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U.S., Canadian Industrial Emissions Decreased 18 Percent

The Robert Moses Niagara Power Plant in Lewiston, N.Y., is near the U.S.-Canadian border. (©AP/WWP)

A study of more than 20,000 sources of industrial air pollution in the United States and Canada finds emissions decreased 18 percent from 1998 to 2001, according to the North American Commission for Environmental Cooperation (CEC).

Electric power plants are the single largest source of emissions, accounting for almost half of all toxic pollutants monitored, said the CEC in a June 2 press release. The data --compiled by the CEC and submitted to the two national governments -- show that 46 of the top 50 polluters in North America were power plants, generating 45 percent of the total of toxic air releases, which include hydrochloric and sulfuric acids and mercury.

The CEC is an international organization created by Canada, Mexico and the United States to enforce the environmental provisions of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). The latest report, "Taking Stock," is based on submissions from Canada and the United States alone because Mexico does not yet require such reporting, but is expected to do so in the near future.

The data indicate that 1.4 million tons of chemicals were released into the environment in 2001, the most recent year for which complete information is available. An even greater amount -- 1.5 million tons -- was transferred to recycling, energy recovery and treatment facilities.

Following is the text of the CEC press release.

North American Commission for Environmental Cooperation

Electric power plants #1 source of toxic air pollution in North America

Montreal, 2/06/2004 - Electric power plants are the number one toxic air polluter in North America, accounting for almost half of all industrial air emissions in 2001, says a new report by the Commission for Environmental Cooperation (CEC).

The findings are part of Taking Stock 2001, the trinational organization's annual report on chemical pollution from industrial facilities. The report compares data submitted to the Canadian and United States federal governments by 21,254 facilities, which monitor their releases of toxic chemicals, including carcinogens and neurotoxicants to the air, land and water.

According to the data, 46 of the top 50 air polluters in North America were power plants. The sector generated 45 percent of the 755,502 tonnes of toxic air releases in 2001, with hydrochloric and sulfuric acids being the chemicals most commonly released from the burning of coal and oil. Power plants also accounted for 64 percent (43,384 kg) of all mercury air emissions, mainly from coal combustion.

Overall in North America, air releases decreased by 18 percent from 1998 to 2001. However, air releases, including smokestack emissions, continued to account for almost two-thirds of the chemicals released by companies on-site. For electric power plants, the decrease in toxic air releases was half the rate of other sectors over the same time period.

"We're still pumping more chemicals into the air than all other methods of release combined. We've shown that it's possible to reduce pollution, but cleaner air requires industry, government and the public to work together for cleaner fuels, conservation and more renewable energy," says William Kennedy, executive director of the CEC.

Taking Stock's analysis of the 204 chemicals common to both the Canadian and US reporting systems revealed that 1.4 million tonnes of chemicals were released into the environment in North America in 2001. Another 1.5 million tonnes were transferred to recycling, energy recovery and treatment facilities.

In the United States, three coal-fired power plants reported the largest toxic air releases in 2001: CP&L Roxboro Steam Electric Plant in Semora, North Carolina, Reliant Energy's Keystone Power Plant in Shelocta, Pennsylvania, and Georgia Power Bowen Steam Electric Generating Plant in Cartersville, Georgia. These three plants each reported more than 7,400 tonnes of toxic air releases and were responsible for over seven percent of the total toxic air releases in the US. Reliant also recorded the largest on-site air emissions of mercury (819 kg) of any power plant in Taking Stock.

In Canada, a single facility is responsible for eight percent of all toxic air emissions: Ontario Power Generation's Nanticoke Generation Station. The coal power plant was also responsible for the second largest on-site air releases of mercury (226 kg) by a Canadian electrical facility, following Alberta's TransAlta Corporation's Sundance Thermal Generating Plant at 270 kg.

Taking Stock 2001 is the eighth report of the series to compare industrial pollution sources in North America. The report is intended to help identify opportunities for pollution reduction, and is based upon the pollution inventories of the United States and Canada. Mexico does not yet require reporting, but is expected to announce a mandatory and publicly accessible pollutant release and transfer registry (PRTR) in the near future.

Do you have a question about a particular facility, industrial sector, province or state? The Taking Stock Online web site allows users to customize reports by chemical, facility, sector or geographic region.