Legal pollution emissions increased in Rhode Island by nearly 0.5 percent in 2011, according to data from the Environmental Protection Agency, while there was a 0.09 percent overall decrease in New England. The region emitted 18.96 million pounds of legal pollutants last year, according to the EPA.
“The top 10 companies for chemical discharges were Hord Crystal in Pawtucket, Chemart in Lincoln, Sensesco in North Kingstown, General Cable Industries in Lincoln, Honeywell in Smithfield, Taco in Cranston, Organic Dyestuffs in East Providence, Kenyon Industries in Charlestown, Quartermoon in Portsmouth and Dewal Industries in Narragansett,” the Providence Journal reported.
Nationwide, the EPA reported an 8 percent total increase of toxic chemicals disposed in the environment.
The analysis stems from data collected by the Toxic Release Inventory, a database maintained by the EPA to evaluate industrial chemical management and compare toxic chemical emissions from year to year.
“EPA is proud of our long-term commitment of putting accessible, meaningful information in the hands of the American people so we can be informed about chemicals found in our own communities and neighborhoods,” said Curt Spalding, regional administrator of EPA’s New England office, in a press release last week.
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