MTO: Bibb ranks 9th in toxic releases

Thirteen Bibb County companies reported releasing more than 2.5 million pounds of toxins in 1997, according to the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, making Bibb the ninth-highest Georgia county in volume of industrial pollutants.

Riverwood International accounted for almost 70 percent of those releases, according to the department's Toxic Release Inventory Study, made public this week. During 1997, Riverwood introduced 1.74 million pounds of toxic material into the air, water or land.

Riverwood International accounted for almost 70 percent of those releases, according to the department's Toxic Release Inventory Study, made public this week. During 1997, Riverwood introduced 1.74 million pounds of toxic material into the air, water or land.

Brown & Williamson Tobacco Corp. came in second on the department's Bibb County list with 274,900 pounds of released toxins, equalling 11 percent of the county total. YKK USA Inc. was third with 225,014 pounds, or 9 percent.

The remaining 10 companies that account for the remaining 10 percent are: Armstrong World Industries, Trane Co., Boral Bricks Inc., Keebler Foods Co., Bassett Furniture Industries of N.C. Inc., G&T Industries of Georgia, Lucas Aerospace Cargo Systems, Georgia Wire Products and Betzdearborn-Macon.

None of the 1997 figures is above federal standards and the releases shouldn't be considered dangerous, said the report's director, Albert Langley.

"We ask the companies to submit the data themselves using the best sources available to them," Langley said. "If they are using more than 25,000 pounds annually of any of the chemicals, their releases have to be reported."

For 10 years now, the state's Environmental Protection Division has compiled the Toxic Release Study to give a snapshot of Georgia's environment. More than 620 chemicals are monitored, chosen because they are known to have acute health effects or produce cancer in humans or have adverse effects on the environment in levels beyond federal thresholds.

The study takes into account air releases, including smokestacks, water discharges, land storage and chemicals treated off-site.

"What needs to be remembered is that everything here is a legal release," Langley said.

Ron Methier, the state's air protection branch chief, said the report mainly helps create a level of peer pressure among manufacturers to reduce the amount of toxins being released into the environment.

"We study it, but mainly there is a public perception that this is a lot of pollution," Methier said. "We've found after the first couple of years that companies have changed things and reduced pollutants."

Since the toxic-release study was first issued in 1987, there has been a dramatic decrease in the state's overall toxic releases, to only about 10 percent of their original levels. Figures for 1987 totaled more than 663 million pounds, while 1997 numbers were closer to 66 million pounds across the state.

"Companies have also realized that they can save money by reducing the amount of toxic releases," Methier said. "This has enhanced upper management's interest (in protecting the environment)."

YKK is one of those companies. It recycles 97 percent of the toxic materials it must report, says Jeff Turner, YKK's environmental manager.

"Only 3 percent of those listed chemicals are disposed of," he said. "And of that 3 percent, much of that is shipped off-site to be recycled, which is why we have to report it."

Ethylene glycol is the toxin that YKK releases in the largest amount, at 87,230 pounds a year. Along with the listed toxin copper, it is part of the process used to make 7 million zippers a day.

"YKK has a pledge to the environment and is interested in being a good citizen," said Bob Barron, the company's human resources manager.

Riverwood is also working to decrease its emissions, said company environmental manager Marion Bard. Riverwood releases 789,600 pounds of methanol a year, as well as ammonia, hydrochloric acid and 10 other toxins. Methanol is a by-product of cooking wood chips that are used to make cardboard containers.

"There are several environmental regulations that apply to this facility," Bard said. "We are in compliance with air, water and land standards and have implemented some projects over the last couple of years to reduce emissions."

She says the company plans to introduce more emission-controlling devices over the next few years.

Brown & Williamson reported high releases of nicotine and salts at 69,270 pounds a year in addition to hydrochloric acid, methanol and ammonia.