GLIN==> Regional emissions inventory documents releases of toxic substances in the Great Lakes region

For immediate release
April 2, 2009

Contact: Jon Dettling
E-mail:  <mailto:dettling at glc.org> dettling at glc.org
Phone: 617-500-7152

Regional emissions inventory documents releases of toxic substances in the
Great Lakes region 

Ann Arbor, Mich. – The Great Lakes Commission has announced the release of
the newest edition of the Great Lakes Regional Toxic Air Emissions
Inventory. Based on estimates of 2005 air emissions provided by the eight
Great Lakes states and the province of Ontario, the inventory covers
emissions from more than 2,500 categories of air pollution sources,
including industrial facilities, automobiles, residential energy use and
many others.

This is the seventh year of data that has been compiled for the regional
inventory and the first in three years. Its completion marks continued
progress toward obtaining comprehensive and current information on toxic
emission sources in the Great Lakes region and achieving data reporting
consistency among the eight states and Ontario.

The inventory includes releases of nearly 200 chemicals, intended to
represent all those identified as Hazardous Air Pollutants in the Clean Air
Act and those compounds significantly contributing to the contamination of
the Great Lakes Emissions estimates were from nearly 12,000 industrial
facilities across the region. In all, it estimates approximately 2.3 billion
pounds of toxic air emissions for the entire region, which covers a total
population of more than 90 million people.

A regional inventory of this type is particularly valuable for the Great
Lakes region due to health concerns from pollutants, such as mercury, which
enter the Great Lakes from the air. Their large surface areas, long water
retention times and other factors make the Great Lakes particularly
susceptible to such problems. Many toxic pollutants that are originally
released to the air will deposit to land and waterways in large quantities,
either in precipitation, attached to particles, or as gasses. 

Total estimated emissions in this latest inventory are lower than in
previous years, but do not necessarily indicate a decline in overall
emissions. Changes in methodology, including the addition of more types of
sources and improvements in estimation techniques and measurements, can lead
to changes in emission estimates even if actual emissions have not changed.

The Great Lakes regional inventory is a longstanding and unique partnership
among the eight Great Lakes states and the province of Ontario, coordinated
by the Great Lakes Commission. The nine participants not only share
emissions estimates as part of the regional project, but also work together
to improve estimation methods and to share and compare their procedures and
information. This partnership has led to significant improvements in the
toxic air emissions inventories on both sides of the border and has provided
the participating states and province a unique opportunity to work
collaboratively in addressing the potential threat these chemicals pose.
Beyond just sharing of information, this project leads to information that
is more consistent in terms of how it is produced and reported.

The inventory data have been used for a variety of purposes by the
participating states and province, as well as by other agencies and
organizations. For example, the data have been used to assess health risks,
prioritize state and federal pollution prevention activities, support permit
review and tracking, assist community groups and researchers, and much more.

The report of the 2005 Great Lakes Regional Toxic Air Emissions Inventory is
available online through the Great Lakes Information Network at
http://wiki.glin.net/display/RAPIDS/Home. In addition, the emissions
estimates will be available in the coming months for viewing through the
Centralized Air emissions Repository On-Line (CAROL), an interactive website
capable of producing maps, charts and tables of the toxic air emissions
information. The project has received support from the U.S. EPA’s Office of
Air and Radiation.

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 <http://www.glc.org/> The Great Lakes Commission, chaired by Gov. Patrick
Quinn (Ill.), is an interstate compact agency established under state and
U.S. federal law and dedicated to promoting a strong economy, healthy
environment and high quality of life for the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence region
and its residents. The Commission consists of governors' appointees, state
legislators, and agency officials from its
<http://www.glc.org/about/commissioners.html> eight member states.
<http://www.glc.org/about/associate.html> Associate membership for Ontario
and Québec was established through the signing of a "
<http://www.glc.org/about/pdf/declarations.pdf> Declaration of Partnership."
The Commission maintains a formal  <http://www.glc.org/about/observers.html>
Observer program involving U.S. and Canadian federal agencies, tribal
authorities, binational agencies and other regional interests. The
Commission offices are located in Ann Arbor, Michigan. 

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