A federal report listing toxic chemicals released into the air, water and land in Hawaii and other states is being criticized for its lack of timeliness. Isle chemical report is criticized
By Gary T. Kubota
gkubota@starbulletin.comThe Washington, D.C.-based Environmental Defense said federal officials take "far too long" to release industry information about the toxic chemicals released into the environment.
"The EPA should do everything in its power to get the data out in real time so that residents know the real risks they face today," said Carol Andress, an official with Environmental Defense.
The Environmental Protection Agency announced the publication of its Toxic Release Inventory report for the year 2000 yesterday.
The annual report provides information about various industries that make, store or release toxic chemicals into the air, land and sea, including sulfuric acid from oil burning of electrical generators.
Businesses handling toxic chemicals are required to file a report under the federal Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act passed in 1986.
Toxic Release Inventory official Lynda Deschambault said the agency received the 2000 information from various industries last July.
She said after obtaining the information, federal officials often need to sit down with businesses to check the figures for accuracy.
Deschambault cautioned people against comparing the Hawaii figures from the year 2000 with 1999.
She said the figures show a decrease in the amount of toxic chemicals released into the environment to 1.27 million pounds in 2000 from 1.68 million pounds in 1999, but much of the decrease stemmed from changing the calculating method.
Deschambault said Hawaiian Electric Co. used a different method of calculating sulfur emissions in 2002, resulting in lower estimates.
Because of adjustments in methods, the estimated sulfuric acid emissions decreased to 299,950 pounds in 2000 from 786,146 pounds in 1999.
HECO spokesman Bruce Benson said in the 2000 report, the company switched to a new method that is used by a public utility in Florida and outlined in a manual by the EPA.
"It's not a dispute," Benson said. "We just want to stay in step in the way they (EPA officials) want us to do it."
Benson said there has been no change in the operation of the generating plants, including those located in Honolulu, Kahului, Maalaea, Maui and Hilo.
Deschambault said federal administrators were talking with HECO officials to resolve the difference in methods of calculating sulfur emissions.
Details in the report may be obtained at www.epa.gov/region09/toxic/tri, www.epa.gov/triexplorer and www.epa.gov/enviro.