News Releases - 2003

Illinois EPA Issues Toxic Chemical Report

Total releases and transfers down 13.5 percent

Springfield, Ill. -- Total reported releases and transfers of toxic chemicals from Illinois manufacturing plants have been reduced by 90,544,237 pounds, or 39.2 percent, in the period between 1988 to 2001, according to the Illinois EPA’s Fifteenth Annual Toxic Chemical Report for reporting year 2001.

Industrial facilities release these chemicals directly into the environment, process or dispose of them on-site, or transfer them to other sites for disposal, treatment or recycling. In 2001, 94 of Illinois’ 102 counties were required to report toxic releases and transfers.

Since 1998, additional chemicals have been required to be reported, and reporting thresholds have been lowered; therefore actual decreases can be assumed to be greater than the numbers reflected. Total releases and transfers were 230.7 million pounds in 1988, 162.1 million pounds in 2000 and 140.2 million pounds in 2001, accounting for a 39 percent reduction since 1998 and a 13.5 percent reduction from 2000 to 2001 alone.

Air emissions have declined from 114.2 million pounds in 1998 to 54.7 million pounds in 2001, a 52 percent reduction. From 2000 to 2001 alone, releases of air toxins declined by 13.8 million pounds (20.2 percent). "This significant reduction in releases of chemicals into our air, ground and water is the result of compliance with federal and state regulatory programs, and an increase in voluntary actions by companies," said Illinois EPA Director Renee Cipriano. “Regulatory programs are designed to limit the amounts released and the resulting risk. The Illinois EPA continues to make reductions of dangerous chemicals a top priority”

Water releases of 7.9 million pounds and on-site land releases of 22.7 million pounds represent an increase of 16.4 percent and 18.2 percent, respectively, between 2000 and 2001. Off-site transfers to Publicly Owned Treatment Works (POTWs) decreases by 10.7 percent to 10.5 million pounds while other off-site transfers increased 3.3 percent to 44.2 million pounds.

A total of three million pounds of persistent, bioaccumulative toxic (PBTs) were reported for 2001, accounting for 2.2 percent of the total reported chemicals.

While there have been approximately 57.3 million more pounds of releases and transfers reported for 41 counties in Illinois since 1992, there have been a total 56.7 million pounds of decreases for 48 other counties. Peoria County experienced the largest increase at 28.4 million pounds and Douglas County had the largest decrease at 23.3 million pounds. The attached list includes detailed information about these changes for the counties with the 10 largest reductions and increases from 1992 to 2001. Also attached are the 10 counties and 10 facilities with the most releases and transfers of toxic chemicals in 2001.

The TRI reports are required by a federal law known as the Emergency Planning and Community Right to Know Act of 1986, passed by Congress to give the public and all levels of government more information about chemicals in our communities. For 2001, about 1,500 Illinois facilities submitted toxic chemical release information to the Illinois EPA.

Significant Changes in Various Communities - 1992 to 2001

Decreases

Douglas County ranked first out of 102 counties in Illinois with reduced releases and transfers of these chemicals from 1988 to 2001, showing a decline of 23,275,048 pounds.

Whiteside County ranked second out of 102 counties in Illinois with reduced releases and transfers of these chemicals from 1992 to 2001, showing a decline of 10,449,067pounds.

Cook County ranked third out of 102 counties in Illinois with reduced releases and transfers of these chemicals from 1992 to 2001, showing a decline of 4,862,335 pounds.

Putnam County ranked fourth out of 102 counties in Illinois with reduced releases and transfers of these chemicals from 1992 to 2001, showing a decline of 1,890,098 pounds.

Coles County ranked fifth out of 102 counties in Illinois with reduced releases and transfers of these chemicals from 1992 to 2001, showing a decline 1,426,551 pounds.

JoDaviess County ranked sixth out of 102 counties in Illinois with reduced releases and transfers of these chemicals from 1992 to 2001, showing a decline 1,419,733 pounds.

Madison County ranked seventh out of 102 counties in Illinois with reduced releases and transfers of these chemicals from 1992 to 2001, showing a decline 1,229,040 pounds.

Lake County ranked eighth out of 102 counties in Illinois with reduced releases and transfers of these chemicals from 1992 to 2001, showing a decline 1,173,737 pounds.

St. Clair County ranked ninth out of 102 counties in Illinois with reduced releases and transfers of these chemicals from 1992 to 2001, showing a decline 1,153,086 pounds.

Rock Island County ranked tenth out of 102 counties in Illinois with reduced releases and transfers of these chemicals from 1992 to 2001, showing a decline 1,125,554 pounds.

Increases

Peoria County ranked first out of Illinois 102 counties, with 94 reporting, in releases and transfers increases from 1992 to 2001, showing an increase of 28,375,293 pounds.

Macon County ranked second out of 102 counties in Illinois in releases and transfers increases from 1992 to 2001, showing an increase of 7,233,204 pounds.

Montgomery County ranked third out of 102 counties in Illinois in releases and transfers increases from 1992 to 2001, showing an increase of 4,672,527 pounds.

Tazewell County ranked fourth out of 102 counties in Illinois in releases and transfers increases from 1992 to 2001, showing an increase of 3,530,814 pounds.

Vermilion County ranked fifth out of 102 counties in Illinois in releases and transfers increases from 1992 to 2001, showing an increase of 2,662,209 pounds.

Will County ranked sixth out of 102 counties in Illinois in releases and transfers increases from 1992 to 2001, showing an increase of 1,741,693 pounds.

Christian County ranked seventh out of 102 counties in Illinois in releases and transfers increases from 1992 to 2001, showing an increase of 1,345,692 pounds.

Adams County ranked eighth out of 102 counties in Illinois in releases and transfers increases from 1992 to 2001, showing an increase of 1,145,980 pounds.

Morgan County ranked ninth out of 102 counties in Illinois in releases and transfers increases from 1992 to 2001, showing an increase of 1,124,005 pounds.

Sangamon County ranked tenth out of 102 counties in Illinois in releases and transfers increases from 1992 to 2001, showing an increase of 777,213 pounds.

The entire report is available for viewing or downloading on the Illinois EPA web site at http://www.epa.state.il.us/.