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Massachusetts Companies Reduce Their 1999 Toxic Releases by 9 Percent; EPA Lists Ten Largest Pollution Emitters

Release Date: 04/12/2001
Contact Information: Andrew Spejewski, EPA Press Office (617-918-1014) Dwight Peavey, EPA TRI Coordinator (617-918-1829)

BOSTON – Power plants, manufacturers and other facilities in Massachusetts reduced the amount of toxic pollutants released into the air, land and water by nine percent between 1998 and 1999, according to the latest Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) data issued today by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Since 1988, the Bay State has reduced pollutant releases by 84 percent – nearly double the 46 percent reduction achieved nationally over the same 11-year period.
The 1999 data shows a total of 11,876,000 pounds of chemicals released to the air, water or landfills by facilities located in Massachusetts. That's compared to 13,114,009 pounds in 1998. More than 8.8 million pounds of the state's releases in 1999 were air pollutant emissions.

"Massachusetts companies have significantly reduced the amount of toxic chemicals they're using and releasing over the last decade, and the most recent data shows that trend continuing," said Ira W. Leighton, acting regional administrator for EPA's New England Office. "New England as a whole is leading the nation in slashing pollution and is setting the bar on how environmental improvements can occur when companies, the government and communities work together for a common goal."

Since 1988, New England facilities have cut their total pollutant releases by 83 percent.

"The best way to prevent releases of toxic emissions into the environment is to reduce their use at the source," said Massachusetts Department of Environmental Management Commissioner Lauren A. Liss. "Massachusetts companies continue to demonstrate that toxic use reduction not only benefits our environment, but can benefit the bottom line as well."

Today's data includes information on releases and other wastes from 644 toxic chemicals and chemical compounds that companies are required to report under EPA's TRI Program. The data includes toxics that were released at the company's facility and those transported to disposal facilities off site. All manufacturing companies, as well as coal- and oil- fired power plants, are required to participate.

The following is a list of Massachusetts' 10 largest on- and off-site emitters of the pollutants. No attempt has been made to adjust the totals to reflect the relative seriousness of the chemicals emitted. It is important to note that these chemical emissions are reported to EPA under the TRI and do not reflect illegal discharges of pollutants to the environment.

COMPANY NAME	ADDRESS	TOTAL # POUNDS
US Gen New England Inc.	Somerset	1,363,956
Mt. Tom Station	Holyoke	1,185,172
US Gen New England Inc.	Salem Harbor Station Salem	1,117,520
Somerset Power L.L.C.	Somerset	821,306
Clean Harbors Inc.	Braintree	710,567
Southern Energy Canal Station	Sandwich	632,273
Globe Mfg. Co.	Fall River	472,646
Crown Cork & Seal Co. Inc.	Lawrence	323,255
Spalding Sports Worldwide	Chicopee	207,941
American Insulated Wire	Attleboro	204,493

The reporting of data to the Toxics Release Inventory is required under the federal Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act, passed in 1986. The TRI provides the amount, location and type of release to the environment -- whether a pollutant is emitted into the air, discharged into the water, or released onto the land. It also includes information on waste shipped off-site for disposal or further treatment. The TRI 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.

TRI information is easily accessible to the news media and to the public. Information is available on-line, www.epa.gov/tri, in hard copy and in a variety of computer formats, including CD-ROM. For copies or more information, the public is encouraged to call EPA's toll-free Emergency Planning and Community Right to Know Hotline at 1(800) 424-9346.