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Some of us moved here expecting that air
quality near the ocean would be much better than the air
in large metropolitan areas.
Not necessarily, we found.
While pollutants that are normally measured, such as auto
emissions, may be lower here, we discovered that there were
problems such as continuous industrial emissions, and sometimes
smoke and herbicides.
- Lincoln County continues to have high cancer rates compared
with other counties in Oregon.
- We have citizen complaints, past and present, of adverse
health effects due to pollution.
- We believe that air quality rules in some cases may
not provide an adequate margin of health protection for
children, the elderly, some healthy adults, asthmatics,
and people with various other health problems.
- We are concerned that the air we breathe is not being
tested.
- Much is still unknown about the effects of toxic air
pollutants on health, but what IS known is that long term
exposures to low levels of pollution can cause permanent
adverse health effects.
It makes sense to take a precautionary approach, to err
on the side of health and safety for all, especially children,
rather than profits or convenience for a few.
We have been encouraged by reports of industrial facilities
in other regions that voluntarily reduced pollution levels
to find that workers became more productive and the company
benefited financially.
It is absurd and tragic to continue to poison our world
and ourselves just because it is legal to do so. -Angeline
Johnston, mother, Shoreline, WA.
Roadside
Herbicide Spray
Industrial
Emissions
Large quantities
of emissions from a single facility are
required by law to be reported to EPA and/or DEQ.
The Georgia-Pacific Toledo pulp mill contributed
over 10 million pounds of pollutants to our air in 2004,
according to DEQ. Quantifying pollution is not easy, nor
is visualizing it. We calculated that just one of the toxic
air pollutants emitted, methanol, equaled
14 large tanker truckloads dissipating
into our air every year.
Types of Emissions. There are six “conventional”
pollutants that contribute to smog, haze and acid rain;
their levels are measured in many parts of the US to calculate
the local air quality index. These pollutants contribute
to respiratory illness, heart attacks, asthma, and premature
death.
Hazardous air pollutants (HAPs) or air toxics are the other
major category of concern. These chemicals are known or
suspected to cause cancer or other serious health effects,
such as reproductive effects or birth defects, or adverse
environmental effects. They are calculated for EPA and for
DEQ by different methods, therefore the data from these
agencies do not always agree.
Both types of pollutants, plus some that do not fit into
either category, are emitted from the Toledo pulp mill as
shown here:
Pulp Mill Conventional
air pollutants (pounds per year)
Sulfur dioxide
Nitrogen oxides
Carbon Monoxide
Particulate matter (PM10)
VOCs
Other pollutants
Sulfuric Acid
Total Reduced Sulfur (TRS)
(Contains primarily hydrogen sulfide also methyl mercaptan, etc.)
Source: DEQ |
2004 data
836,000
1,914,000
4,794,000
1,418,000
1,766,000
14,200
82,000 |
2007 data
316,000
2,174,000
4,386,000
1,432,000
1,236,000
4,000
138,000 |
Pulp Mill Hazardous air pollutants
(HAPs) (pounds per year)
Methanol
Acetaldehyde
Ammonia
Methyl Ethyl Ketone
Formaldehyde
Phenol
Zinc Compounds
Polycyclic Aromatic Compounds
Manganese Compounds
Certain Glycol Ethers
Lead Compounds
Benzo(g,h,i)perylene
Dioxins
Source: TRI
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2003 data
828,200
112,800
90,500
31,700
14,000
6,000
1,300
199
170
160
60
3
<1
|
2005 data
571,500
93,000
97,500
delisted
13,000
3,800
770
198
110
-
33
3
<1
|
2006 data
594,000
88,500
92,500
delisted
12,000
3,600
1,300
180
110
-
36
3
<1
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Some Other Facilities with Air Pollution Permits
Road and Driveway
Asphalt, Newport
Northwest Natural Gas, Newport
Newport Redi-Mix, South Beach
Trident Seafoods, Newport
Bateman Funeral Home, Newport
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PM-10 8,000
pounds, 2003
No data
No data
No data
No data
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How To Find More Information:
- Article on local cancer rates.
- DEQ documents available for the 2005 Georgia-Pacific
Toledo pulp mill Title V air pollution permit renewal.
- Toxics Release Inventory (TRI). Data on emissions
of hazardous air pollutants released from the largest
facilities in a limited number of industries, reported
to EPA by the companies.
- Environmental Scorecard. Type
in a zip code (Toledo is 97391) to learn who is polluting,
the amounts, how your area compares with others, and more.
- EPA Basic Air Information
- EPA Envirofacts Data Warehouse-Air
- Hazardous Substance Fact Sheets
- The Right-To-Know Network
- The Title V Handbook.
Title V refers to a section of the 1990 Clean Air Act
Amendments pertaining to certain large sources of air
pollution. This is a well-organized guide to the Title
V permitting process, how to review a permit, rights of
citizens to petition EPA, etc.
- Wood smoke and particulate pollution hazards.
- Herbicide and pesticide fact sheets
- Click here to
download ODOT's No Spray Application Form
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