Posted on: Thursday, June 24, 2004
Toxic releases up, but Isles still one of cleanest states
By Jan TenBruggencate
Advertiser Science Writer
The Environmental Protection Agency's annual Toxics Release Inventory lists Hawai'i as one of the cleanest states in the nation, largely because there is so little heavy industry here.
The state ranked 49th out of the states and territories listed in the report for 2002.
The EPA report said there was a 2 percent increase from 2001 in the amount of reportable toxic releases. Most of that increase was due to a change in reporting at federal facilities, notably Pearl Harbor, where nitrate compounds were reported for the first time.
Overall, in Hawai'i, 39 facilities reported toxic chemical releases totalling 3.2 million pounds. Most of the material, 2.4 million pounds, was released into the air. Other types of releases include water, underground injection, landfills and other land disposals, and the transfer of material off-site for disposal.
Power generating plants, refineries and military bases accounted for most of the top toxic release facilities.
The state's largest power plant, Hawaiian Electric Industries' Kahe Generating Station, was the biggest producer of toxic compounds, with 897,000 pounds. Four other Hawaiian Electric plants on O'ahu, Maui and the Big Island made the top 10, along with Pearl Harbor and two Schofield Barracks sites, and the Chevron refinery and the Ball Metal Beverage Container Corp., both in Kapolei.
The Ma'alaea Generating Station, operated by HEI's Maui Electric Co., topped the list of facilities for the release of highly toxic PBT chemicals, with 894 pounds. PBT chemicals are long-lasting substances that can build up in the food chain to levels that are harmful to humans and the environment. These include mercury, dioxins, and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs).
Eight other HEI plants on O'ahu, Maui and the Big Island made the PBT list, along with the Chevron refinery.
The top 10 list of facilities for on- and off-site release of lead and lead compounds was topped by the Schofield Barracks Range Facility, with 58,000 pounds. Other military facilities on the list include the Marines' Pu'uloa training facility in 'Ewa Beach, and the Army's Pohakuloa training range on the Big Island and the Makua reservation. Other top lead releasers were Hilo Coast Power Co., the Kahe and Waiau generating stations, the Kalaeloa Cogeneration Plant, the Ma'alaea station and the Chevron refinery.
The report can be found online at www.epa.gov/region09/toxic/tri.
