Onsite toxic releases into water, air, and land all decreased last year among Indiana’s industrial facilities, the Indiana Department of Environmental Management said.

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Toxic Release Inventory (TRI) report for 2008, released on Tuesday, onsite toxic releases decreased statewide by 10 percent or 13 million pounds last year, while toxic releases into water dropped by 6.7 million pounds, those into the air by 8.3 million pounds, and those onto land by 2.3 million pounds.

The TRI tracks both permitted and accidental releases.

Manufacturers account for around 50 percent of the total toxic releases in Indiana in 2008, and those releases declined by 10 percent or 10.9 million pounds, IDEM said. Electric generating facilities account for another 47 percent, and those releases dropped by 7 percent or 4 million pounds.

Releases of carcinogens and PBTs (persistent bioaccumulative toxics) decreased by 7 percent and mercury releases decreased by 1 percent, the fifth year in a row in which Indiana has seen a reduction in carcinogens, IDEM said.

“Based on an analysis of the Indiana Gross Domestic Product in comparison with TRI data, Indiana manufacturers are trending toward an overall reduction in toxic chemical releases compared with the amount of materials they produce,” IDEM said. “Since 2006, Indiana manufacturers have reduced the amount of pollution per cost of part by about 20 percent.”

“Businesses often save money by increasing their efficiency in the management of the chemicals they use in manufacturing processes or by switching to less toxic alternatives,” said IDEM Commissioner Thomas Easterly. “We are working hard to increase participation in voluntary pollution prevention programs such as the Environmental Stewardship Program, the CLEAN Community Challenge, and Partners for Pollution Prevention, which enable businesses to assess areas for improvement, implement further effective changes, and measure and share their results. We look forward to working further with Indiana facilities and communities in 2010, through these programs, as well as the Pollution Prevention grants program that is focusing on toxics reduction efforts.”

The TRI does not contain data on non-industrial activities which contribute to toxic releases to the environment, for instance, from vehicle emissions, a significant source of toluene, xylene, and formaldehyde. In 2008, IDEM said, vehicles released 13 times more toluene and xylene into the environment than industry did and 37 times more formaldehyde.

“Since non-industrial sources account for such a large percent of toxic releases, IDEM encourages Hoosiers to reduce activities that may release toxics,” IDEM said. “Citizens are encouraged to avoid open burning, reduce motor vehicle travel, eliminate unnecessary vehicle idling, and avoid over-using fertilizers on lawns and gardens.”

The results of the TRI for Porter County last year were mixed. ArcelorMittal in Burns Harbor was responsible for the single largest total release of toxics—on site, off site, and other releases—with 1,572,967 pounds of 41 different chemicals, a marginal increase of 0.41 percent over 2007. The single largest toxic release: 547,900 pounds of ammonia disposed of on-site.

The Northern Indiana Public Service Company’s Bailly Generating Station was responsible for the second largest total release of toxics, with 531,283 pounds of 12 different chemicals, a somewhat significant increase of 16.83 percent. The single largest toxic release: 212,403 pounds of “sulfuric acid (1994 and after ‘acid aerosols’ only)” disposed of on site.

Other high-profile industries in Porter County:

•U.S. Steel Corporation’s Midwest Steel facility: 293,259 pounds of toxic releases in 2008, compared to 238,629 in 2007, an increase of 22.89 percent.

•Beta Steel: 42,223 pounds of toxic releases in 2008, compared to 81,314 in 2007, a whopping decrease of 48.07 percent.

•Magnetics International in Burns Harbor: 9,780 pounds of toxic releases in 2008, compared to 9,780 in 2007, the same.

•Worthington Steel Company in Porter: 949 pounds of toxic releases in 2008, compared to 1,165, a decrease of 18.54 percent.

It’s worth noting, when considering the year-over-year increases at ArcelorMittal, NIPSCO Bailly, and U.S. Steel that for the first three quarters of 2008 the steel industry was operating at record levels, until the bottom dropped out in the fourth quarter.

Posted 12/9/2009