North American pollution up slightly in 1997: Progress seen in earlier years reversed

Taking Stock 1997 shows pollution levels up 1.2 percent overall in North America from 1995 to 1997. In 1997, North American facilities released and transferred a total of 1.29 billion kg of chemicals. Two-thirds of the total consisted of on-site releases.

Pollutants released directly from industrial sites into the air, land and water totaled about 850 million kilograms in 1997, roughly 15 percent of which-over 125 million kilograms-were carcinogens. Most carcinogenic releases went into the air.

Direct, on-site pollution releases in North America were down nine percent overall in 1997 compared with 1995, with Canada posting a larger reduction (13 percent) than the United States (eight percent). However, that reduction was more than offset by a dramatic rise in pollution sent by industry off-site for treatment or disposal-up 27 percent since 1995 (Canadian transfers rose 31 percent, US transfers rose 27 percent).

Releases and transfers from the primary metals industry increased more than 25 percent from 1995 to 1997 in both the United States and Canada. By contrast, the chemical manufacturing and paper products industries both showed decreases, including a reduction of 32 percent by Canada's paper products industry.

The primary metals industry was responsible for 78 percent of the total increase of transfers in Canada and 67 percent of that in the United States from 1995 to 1997. Most of the material transferred is disposed in landfills.

The dramatic increase in transfers and data from the primary metals industry are key focuses in the CEC's fourth annual Taking Stock report, which draws on comparable data from mandatory national reporting systems in the United States and Canada to provide a more continental perspective on industrial pollution. Data from Mexico will be added as the voluntary system in that country evolves.

The data collected by the national programs do not include all chemicals nor all sources of pollution, such sources as agriculture, dry cleaners, service stations, cars and trucks.

The report shows Texas continued to be North America's largest source of pollutant releases and transfers through 1997. The state of Pennsylvania was second and the province of Ontario was third. Of the five states and provinces with the largest releases and transfers in 1997, only Texas reported a decrease from 1995, the other four reported increases. However, all five projected decreases from 1997 to 1999.

In North America in 1997 releases and transfers of carcinogens totaled 195.0 million kg, two-thirds of which were releases, mostly into the air.

Carcinogens releases and transferred in the greatest volumes were lead and its compounds (31 million kg), dichloromethane (30 million kg), chromium and its compounds (29 million kg) and styrene (25 million kg).

When releases alone are considered, US releases of carcinogens dropped three percent compared to an eight percent decrease for all chemicals from 1995 to 1997. In Canada, releases of carcinogens decreased by less than one percent, while releases of all chemicals dropped 13 percent in the same time period.

The report shows that 50 facilities-less than 0.5 percent of all facilities in the study-accounted for 27 percent of all releases and transfers in North America in 1997.

While reports from large facilities dominate the pollution data in both countries, smaller facilities (those that reported releases and transfers of less than 100,000 kg in 1995) make up the vast majority of facilities in both countries (92 percent in the United States; 84 percent in Canada). These smaller facilities showed an increase in both releases and transfers from 1995 to 1997-up 38 percent in Canada compared to a reduction of 11 percent for "larger" facilities, and up four percent in the United States compared to a seven percent reduction for "larger" facilities.

Taking Stock 1997 explores data from the primary metals industry in detail. This sector is one of the major reasons for the large increase in transfers in North America from 1995 to 1997. Releases and transfers from the primary metals industry amounted to 366 million kg in 1997, an increase of more than 25 percent since 1995.

Within this sector, steel mills accounted for the sector's largest releases and transfers, followed by primary non-ferrous metal industries (aluminum, copper, zinc, nickel and lead refiners).

Economic and regulatory challenges have, in many cases, led to the installation of new or refurbished equipment with cleaner, more efficient technologies and greater efforts to recycle or reuse materials on site, according to the report. However, increasing production may lead to increased releases and transfers. In addition, disposal in landfills have increased when recycling costs have increased or when on site storage limits are reached. Blast furnace and steel mills in the United States and Canada project a smaller increase in transfers from 1997 to 1999.

Janine Ferretti, Executive Director of the CEC said Taking Stock 1997 offers news of encouragement and concern. The continuing decrease in on-site releases is encouraging; however, of concern are the large increase in transfers off-site and the growing levels of pollution from 'smaller' facilities.

This report serves to reinforce our common need to promote preventive approaches to reducing industrial pollution on the continent.

Since its inception four years ago, Taking Stock has become a valuable 'right to know' tool for the public and will continue to improve in years to come as the national programs evolve. We look forward to a time when Mexico's information can be added to complete the view of North America, said Ferretti.