
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: FRIDAY, April 20, 1990                   TAG: 9004200318
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL                    PAGE: A2   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: WASHINGTON                                LENGTH: Medium

U.S. AIR FAR FROM CLEAN

The nation's factories released 4.6 billion pounds of toxic chemicals, including scores of carcinogens, in 1988, the Environmental Protection Agency reported Thursday. More than half of the pollutants went into the air.

The pollution from 19,762 industrial plants nationwide was 9 percent less than a year earlier, but the EPA said the decline may be a result of better record keeping.

EPA officials cautioned that they are unable from the raw figures, the latest available, to assess the health risks to people.

Federal officials have been surprised at the high volume of releases of toxic chemicals in both 1987, when 5 billion pounds of pollution was reported, and 1988. The reporting requirement covers 332 toxic chemicals.

"The figures are absolutely shocking," declared Rep. Gerry Sikorksi, D-Minn., who along with several other members of Congress obtained a special computer run on the EPA figures and provided additional details about the releases.

Among the chemicals routinely emitted from industrial sources were 77 carcinogens. The most widely released cancer-causing chemical - 115 million pounds - was dichloromethane, a chemical often used as an industrial solvent and paint stripper.

Industry released a total of 281 million pounds of carcinogens, including chemicals such as arsenic, benzene and vinyl chloride.

"We've got to bring these pollution numbers down," EPA Administrator William Reilly said.

The releases reported by industry are legal and within existing federal standards, officials said.

The EPA announcement provided only general release statistics and no information on specific plants, but information released by Sikorski showed that Amax Magnesium Co. of Rowley, Utah, had by far the highest volume of releases into the air - nearly 110 million pounds.

Amax was followed as 1988's top industrial air polluters by Tennessee Eastman Co., Kingsport, Tenn., 40 million pounds, and Avtex Fibers in Front Royal, Va., 34 million pounds. The Avtex Fibers plant in Virginia closed last November after a lengthy battle with the state over pollution issues.

by CNB