Toxic Release Inventory Data for TXI

Wednesday, June 11th, 1997 

New EPA Data Shows TXI More Than Doubled Toxic Releases in One Year

Cement Plant Among DFW Top Toxic Polluters for First Time According to EPA’s most recent data, TXI’s Midlothian cement plant more than doubled its releases of toxic pollution from 1994 to 1995. The increase landed 
the facility among north Texas’ largest toxic polluters for the first time. 

TXI burns hazardous waste for profit in its cement plant. It has become the largest hazardous waste incinerator in the state. 

In its late May report on how many pounds of toxins were released into the nation’s air, soil or water in 1995, EPA numbers show TXI becoming the eighth largest toxic polluter in the north Texas area. Its releases rose from 52,601 
pounds in 1994 to 122,898 pounds in 1995. 

Releases at TXI in 1995 included 11,000 pounds of Chromium, 2000 pounds of Butadiene, 7000 pounds of Benzene, 255 pounds of Methyl Ethyl Ketone, 3000 pounds of Toluene, 750 pounds of Xylene and 250 pounds of Cyclohexane.  According to government chemical safety data sheets there “may be no safe level of exposure to a carcinogen,” like Benzene. Butadiene and Chromium are listed as “probable carcinogens.” 

These numbers don’t include “upsets” or unplanned releases and are TXI’s own estimates based on test burns, not “real time” monitoring. And 1995’s numbers could be hiding as much as 13,000 more pounds of toxic releases. For the first time, EPA is allowing facilities to omit reporting volumes of releases under 500 pounds for chemicals they use 1 million pounds or more of. This new reporting loophole was used by TXI for not reporting releases of 26 chemicals burned at the plant in 1995. 

In all, there were some 39 chemicals released in varying amounts from TXI in 1995 ranging from Cyanide Compounds to Styrene. The largest single release of any chemical was 93,000 pounds of Zinc compounds. 1995’s jump in releases follows a pattern that has seen a steady rise in the amount of toxic pollution emitted by TXI since waste-burning began in 1987, when the company reported toxic releases totaling just 1,500 pounds. 

EPA’s Toxic Release Inventory, or “TRI” comes out every spring and reflects the latest documented releases of over 600 specific toxic chemicals that industry is required to monitor. It does not include many hazardous chemicals 
or other kinds of pollution regulated by government, but it is used to monitor general trends. Its annual reports generally take a year and a half to assemble and publish. 

A “release” is defined as air emissions and discharges into water or land disposal. TXI listed 16,368 pounds in toxic air emissions and 103,130 pounds of land disposal. It was ranked behind the GM plant in Arlington, GNB Battery 
of Frisco, Owens Corning in Waxahachie and five other facilities in an area that includes Dallas, Tarrant, Collin, Denton, Ellis, Rockwall, Johnson and Wise Counties. 

Emitting over 24 million pounds of pollution a year from its four smokestacks, TXI’s Midlothian plant is already the largest industrial air polluter in the region, but the TRI doesn’t include “conventional”  hazardous pollution like 
Sulfur Dioxide, Particulate Matter or Carbon Monoxide that the cement plant produces in large volumes. TXI is requesting a new permit that would double its storage capacity and allow for a doubling of the amount of hazardous waste the plant could burn  - up to 550,000,000 pounds annually. 

“This latest increase in toxic pollution matches the increases in volume of hazardous waste TXI is burning every year. Obviously, if they get this new permit, and can double the amount of waste coming in the front door, the totals coming out of the back end will also grow exponentially. Five years from now, TXI could be at the top of the list,” said Becky Bornhorst, Chair of the Downwinders At Risk Education Fund, a local grassroots group opposing 
TXI’s new permit.