The Delaware City Refinery and the NRG Indian River Generating Plant topped the list of the annual Toxic Release Inventory of the Delaware.
The annual TRI data for 2012 from Delaware’s industrial facilities was marked by significant decreases in releases to air compared to 2011 and by increases in releases to water and the total amount of waste, according to the report. The data was released at the end of last year.
The increases are primarily due to the addition of hydrogen sulfide to the list of chemicals added to the report, as well as a full year of operation at the refinery, according to the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control.
Releases at the Indian River Plant in Sussex County will continue to decline. A second coal fired unit was closed at the end of last year. That will leave the state and Indian River with one coal fired unit that incorporates advanced pollution control technology.
Ranking No. 3 was the Perdue plant in Georgetown, followed by the DuPont Edgemoor site and Formosa Plastics plant in Delaware City.
In its first year of reporting, hydrogen sulfide accounted for 78 percent of all waste reported, which accounted for an increase of 329 million pounds of waste being reported as compared to 2011. Of all TRI waste reported, 98 percent was either treated on or offsite by various means (recycling, energy recovery, treatment, or going to a publicly owned treatment works).
“Delaware continues to make great strides improving air quality and reducing pollution released into our water and soils,” said DNREC Secretary Collin O’Mara. “With the additional of data about hydrogen sulfide, the Toxic Release Inventory will provide even more information to residents and businesses interested in protecting the environment and improving public health.”
A total of four facilities reported waste activities involving hydrogen sulfide, with 75,000 pounds being released onsite, all of it into the air.
The majority of hydrogen sulfide reported is managed onsite by either treatment or energy recovery, with the largest reported amount being the 329 million pounds treated onsite by the Delaware City refinery. The addition of this chemical to the listing does not necessarily represent new activities occurring in their area.
Overall onsite releases of all TRI chemicals reported for 2012 increased compared to 2011, a reflection of the efinery being in full operation. The refinery’s releases of nitrate compounds to water increased by 2.5 million pounds compared to 2011;after being idled since 2008 and returning to full operation.
Releases to air decreased by 54 percent compared to 2011, with the Indian River Generating Station reporting a decrease of 1.3 million pounds in releases of hydrochloric acid to air.
The full TRI 2012 report and data are available at: www.dnrec.delaware.gov/SERC/Information/Pages/PublicInformation.aspx.
