By HEATHER BAUGHMAN
baughman@crescent-news.com
Defiance County continues to be among the top 20 counties in Ohio with the highest amount of toxic emissions.
Toxic emission rates for the state, reported last week by the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency, were based on toxic chemicals released by 1,604 facilities in 2005.
Since 2001, Defiance has ranked 20 or below on the toxic chemical release inventory, with Johns Manville's two Defiance plants and GM Powertrain reporting the highest emissions in the county. The plants, however, recorded lower air-released emissions than in 2004.
According to the 19th annual toxic release inventory report, total air releases in 2005 for Johns Manville plant 8, located off Carpenter Road, was 1,533,684 pounds, down from 1,536,827 pounds in 2004. Similarly, total air releases from the company's plant 2, located at Third and Perry streets, was reported at 576,563 pounds, down from 586,251 pounds released in 2004.
General Motors Powertrain, too, recorded lower total air emissions: 182,795 pounds in 2005, down from 222,159 pounds released in 2004.
Johns Manville plant 8 reported the highest total releases, which include releases in the air, water, deep-well injection, land and publicly owned treatment facilities, at 1,604,094 pounds, which is down slightly from 1,569,758 pounds in 2004.
GM was next with 1,477,469 pounds total releases reported, up from 1,142,198 pounds in 2004; and Johns Manville plant 2 reported 596,686 pounds, down from 606,442 pounds in 2004.
A General Motors spokesman did not reply to requests for comment before press time.
Robin Wiesner, Johns Manville manager of corporate affairs and communications said that emissions were up slightly at plant 8 because production was up at that plant. Similarly, emissions at plant 2 were slightly lower because production at that plant was slightly lower.
"One of JM's core environmental objectives is pollution prevention," Wiesner said. "We are continually researching and evaluating new processes and systems that improve manufacturing efficiency and also reduce manufacturing waste, including air emissions.
"While we can't say that our emissions will decrease precipitously, JM is committed to focusing on these issues," she continued. "For example, JM's new facility to produce pipe insulation, just coming on line in 2007, has far better emissions controls than were at the former plant 3 that burned in 2003. JM also recently relocated some lines from plant 2 to plant 8, and the relocated lines are better controlled. While JM's releases are allowed under air permits issued by the Ohio EPA, and we routinely submit reports showing compliance with these permits, we also believe it is our responsibility to continuously improve.
"Our CEO, Steve Hochhauser, has indicated his commitment for JM to lead the fiber glass industry in pollution prevention -- not only by recycling everything we can, but by eliminating waste before it's created. Our more efficient pipe insulation plant is one example. We still have a lot of progress to make, however, we have put together a determined team of environmental professionals and engineers who are striving to meet this goal," she stated.
Of the 1,604 companies that filed reports with the Ohio EPA, the Johns Manville plant 8 ranked 17th highest in the state in air releases, while Standridge Color Corp., located in the industrial park on Defiance's southwest side, reported nine pounds of air releases amd was ranked 1,000.
Other areas of northwest Ohio fared a bit better: Henry County was ranked 60th; Paulding County, 63rd; Fulton County, 64th; Williams County, 68th; and Putnam County, 73rd.
Statewide, total releases increased from almost 297 million pounds in 2004 to more than 310 million pounds in 20.05, a 4.3 percent increase.
According to the report, statewide releases of toxic chemicals to water decreased by 1.1 million pounds, while releases to air dropped 872,000 pounds in 2005. Major decreases also were reported for on-site treatment releases (down by 40.7 million pounds) and on-site recycling releases (decreased by 19.2 million pounds).
"While I am encouraged to see some numbers continue to head downward, the reductions in releases are not significant enough and I'm not satisfied with Ohio's overall ranking," said Ohio EPA director Chris Korleski. "We are working to develop incentives and pollution prevention strategies to bring future toxic releases in Ohio down."
The greatest increase was for land on-site releases, which rose by 12.8 million pounds. Large increases were reported by Envirosafe and Millenium Chemical along with substantial increases in power plant releases. Other significant increases were reported for deepwell injection (up 1.9 million pounds) wastewater treatment plant discharges (up 1.1 million pounds) and off-site disposal and treatment (up 1.2 million pounds).
Each year manufacturing and other facilities must report to Ohio EPA and U.S. EPA the amount of toxic substances they release to the environment, treat or otherwise manage on-site or transfer off-site for treatment and disposal.