As the new home of WashPIRG's environmental work, Environment Washington can be contacted regarding this news release.
SEATTLE—Exposure
to dangerous toxic pollution from industrial facilities threatens
communities in Washington and across the country, according to a new
report released today by WashPIRG.
The report, Toxic Pollution and Health,
uses information from the federal Toxic Release Inventory (TRI) to
analyze toxic pollution linked to serious health problems such as
cancer, birth defects or neurological damage. Due to a recent EPA
action restricting the public’s right-to-know, today’s report may
provide one of the last complete pictures of toxic pollution in
Washington.
In
2004, Cowlitz County ranked 7 th in the nation for total air and water
releases of toxic pollution known to cause cancer. The largest source
of this pollution came from the Weyerhaeuser Company in Longview, which
released more than 697, 000 pound of known carcinogens into the air and
water. [See Appendix C, page 36 and attached facilities data spread
sheet.]
“This
report confirms that communities across Washington state are routinely
put at risk by toxic pollution linked to serious health impacts,” said
Amy Peterson, field associate with WashPIRG. “These toxic pollutants
are the worst of the worst and pose tangible threats to public health
that must be addressed.”
The
federal Toxic Release Inventory is a public right-to-know program that
requires industrial facilities to publicly disclose their toxic
releases. In 2004, EPA reported that the TRI has helped to reduce toxic
pollution by 57% nationwide since its inception in 1988. Despite this
success, the EPA recently weakened the program by authorizing
industrial facilities to withhold previously reported pollution
information.
“To
address the potential health threats from toxic pollution, we need full
information about what toxics are being released, where, and in what
amounts,” said Peterson. “Unfortunately, EPA’s attack on the public’s
right-to-know means that Washington communities will be left in the
dark about toxic pollution.”
"Communities
have a right to know what toxics are being released into their air,
water, and soil. Collecting and releasing this information is the
minimum that EPA should do." said Margaret Shield PhD, Coordinator of
Washington's Toxic-Free Legacy Coalition. "We should also all be
asking our government and our industries to phase out hazardous
chemicals that are linked to cancer, developmental disabilities, and
reproductive problems. It's time to place a priority on public health
and demand that only the safest chemicals are used in our consumer
products and industrial processes."
“The
report shows that we’re still being exposed to persistent toxic
chemicals like PCBs that were banned 30 years ago. Meanwhile the use of
PBDEs, another persistent toxic compound structurally similar to PCBs,
remains widespread and levels are building up in our environment and
our bodies,” said Steven Gilbert, PhD, DABT, Environment & Human
Health Co-Chair for Washington Physicians for Social Responsibility.
“This report underscores the imperative to phase out use of PBDEs and
other persistent toxic chemicals, including lead, to avoid problems for
generations to come. We need to learn the lessons of the past and take
a precautionary approach to prevent significant neurodevelopmental and
other health effects from chemical exposures. Children are the most
vulnerable population to these exposures, and their health, learning
and futures deserve protection from these sources of harm.”
Representative
Jay Inslee (D-WA) and Senators Lautenberg (D-NJ) and Boxer (D-CA)
recently challenged EPA’s rollbacks by introducing the Toxic
Right-to-Know Protection Act (H.R. 1055 and S. 595). This legislation
would reverse the rollbacks to restore the lost data and ensure that
communities have full and complete access to toxic pollution
information.
“WashPIRG
calls on Representative Jim McDermott to support the public’s right to
know and protect Washington state’s communities by cosponsoring this
legislation in the 110 th congress, as he did in the 109 th,” said
Peterson
