| Montreal, 29/05/2002 – In its annual Taking Stock report released today, the Commission for Environmental
Cooperation (CEC) of North America reports that factories, electric utilities, hazardous waste
management facilities and coal mines in Canada and the United States generated almost 3.4 million
tonnes of toxic chemical waste in 1999. The conclusions of Taking Stock are based on reports submitted
to the national pollutant release and transfer registers of Canada and the United States by industry, and
provide data on 210 chemical substances that are common to both national programs.
This year the study also presents the first five-year analysis of pollution releases and management. The
five-year trend shows a slight overall change in the total of toxic chemicals generated, but big changes in
how those pollutants are handled. The North American manufacturing sector's 25-percent (153,000
tonnes) reduction in releases to air was largely offset by a 25-percent (33,000 tonnes) increase in on-site
releases to land and a 35-percent (58,000 tonnes) increase in off-site releases (mostly to landfills).
Releases to lakes, rivers and streams also increased during this period by 26 percent (24,000 tonnes).
"Out of the air, into the water and land' emerges as a major trend from our five-year analysis," said CEC
Executive Director Janine Ferretti. "North America's progress in reducing toxic releases to air must
continue but it also must be matched by reductions in water and land releases."
"Overall, the total reported amount of chemicals released changed little over the five years and the
findings in this new report should prompt all of us-industry, government, environmental groups and
citizens-to ask what can be done to get all of the trends pointing in a downward direction."
The report signals a general decrease in on-site releases-chemicals put into the air, water or otherwise
disposed of inside a facility's fence-and a corresponding increase in amounts of chemicals transferred
for disposal. Ms. Ferretti said that the growing shipment of toxic substances off-site could indicate a
desire to send wastes to locations that are better equipped to manage them. Or, she said, it could signal
that end-of-the-pipe approaches are still too frequently employed instead of preventing pollution at the
source.
Among other findings in the report:
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Total releases for 1999 include 269,000 tonnes of chemicals known to cause cancer, birth defects
or other reproductive problems.
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There has been a slight decrease in the release of cancer-causing chemicals-total releases fell by
only 3 percent between 1995 and 1999 compared to a 6 percent decrease for all chemicals.
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More than 13,000 tonnes of ozone-depleting chemicals were released from Canadian and US
industrial facilities in 1999. Between 1991 and 1999, releases of these substances in the US were
reduced by over 90 percent.
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Electrical utilities report the largest total releases in North America-over 450,000 tonnes.
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Just four industries-primary metals, chemical manufacturing, electrical utilities, and hazardous
waste management-accounted for almost two-thirds of total releases and transfers in 1999.
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Over a million tonnes of chemicals were sent for recycling in North America in 1999.
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Only a few chemicals are responsible for most of the releases: just 25 account for 90 percent of
total releases on- and off-site. Almost one-third of all releases on- and off-site are metals and their
compounds. Most of these metals are sent to land disposal either at the facility site or off the site;
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The difference in average releases and transfers per facility between Canada and the United States
is narrowing. In 1995, releases and transfers from Canadian facilities were 1.7 times the US
average but this was down to 1.5 in 1999. Average amounts of chemicals sent to recycling by
Canadian facilities in 1999 were 1.4 times the US average.
Taking Stock is produced by the CEC-the Montreal-based environmental body established by the
NAFTA partners-from data collected by the national governments of Canada and the United States.
Reporting of data for Mexico is not yet mandatory, though enabling legislation was passed in Mexico late
last year. The CEC report praises the 117 Mexican facilities that reported 1999 data voluntarily.
"Mexico has made tremendous progress in passing enabling legislation for a mandatory and publicly
accessible chemical reporting system," Ms. Ferretti said. "This important step helps set the stage for
industries to track chemicals, citizens to learn about neighbourhood facilities, and governments to gain an
improved picture of chemical pollution."
The data collected by the national governments currently do not include all chemicals, nor all sources of
pollution such as dry cleaners, service stations, cars and trucks. Also not covered (due to differences in
national reporting) are releases from the mining industry.
For more information, please visit Taking Stock Online.
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