A. Hughes. “Our highest goal is to present an accurate picture of emissions in Delaware.”
Secretary Hughes noted that emissions from power plants will be significantly reduced when compliance with the state’s multi-pollutant regulation is achieved. “Delaware companies have demonstrated ingenuity in becoming more efficient and we will continue to work with industry, government and the public to maintain our mission to protect the state’s natural environment and the health and safety of our citizenry.”
For 2006, reported on-site releases totaled 11.2 million pounds, up from the 8.4 million pounds reported for 2005, and down from the 11.9 million pounds reported for 1998. Analysis of 2006 toxic waste data indicates that TRI-reported total toxic waste, included on-site releases, transfers off-site, and waste managed on-site, increased 1.7 percent compared to 2005.
The attached Fact Sheet provides additional details about the 2006 TRI reports.
FACT SHEET
2006 TRI Data and Report
What is TRI?
The Toxics Release Inventory, or TRI, is a publicly available 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 reportable list of toxic chemicals for 2006 included 581 individual chemicals and 30 chemical categories. 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).
Covered facilities include primarily manufacturing facilities, oil and coal fired electric utilities and bulk petroleum terminals. Facilities submit information to the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on the amount of each toxic chemical released to the environment and/or managed on-site and off-site as waste. The data from Delaware facilities is compiled in a database by DNREC. Reports summarizing the data are prepared and published annually by DNREC and the EPA.
On-Site Releases to the Environment
For the 2006 calendar year, 70 facilities reported releases of 100 different TRI chemicals in Delaware. Reported on-site releases to the environment were approximately 11.2 million pounds. Of this amount, approximately 6.3 million pounds were reported as released to the air, while 4.0 million pounds were released to water and 805,000 pounds were released to land. On-site releases reported for 2006 were higher by 32 percent when compared to 2005.
Several factors impacted the increase in reported amounts of on-site releases in 2006: Premcor reported a significant increase in nitrate compounds released to water from its refinery in Delaware City as a result of improving its reporting accuracy by using new analytical data and improved methodology for estimating this release; the Perdue Georgetown poultry facility tested new methods for processing waste water in its treatment plant and also reported increased nitrate compound released to water; a third facility, the Edgemoor Conectiv Power plant, reported increased releases to air associated with the use of more coal. These changes, combined with the increases and decreases reported by facilities as part of their normal business cycles, resulted in the increase in the reported amount of on-site releases for 2006.
Total TRI Waste
Analysis of Delaware 2006 toxic waste data indicates that TRI-reported total toxic waste, including on-site releases, transfers off-site, and waste managed on-site, increased compared to 2005. The TRI-reported total waste amount for 2006, including on-site releases, transfers off-site, and waste managed on-site, was approximately 98.2 million pounds, a 1.7 percent increase from 96.6 million pounds reported for 2005. This is a 35.6 percent decline, or 54.2 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 report.
Although reported on-site releases were up for 2006, waste amounts managed on-site increased less than 6,000 pounds compared to 2005. Waste amounts sent off-site for processing and disposal fell by over one million pounds, or 5.3 percent, chiefly influenced by amounts sent to recycle and to publically owned treatment plants. These variations are normal as facilities process and manage these wastes as part of their normal cycles of increasing and decreasing production for the products produced at the respective facilities.
TRI Reporting of PBTs
The TRI reporting requirements were expanded in 2000 to provide focus on specific chemicals identified as persistent, bioaccumulative, toxic (PBT) substances. Several new substances identified as PBTs, including mercury and dioxins, were added to the list of reportable substances. In addition, threshold amounts that trigger reporting were substantially lowered in 2001 for some existing PBTs, including lead and lead compounds. Of the 70 reporting facilities for 2006, 26 reported on PBT substances, for a total 35,750 pounds of on-site PBT substance releases to the environment, up 10 percent from the 32,510 pounds reported in 2005. The primary reason for the increase is an increased reported amount sent to landfills as byproducts from the combustion of coal.
In conjunction with efforts to reduce mercury emissions, the Department developed, with the aid of a review committee, 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
To date (Feb. 15, 2008), EPA has not released the national 2006 TRI report. However, placing the 2006 Delaware reports alongside the 2005 EPA reports yields rankings that provide a national TRI perspective for Delaware. This data shows that Delaware ranks 40 in the nation in total on-site releases for all TRI chemicals. For on-site releases, 54 facilities in the nation each released more individually than all the facilities in Delaware combined. Changes in the 2006 national values may change these rankings.
For further Information
The 2006 TRI data, as well as data from earlier years, is available in an easy to use, on line searchable format at:
http://www.serc.delaware.gov/services/search/index.shtml 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.
DNREC has published both technical and non-technical reports summarizing the 2006 TRI data. Reports for the 2006 data and previous years back to 1998 are available on-line at:
http://www.serc.delaware.gov/reports.shtml .
