LOCAL GROUPS URGES LEGISLATIVE ACTION ON AIR TOXICS

By Ella Tyler

The report “Toxic Pollution and Health” released this week by Environment Texas shows that the Houston-Galveston area leads the nation in industrial emissions of air toxics. Air toxics are chemicals that can cause many types of cancer and diseases of the reproductive, respiratory, and neurological systems. The report, which used the Toxic Release Inventory for its data (the reports of releases of toxic chemicals made by industry to the EPA), says that 10,619,097 pounds of recognized carcinogens were released into Texas’ air or soil in 2004.

The chemical and allied products industry releases the most carcinogens. Petroleum refining is the fourth largest contributor. Harris, Galveston and Brazoria counties hold spots 1, 2 and 4 respectively in the national ranking for the release of carcinogens. BP’s Texas City refinery reported releases of more than 2 million pounds in 2004, the most in the country.

Jane Laping, executive director of Mothers for Clean Air said the data underscore the need for improved control of air toxics in Houston-area communities. “There’s no reason our residents should be exposed to these high levels of air pollution,” she said.

The report analyzed suspected neurotoxicants, developmental toxicants, dioxins, suspected respiratory toxicants and reproductive toxicants also.

Harris County ranks second in the nation for suspected neurotoxicants and Galveston County ranks fourth. The chemical industry produces the most of these chemicals. Harris County is third on the list for developmental toxicants and for dioxins, fourth for suspected respiratory toxicants and fifth for reproductive toxicants. Brazoria County ranks first in the nation for dioxins.

Meg Healy, Research Director for the Galveston-Houston Association for Smog Prevention (GHASP) says that it is technically and economically feasible to reduce air toxics in the Houston region, but, “As long as Texas maintains its insufficient policies for pollution control, industry will continue to do as little as possible to reduce emissions.”

GHASP is supporting several air toxics bills in the 2007 Texas Legislature, including the following bills filed by Houston area legislators:

HB2475 by Hochberg, SB1855 by Gallegos, and SB1906 by Ellis, which are about regulation of toxic hotspots under the Texas Clean Air Act;

HB2363 by Hernandez, HB2722 by Thompson, and SB1924 by Gallegos, which would establish an air pollutant watch list and require certain reports; and

HB2890 by Vo and HB3156 by Noriega, which are about controlling emissions of air contaminants.

For more information about the bills, see GHASP’s website.

The “Toxic Pollution and Health” report is available from Environment Texas. According to its findings, in 2004, the industries that sent the most pollutants to the air and water were the chemical, paper, and electric utilities. The states most affected were Texas, North and South Carolina, Louisiana, Alabama, Florida, Tennessee, Illinois, Georgia, Ohio and Pennsylvania.