Toxic Chemical Report

Tenth Annual Toxic Chemical Report

A summary of information contained in the Toxic Chemical Report Forms for calendar year 1996

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Preface

This tenth anniversary of the Toxics Release Inventory reporting program, required under the federal Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act of 1986, is heralded by the seventh consecutive annual decrease in reported toxic chemical releases from Illinois facilities, and the ninth decrease in ten years. As reported by the United States Environmental Protection Agency in their 1996 Toxics Release Inventory Public Data Release, the decrease in on- and off-site releases by Illinois facilities from 1995 to 1996 ranks third in the nation.

The Illinois EPA, reporting facilities and the citizens of Illinois can all be proud of this significant accomplishment in toxics release reduction. The Toxics Release Inventory data continues to indicate a positive outcome of the combined efforts of the Illinois EPA in administration of release prevention and regulation programs, reporting facilities in their efforts to comply with mandatory and voluntary programs to achieve reductions, and citizens empowered by the data who demand a cleaner environment. This success story will continue through the efforts of all stakeholders to support and improve this remarkable program.

Mary A. Gade, Director
July 1998

Executive Summary

* Underground Injection is virtually zero for all years.

More than 2,000 unique facilities have reported toxic chemical release information to the Illinois EPA since the reporting program mandated by federal law began in 1987. Not including 1987, an average of 1,327 facilities have reported each year, with the actual number ranging between 1,128 and 1,395.

For calendar year 1996, 1,128 facilities submitted 3,602 individual toxic chemical release reports showing a total of 133.9 million pounds of releases and transfers. Zinc compounds had the highest reported releases and transfers, at 24.2 million pounds. The combined total of fugitive and stack air emissions topped all other environmental areas at 68.3 million pounds. Facilities in Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) Code 3312 (steel works, blast furnaces, coke ovens and rolling mills) exceeded all other industrial categories with reported releases and transfers of 30.4 million pounds.

In order to perform meaningful trend analyses of total toxic chemical releases, including offsite transfers, the Illinois EPA utilizes information reported by facilities for toxic chemicals which have been reportable in the same form for each of the years 1988-1996. Offsite transfers for recycle or energy recovery, reportable for 1991 and later years, are not considered. Seven hundred ninety-eight facilities have reported every year from 1988-1996, which represent approximately 60 percent of all facilities reporting on an annual average basis. These facilities report approximately 82 percent of total releases each year. From 1988 through 1996, total releases for all reporting facilities have decreased by 42 percent while total releases for the 798 facilities have decreased by 37 percent.

The toxic chemical with the greatest amount of releases from 1988 through 1996 was zinc compounds, totalling 167.4 million pounds. Considering only those toxic chemicals with significant human health effects, i.e. which are known or probable human carcinogens, teratogens, fetal toxicants and/or reproductive toxicants, toluene had the highest total of 107.7 million pounds.

The group of facilities in SIC Code 3312 reported 253.2 million pounds of releases from 1988 through 1996, the greatest for any industrial category, and also had the highest total of 80.8 million pounds in the period for those toxic chemicals with significant human health effects.

Facilities located in ZIP Code 61953 in Douglas County reported the highest total of air emissions from 1988 through 1996, totalling 33.3 million pounds. Considering only those toxic chemicals with significant human health effects, facilities located in ZIP Code 61832 in Vermilion County reported the highest total of 31.2 million pounds.

Overall, total air emissions, discharges to water, and offsite transfers continue to decrease, while onsite releases to land continue to increase.

By popular request, a list of total releases and number of facilities for counties with reporting facilities has been included as Appendix E.