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EPA: CNMI’s toxic releases decreasing
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Posted on Apr 13 2006
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency reported yesterday that the release of toxic chemicals in the CNMI has been decreasing, based on its 2004 Toxic Release Inventory numbers.
EPA officer Dean Higuchi said that three facilities in the CNMI reported a total of 4,200 lbs of toxic chemicals released into the air, land and water in 2004. This represents a decrease by 4 percent from 2003 and a decline of 45 percent since 1998.
Higuchi said the data came from the EPA’s Toxic Release Inventory, an annual measure of toxic chemical releases, transfers and waste generated by facilities in the United States. The total releases include toxic chemicals discharged to air, water underground injection, land, landfills, and the amount transferred off-site for disposal.
“We are pleased to report a continued downward trend in releases to CNMI’s air,” said EPA administrator for Pacific Southwest Region Wayne Nastri, adding that the EPA TRI tool has helped the agency’s regulators, emergency responders, businesses and communities remain aware of the types and amounts of chemicals being used in neighborhoods throughout the country.
According to the new data released by the U.S. EPA, there was a 31-percent decrease in air releases in the CNMI due to a 1,748-lbs decrease at the Mobil Oil Marianas Saipan Terminal.
The other two facilities are Mobil Oil Marianas Saipan Aviation Terminal and Hawaiian Rock Products.
“There was a combined 1,400-lbs decrease in N-hexane, toluene, and benzene in overall reporting,” said the EPA TRI reports.
The releases do not mean that the facilities with elevated levels are out of compliance with state, local or federal environmental regulations.
Higuchi said the reporting of data to the Toxics Release Inventory is required under the Federal Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act of 1986. “This program has been credited with arming communities with valuable knowledge and encouraging facilities to reduce their releases of toxic chemicals into the environment through source reduction or pollution prevention measures,” said the report.
For more information on TRI, visit the EPA website at www.epa.gov/triexplorer or www.epa.gov/enviro.
