Nearly 100k Pounds of Toxic Chemicals Released Into Worcester County Air
Monday, January 28, 2013
The chemicals were released legally out smokestacks and as leaks during the manufacturing process. The chemicals include toluene, ammonia, and heavy metal compounds of lead, chromium and nickel.
The federal EPA requires companies and facilities to keep track of any of 650 toxic chemicals they create or use, and to report that handling each year to the EPA as Toxic Release Inventory data.
According to the data, in 2011, companies in Worcester County released 72,492 pounds of toxic chemicals through smokestacks and 25,498 pounds through leaks during manufacturing. Throughout Massachusetts in 2011, about 1.7 million pounds of hazardous chemicals were released into the air.
Biggest Polluter
Flexcon, of Spencer, emitted 15,000 pounds of chemicals into the air, the most compared to any other company in Worcester County. The company, which makes adhesives and films, released about 12,000 pounds of the chemical toluene, plus 500 pounds of vinyl acetate, 670 pounds of xylene and 100 pounds of n-hexane. Toluene is known to be harmful to the cardiovascular and nervous system, according to the Centers for Disease Control. Flexcon did not care to comment.
“Massachusetts has a very good and effective and active environmental program," EPA spokesperson David Deegan said.
“This work is to try and ensure that people and communities, that we are doing what we can to protect people from harmful exposures," he said.
Harmful Emissions
“The American Lung Association perspective is that these emissions are harmful," said Katie King, director of public policy for American Lung Association of the Northeast.
The allowable limits do not take into consideration our total exposure to the chemicals, she said. The allowable levels need to be updated regularly to keep up with what researchers learn about the health effects of chemicals.
“The American Lung Association’s priority is to call on the EPA to keep updating the limits," she said.
The law that governs air pollution is the Clean Air Act, and the EPA enforces it. The EPA may come under attack by budget cutters in the upcoming fiscal cliff and federal budget debates, King said.
“We are calling on the administration and congressional leaders to fully fund the EPA," she said.
Other Polluters
Saint-Gobain Abrasives, in Worcester, released 11,000 pounds of chemicals through its smokestacks. About 4,000 additional pounds were leaked into the air during manufacturing, according to the EPA. The chemicals included about 9,200 pounds of ammonia and 4,800 pounds of phenols.
“We have reported release of toxic chemicals [that are] below the legal limit," Lauren Petit, spokesperson for Saint-Gobain, said in an email.
Saint-Gobain Containers, a global company with a plant in Milford, paid a $2.25 million fine to the EPA in 2010, for emitting illegal amounts of chemicals into the air.
Eddington Thread, in Worcester, sent about 13,000 pounds of methanol into the air in 2011. Exposure to methanol, an alcohol, can cause headaches, dizziness and blurred vision, according to the EPA.
Archer Rubber legally released about 5,000 pounds of chemicals into the air. The Milford company produces rubber-coated fabrics, often for the military. In 2007 the EPA fined the company $26,500 for illegally releases of toluene in 2005 and 2006, as a result of a faulty incinerator.
Southbridge’s Createk-Stone released 8,600 pounds of styrene into the air in 2011. Styrene is harmful to the liver and the nervous system, and is assumed to be a carcinogen, according to the Centers for Disease Control.
“We need to curb pollution, including toxics going into the air," said George Bachrach, executive director of the Environmental League of Massachusetts.
“There is no truly acceptable amount," he said.
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Comments:
Stephen Quist
9:03am on Monday, January 28, 2013
no one believes what the ETA has to say on anything....the Environmental Terrorist Agency does not utilyze mainstream science to to seek legitimate conclusions.....this is just another scare the people story based on science fiction......
Stephen Jacoby
10:05am on Monday, January 28, 2013
Your tin foil hat needs to be a little bit thicker there Mr. Quist. The imaginary voices are starting to seep through again.... This article doesn't do anything but talk about what the companies themselves have reported to the EPA, not what the EPA has measured themselves. On top of that, the amounts listed were apparently all within legal limits set by the EPA - which brings me to MY point:
Why are these companies being allowed to spew ANY of these toxins into our environment at all? They are clearly capable of removing them from the waste they produce, yet they are allowed to pollute the air we breathe and the water we drink on a regular basis. Why? Because they can. There's no penalty, so why not just do it the easy way? It doesn't matter if the local population has higher rates of various diseases, they're too cheap and lazy to care.
Lastly, if it weren't for the EPA, we'd all be breathing sludge just like those in China and India are doing right now. My only complaint is the EPA isn't allowed to go far enough!
Elizabeth St. John
12:47pm on Monday, January 28, 2013
My presentation to Women Together on Feb. 2nd @ All Saints Episcopal Church 10 Irving St at 12 PM will offer a closer look at how healthy a place Worcester is to live and raise a family in the inner-city and blighted neighborhoods and the toll on our physiology, behavior/learning capacities really is. The EPA is not the monster - lack of proper governance and leadership is more the culprit because they know residents affected by these toxins and carcinogens don't stand a chance to lead healthy, productive and positive lives.
Stephen Jacoby
1:14pm on Monday, January 28, 2013
^^ Exactly!! I am in full agreement with what you said above! While Saturdays are typically quite hectic for me, I plan to make every effort to come hear your talk. I look forward to hearing what you have to say.
Edward Saucier
9:00pm on Monday, January 28, 2013
I can't understand why Deval doesn't slap a tax on them instead of always adding on to the cigarette tax that he claims goes to healthcare for the underinsured? Aren't corporations people too? How come Deval isn't screwing them? I'm really sick and tired of being the screwee. I can't understand why Jordan Levy doesn't have Deval on his show to 'splain that to us? Oh yeah, Levy thinks Worcester country is the cat's meow and wouldn't put his pal Deval on the spot, he only wants to suck up to him.