DOVER, DELAWARE (12/8/2014) Toxic chemical releases in Delaware continue a 15-year downward trend, according to a state report released today.
Total onsite releases in 2013 were down 22 percent over the previous year, according to the annual study from the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control. The report said releases to water were down 24 percent, to air down 10 and to land down 50 percent.
The Toxics Release Inventory, available on the DNREC website, is based on reports from 61 facilities covering 89 different chemicals.
“I’m encouraged by the continuing downward trend in onsite releases reported under TRI for the 2013 data year,” said DNREC Secretary David Small. “I’m also confident we can continue this trend even as our economy continues to grow and as industrial productivity moves forward.”
Release of nitrate compounds to water, which account for 71 percent of the total onsite releases, were down by 900,000 pounds due to reductions mostly at the Delaware City Refinery (700,000 pounds) and the Perdue chicken processing plant (700,000 pounds) in Georgetown, DNREC says.
Highlights
- About 4 million pounds of chemicals were reported as being released at the reporting sites, a decrease of 1.1 million pounds or 22% compared to 2012. Of this, 2.9 million pounds were released to water, while 1 million pounds were released to air and 150,000 pounds were released to land.
- Total onsite releases to water decreased by about 900,000 pounds (24%), with the largest reductions due to reduced releases of nitrate compounds at the Delaware City Refinery, down 700,000 pounds, and Perdue’s chicken plant in Georgetown, down 200,000 pounds. The nitrate compounds were the largest release to water at 2.85 million pounds, with 2.63 million pounds released by the refinery and 219,000 released by Perdue in Georgetown.
- On-site releases to air were down 100,000 pounds, with reductions reported by several companies. The largest decrease was at the Indian River Generating Station, with release of hydrochloric acid down 55,000 pounds. Sulfuric acid was the largest release to air at 278,000 pounds, with the majority released by the Delaware City Refinery.
- Releases to land decreased by 155,000 pounds (10%) compared to 2012, primarily due to reductions reported by Indian River Generating Station for releases of barium compounds, which are down 90,000 pounds.
- Waste transferred offsite decreased by 1.8 million pounds (12%). The largest reduction was for offsite disposal of manganese compounds reported by Dupont Edge Moor, down 817,000 pounds compared to 2012.
- Lead compounds were the largest reported chemical amount transferred offsite recycling at 4.5 million pounds, with 3.1 million pounds by the Johnson Controls Battery Plant, 1.3 million pounds reported by the Johnson Controls Distribution plant, and 100,000 pounds reported by Evraz Claymont Steel.