Last week, the state announced a promising outlook for New Jersey’s current state of combating global warming. However, the county and the South Bergenite coverage area stood out as not so promising. Toxic releases rose from 2005 to 2006 with four of the 11 South Bergenite coverage area companies required to report to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on gas emissions.
Based off the 2006 Toxic Release Inventory (TRI) results released by the EPA, the state said in 2006 alone, statewide emissions from industrial facilities, power plants and warehouses were down 10 percent. Much of the decrease is due to a 1.4 million-pound cut in gases released by PSEG’s Jersey City plant, the largest polluter in the state.
However, locally, three companies within the South Bergenite coverage area top the list of the top five toxic emitters in the county with Finite Industries in Carlstadt falling second only to the county’s top toxic emission producer, Kraft Food Bakery in Fair Lawn. In 2006, according to the latest complete data set released by the EPA released just two weeks ago, Finite Industries was found to have released a total of 15,698 pounds of toxic emissions. The number represents a steady rise in the emissions released by the company, which emitted 14,215 and 13,056 pounds in 2005 and 2004, respectively.
Of the chemicals released at the rubber and plastics manufacturer, toluene and xylene were among the two principal toxins emitted. Toluene is most associated with detrimental effects on the physical and mental development of children, similar to those of lead.
Bruce Houghton, president of Houghton Chemical Corp., said from his headquarters in Massachusetts last week that his automotive, industrial and water treatment chemical facility in Carlstadt is a packaging and distribution center, not a manufacturer. He said although the emissions seem high at first glance, they are actually low when looking at the grand scheme of all emissions released in the state. In 2005, Houghton emitted 8,779 pounds of toxins including toluene and methanol. In 2006, the amount nearly doubled to approximately 15,000 pounds. Houghton said business was up that year, and even with carbon filters, it’s nearly impossible to curb all emissions from the warehouse.
"What does 15,000 pounds equate to, about 2,500 gallons. That’s what we are labeled as emitting annually, and that’s what the average person burns in gasoline while driving their car each year," said Houghton. "I’m an environmentalist and we’re doing our best, but the federal regulators should look more at the big picture. Why is there a snapshot of industry and why do these numbers look so big next to our name…because industry is easy to target, but the legislators need to look at the aggregate…cars and trucks on the road and at each and every house. That will be the true test of curbing pollution."
In Lyndhurst, across the street from the new pre-school and soon to be township recreation fields, Sika Corp. has traditionally been a relatively low toxic emitter, but in 2006, their emissions saw a dramatic increase. This was after telling the South Bergenite last year that the facility was continuing to reduce emissions through environmental management standards, having received certification in ISO 14000 and Responsible Care 14000 in 2006 and 2007, respectively. Both are environmental management systems that allow companies to better policies and objectives for pollution prevention and are subject to outside audits. However, from 2005 to 2006, Sika’s onsite emissions release increased threefold from approximately 2,300 pounds to 7,500 pounds.
Sika’s toxic releases include ethylbenzene, a very volatile organic compound. Prolonged exposure of the compound can cause drying, scaling or even blistering of the skin while high exposure over long periods of time may damage the liver.
"Sika Corporation is committed to operating all of our facilities in an environmentally responsible manner. The air emissions from Sika's Lyndhurst facility are regulated under permits issued by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection. Sika's operations are in full compliance with these permits," said Sika in a statement to the South Bergenite. "The difference in emissions reported in 2005 and 2006 are attributable primarily to a change in Sika's methodology for emissions calculation. Sika's purchases of reportable raw materials and its production volumes of finished goods using such raw materials actually declined from 2005 to 2006."
Lyndhurst Mayor Richard DiLascio said he met with Sika last week along with the township’s chemical engineer George Stanton, the township engineer and attorney to determine why exactly the emissions levels have increased so much and what impacts they are having on the immediate vicinity. After meeting, DiLascio said Stanton certified that the new emissions calculations at Sika "does not pose a risk that should preclude the pre-k or recreation center/fields use" and that the levels are within EPA Standards. However, the township would like Sika to re-calculate its emissions using the 2005 methodology to get a comparable number and are pursuing further measures to monitor the air at the facility.
"Sika's stated reason for the change in calculations is it provides better control," said DiLascio. "All work is contained, there are no open-air material mixers. The air quality is constantly monitored within the enclosed building and is well within safe readings. We are discussing further methods for monitoring emissions not required by EPA and Sika has not objected. We will explore a process that is accepted by the EPA."
In addition to the two major toxic emitters in Carlstadt and Sika in Lyndhurst, there are also nine other local companies throughout the two towns as well as East Rutherford that emitted between 21 and 3,300 pounds of toxins in 2006.
Although the numbers look good for New Jersey overall and the TRI is a helpful tool in determining pollutant levels emitted by an individual company, the public right to know program is heading in a more lax direction. The NJDEP as well as the state attorney general’s office have announced a joint lawsuit against the EPA on a rule the federal agency has laid out on essentially limiting what companies have to report. The rule determines that if a company sees a "reasonable possibility" that the plant will not exceed 50 percent of a specified level of a variety of emissions, they will not have to maintain a record on that particular toxin.
