U.S. E.P.A. Issues Toxic Release Inventory Data for Hawaii

Latest report shows 3.2 million pounds of chemicals released into environment

(12/08/09) HONOLULU - Facilities operating in Hawaii increased toxic delivers by 5 percent in 2008 compared to 2007, according to the latest data accessible from the E.P.A..

The data comes from the EPA's Toxics Release Inventory, commonly referred to as TRI. It's one of EPA's biggest publicly accessible databases, arming communities with valuable information on in excess of 650 toxic chemicals released by various industries. The chemical information in the inventory is calculated by industrial facilities and reported to the EPA, as required by law.

"We encourage people to use data from the Toxics Release Inventory in order to gain a better understanding of what is being released into their neighborhoods," said Laura Yoshii, acting E.P.A. administrator for the Pacific Southwest region. "Industry and communities informed with accurate information can use the inventory as a starting point to find opportunities to reduce the amount of pollutants released into the air we breathe, the water we drink and the land we enjoy."

Total delivers include toxic chemicals discharged by facilities to air, water, land, and underground, and the amount transferred off-site for disposal. Regulatory controls apply to many of the reported releases. Reporting facilities must comply with environmental requirements set by local, state and federal agencies.
Here's a look at toxic delivers in Hawaii from 2006 - 2008, reported in pounds:

Here's a look at toxic delivers in Hawaii from 2006 - 2008, reported in pounds:

Year Air Water On-Site Land Underground Injection Off-Site
2006 2,254,027 358,266 174,678 4,743 230,678
2007 2,267,707 446,948 143,011 2,670 156,048
2008 2,281,298 549,838 86,394 3,471 245,556

Data from 2008 in Hawaii show:

* 39 facilities reported 3.2 million pounds of toxic chemical delivers

* Total reported on- and off-site delivers of toxic chemicals increased 5% due in part to an increase in reported water delivers and off-site transfers

* The top 5 released chemicals are sulfuric acid, nitrate compounds, hydrochloric acid, barium compounds and propylene

* PBT delivers have decreased by 40,000 pounds, a 47% change. The top 3 PBT delivers include lead and lead compounds, polycyclic aromatic compounds, and mercury and mercury compounds

* Air delivers increased by 14,000 pounds, a 1% change

Yearly Toxics Release Inventory reporting began in 1987 after the enactment of the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (1996). The inventory provides information to the public on Yearly toxic chemical delivers reported by certain industrial and federal facilities. The TRI does not include data on toxic emissions from cars and trucks, nor from the majority of non-industrial sources, such as agriculture. In 2000, TRI expanded to include persistent bioaccumulative and toxic chemicals, or PBTs, at ranges from 0.1 grams to 100 pounds. PBT pollutants are toxic chemicals that remain in the environment and food chain, posing risks to human health and ecosystems.

The top 10 facilities in Hawaii for chemicals delivers (reported in pounds) in 2008 are:

Facility Name City Total Delivers
one Hawaiian Electric Co Inc Kahe Generating Station Kapolei 820,736
two US Navy Pearl Harbor Naval Complex Pearl Harbor 552,279
three Hawaiian Electric Co Inc Waiau Generating Station Pearl City 310,763
four AES Hawaii Inc Kapolei 240,777
five Chevron Products Co-Hawaii Refinery Kapolei 230,534
six Hawaii Electric Light Co Incorporated Hill Generating Station Hilo 210,131
seven Maui Electric Co LTD Kahului Generating Station Kahului 210,120
eight Hawaii Electric Light Co Inc Puna Generating Station Keaau 103,005
nine Maui Electric Co Ltd Maalaea Generating Station Kihei 98,349
ten Tesoro Hawaii Refinery Kapolei 89,030

National TRI Findings:

* There was a 6% decrease in total reported Delivers into the environment nationwide from 2007 to 2008

* The number of facilities reporting chemical Delivers decreased 5% nationally

* Total PBT chemical Delivers decreased by 2% nation-wide

For more on the TRI plan including additional city, Co. and facility information, please visit the EPA's Web sites: http://www.epa.gov/tri , http://www.epa.gov/triexplorer and http://www.epa.gov/enviro

State fact sheets are accessible at: http://www.epa.gov/region09/toxic/tri/ and http://www.epa.gov/triexplorer/statefactsheet.htm

For more information on the PBT Chemicals Program, please visit the EPA's Web location at http://www.epa.gov/opptintr/pbt

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