E.P.A. issues latest information on toxic chemical delivers - Highlights for Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington

(Seattle - Dec. 16, 2010) Today E.P.A. released the 2009 Toxics Release Inventory National Data Analysis. The 2009 data reports how TRI chemicals were managed, where they ended up, and how 2009 delivers compare to 2008. Below are the highlights for E.P.A. Region ten (Alaska, Idaho, Oregon and Washington):

• Nationally TRI delivers decreased by twelve percent between 2008 and 2009.
• TRI delivers decreased in 3 of the 4 E.P.A. Region ten states
• Idaho reduced delivers by 31 percent or 22 million pounds
• Washington reduced delivers by 43 percent or twelve million pounds
• Oregon reduced delivers by four percent or 651,000 pounds
• In Alaska delivers were up by 23 percent or 128 million pounds from 2008. The increases were due primarily to Metal Mining Industry waste rock and surface impoundments and increased metals production and higher metals concentrations in waste rock.
• Industries outside of Alaska with the biggest delivers were Primary Metals Manufacturing in Oregon; Federal Facilities and the Paper Industry in Idaho; and the Paper and Electric Utility industries in Washington.

The 2009 TRI National Data Analysis includes additional data, relevant on a local scale for each E.P.A. Region. The additions include large aquatic ecosystems; metropolitan areas; and Indian Country and Alaska Native Villages. Region ten has 2 of the nation's ten large aquatic ecosystems - the Columbia River Basin and Puget Sound-Georgia Strait. It also contains 8 of the 21 areas in Indian country including Alaska Native Villages. The analysis also contains information on large urban communities including the Seattle metropolitan area including King, Pierce and Snohomish Counties.

For Region ten facility and other release information, please check out the links below:

For state and regional facility data tables, maps, and graphs for Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington, visit:http://yosemite.epa.gov/r10/owcm.nsf/tri/tri

Alaska TRI fact sheet

Idaho TRI fact sheet

Oregon TRI fact sheet

Washington TRI fact sheet

E.P.A. national TRI news release

EPA's National TRI website (with links to National Data Analysis and TRI tools): http://www.epa.gov/tri

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