Industrial facilities in Fairfield County discharged 174 tons of toxic chemicals in 2009, 45 tons fewer than in 2008 according to new government estimates. The report comes as Connecticut regulators ready stringent new regulations on tracking chemical spills and other discharges.
Relying on data reported by industrial facilities, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency tracks discharges of more than 50 chemicals, including both those discharged into the air or water, as well as those transferred to a waste-disposal facility. Included in those discharge figures are chemicals from waste-disposal facilities such as Bridgeport United Recycling operated by United Industrial Services.
Zinc compounds from the Sartomer Co. Inc. plant in Stratford accounted for nearly a third of the discharges tracked by EPA in Fairfield County, up slightly from the year before. The Exton, Pa.-based company produces chemicals for a wide range of products including hardwood flooring, furniture and CDs.
The EPA data are also a useful gauge of company sites with increased production locally ”“ for instance, producing material for mattresses and pillows, Latex International Inc.”™s Shelton operations discharged 49 tons of ethylene glycol, up more than 80 percent from the year before. In advance of opening new plants in Texas and Malaysia, the company revealed last year it would close smaller factories in Georgia and California. Last month, Latex International CEO Kevin Coleman resigned, with the company”™s chief operating officer David Fisher taking the reins.
The Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection is currently considering new regulations that would stiffen the reporting requirements on businesses for varying releases of chemicals. The Connecticut Business & Industry Association has noted that a spill of any quantity would be reportable if not cleaned up within two hours; and surface staining ”“ such as oil stains in company parking lots ”“ would also have to be reported upon discovery.
Chemical bill updates 35-year-old bill
Last July, legislators introduced the Toxic Chemicals Safety Act for Congressional consideration, with U.S. Rep. Rosa DeLauro among the bill”™s cosponsors. The bill is meant as an update to the 35-year-old Toxic Substances Control Act that governs the production and distribution of industrial chemicals.
Among those testifying on the bill last July was Dr. Mark Mitchell, as president of the Connecticut Coalition for Environmental Justice, who aired his concerns both on companies that produce chemicals for industrial use, as well as factories that store them and that produce chemical byproducts as part of an industrial process.
“In Connecticut, we ”¦ have a number of mostly small chemical production and
formulation facilities,” Mitchell said. “Public health officials are generally unaware of what is being produced at these facilities and what needs to be done to protect public health in the event of a chemical release.”
”™08 inspection found nearly a third in violation
In 2008 under former Commissioner Gina McCarthy, DEP undertook a review of the state”™s hazardous waste policies. In 2009, the agency conducted 190 inspections of varying industrial sites ”“ just over 60 of them were found to be in violation of varying regulations. Of that group, a third entered into consent orders with DEP intended to result in a speedy resolution of the violations, typically with a reduced fine. In 2009, the agency referred three cases to the state attorney general”™s office after consent orders could not be reached.
Between 2006 and 2009, nearly nine in 10 companies had regained compliance with hazardous waste regulations upon re-inspection, according to DEP.
In an effort to promulgate the development and use of “green chemicals” that pose less of a threat to the environment, last year the Connecticut General Assembly authorized the creation of a chemical innovations institute at the University of Connecticut. The UConn Health Center is under no requirement to actually launch the institute, however, until it has acquired sufficient funds to do so.
Connecticut already operates a pollution prevention office under the state Department of Environmental Protection, as well as a hazardous waste compliance assistance program; and one to assist small businesses.
