| Joel M. Eichen 2005-02-15, 8:21 am |
|
Jan, which is bigger? 17 micrograms or 1,641 pounds?
If so, people better stop spitting in the landfills, correct?
quote,
The coalition’s report lists Chrin Brothers Sanitary Landfill as
emitting 1,641 pounds of mercury and IESI Pennsylvania Bethlehem
Landfill as emitting 1,321 pounds in 2002.
*****
Joel
DEP CORRECTS REPORTING ERROR THAT INFLATED MERCURY EMISSIONS IN
PENNSYLVANIA
HARRISBURG: The Department of Environmental Protection today noted
that data listed in an environmental coalition’s recently released
report --- “Mercury in the Mid-Atlantic: Are States Meeting the
Challenge?” --- is erroneous because of reporting errors by DEP and
another company. The errors in reporting caused the amount of mercury
emissions in the state to appear much higher than they actually are.
The estimated mercury emissions data reported in DEP’s emission
inventory and subsequently provided to the National Wildlife
Federation (NWF) were not accurate. NWF used the information in
compiling the report it re-released Feb. 3 with the Pennsylvania
Federation of Sportsmen’s Clubs, PennFuture and the Clean Air Council.
The groups’ initial report was put out the first week of January.
Because of the inaccurate data, three companies: International Metals
Co. in Lawrence County; along with Chrin Brothers Sanitary Landfill
and IESI Pennsylvania Bethlehem Landfill, in Northampton County, were
listed as the top three mercury emitters in Pennsylvania. If the
information reported by DEP and the company had been accurate, they
would not have made the top 10 list.
The information that NWF used to rank these companies was based on
2002 emissions data that are in the process of being revised.
The coalition’s report lists Chrin Brothers Sanitary Landfill as
emitting 1,641 pounds of mercury and IESI Pennsylvania Bethlehem
Landfill as emitting 1,321 pounds in 2002. Corrected data shows
estimates for both landfills actually are less than reportable mercury
levels. DEP’s regional staff assigned the wrong source classification
codes to the companies’ emissions data. DEP has corrected the mistake
and found that both landfills emitted negligible amounts of mercury in
2002.
International Metals estimates that it emitted 274 pounds of mercury
and not the 1,839.1 pounds listed in the report. In reviewing the
data, DEP found that International Metals submitted erroneous
emissions data that resulted in the company being listed as the
highest mercury emitter in the Commonwealth and mid-Atlantic region.
International Metals will submit a revised inventory for mercury
emissions in late February.
Content Last Modified on 2/4/2005 5:01:41 PM
Browse Search PAPower Home Back Printable
|