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PIONEER AMERICAS, LLC
ST. GABRIEL, LOUISIANA
MERCURY CELL CHLOR-ALKALI FACILITY
MERCURY AIR EMISSIONS FROM PIONEER AMERICAS
Presented by: Wilma Subra
Date: October 5, 2006
Location: St. Gabriel Community Center
Mercury Cell Chlor-Alkali Process
Mercury Cell process is used to convert Brine to Chlorine
Mercury emissions are released into the air
Deposited into surrounding soil and water
Bioaccumulate into fish
Routes of exposure:
-Breath mercury contaminated air
-Eat mercury contaminated fish
Health Impacts of Mercury Exposure
Decreased fertility
Blood Pressure Problems
Memory Loss
Tremors
Vision Loss
Numbness of fingers and toes
Children
Problems with fine motor skills
Problems with attention span
Developmental Delays
High levels of mercury in pregnant women pose risk to developing fetus
LOUISIANA MERCURY CELL
CHLOR-ALKALI FACILITIES
PIONEER AMERICAS, St. Gabriel, LA
Began Operating in 1970 as Stauffer Chemical
Facility is the last Mercury Cell Plant build in the US
52 Mercury Cells (8,300 to 9,100 pounds/cell)
Total Mercury on Site 431,600 to 473,200 pounds
Mercury Emissions 2004 1,311.4 pounds
Ranked #1 in LA Mercury Air Emissions (27.1%)
PPG INDUSTRIES, Lake Charles, LA
Began Operating in 1947 as Southern Alkali
70 Mercury Cells (11,700 pounds/cell)
Total Mercury on Site 819,900 pounds
Announced August 4, 2005 the Mercury Cells would be replaced with Membrane Technology by Mid-2007
Mercury Emissions 2004 1,223.57 pounds
Ranked #2 in LA Mercury Air Emissions (25.2%)
Pioneer Americas and PPG are responsible for more than half (52.3%) of the Mercury Emissions into the air in the entire state of Louisiana.
PIONEER AMERICAS LLC
Mercury Use
52 Mercury Cells containing 8,300 to 9,100 pounds of mercury per cell
Total Mercury 431,600 to 473,200 pounds
Year New Mercury Added TRI Missing Mercury
pounds pounds pounds
1997 25,840* 4,916 20,924
1996 21,356 4,647 16,709
1995 19,001 8,209 10,792
1994 9,370 NR
1993 6,946 NR
*Excludes 54,644 pounds of mercury added to increase cell
inventory.
NR - None Reported
Pioneer reported 17,772 pounds of total mercury releases under TRI from 1995 to 1997, but added 66,197 pounds of virgin mercury to its cells. This leaves 48,425 pounds of mercury unaccounted for.
Pioneer did not report mercury releases to TRI in 1993 and 1994. Pioneer added 16,316 pounds of virgin mercury to its cells during that period.
PIONEER AMERICAS
TOXIC RELEASE INVENTORY MERCURY EMISSIONS
Year Fugitive Air Stack Air Water
(pounds) (pounds) Miss. R.
(pounds)
_______________________________________
2004 1245.4 66.4 15
2003 857 48 16
2002 862 48 13
2001 1199 49 18
2000 1199 5 18
1999 1199 3 18
1998 1205 21
1997 1204 26
1996 1204 23
1995 1246 20
1994 Not Reported
1993 Not Reported
1992 1286 18
1991 11 1286 17
1990 1286 17
MERCURY AIR CONCENTRATIONS MONITORED BY EPA IN THE AREA AROUND THE PIONEER FACILITY
Maximum Mercury Conc. in Air Around Pioneer 4,000 ng/m3
ATSDR Minimal Risk Level 200 ng/m3
EPA Reference Concentration 300 ng/m3
____________________________________________________
Location Monitored Mercury Concentration
ng/m3 ____________________________________________________
State Road 75 at Pioneer Southern Pipe Rack 4,000**
1/13/05 3:47 AM
State Road 75 at Pioneer Southern Pipe Rack 2,300**
1/13/05 4:03 AM
State Road 75 near Pioneer Facility 2,900**
1/13/05
State Road 75 and 141 180 and 190
1/14/05
State Road 75 Between 5th and 2nd Streets 760** and 290*
1/14/05
*Exceeds ATSDR Level
**Exceeds EPA and ATSDR Levels
Mercury Values Exceeded the EPA Level by up to 13 times and the ATSDR Level by up to 20 times.
EPA Performed air monitoring using the Lumex RA-915+ Mercury Monitor in the Tract Atmospheric Gas Analyzer (TAGA) Mobil Unit.
MAXIMUM MERCURY AIR CONCENTRATIONS
DETECTED DURING NRDC MONITORING AROUND MERCURY CELL CHLOR-ALKALI FACILITIES IN JULY AND AUGUST 2005
_______________________________________
Maximum
Facility Concentration
of Mercury in Air
Around the Facilities
ng/m3
_______________________________________
Pioneer Americas, St. Gabriel, LA 2,629
Olin Corp., Charleston, Tenn. 1,788
Occidental Chemical, New Castle, Del. 618
PPG, Lake Charles, LA 371
Olin Corp., Augusta, GA 252
Occidental Chemical, Muscle Shoals, AL 103
MERCURY AIR CONCENTRATIONS MONITORED (Lumex
RA-915+) IN THE AREA AROUND THE PIONEER FACILITY BY NRDC AND SUBRA COMPANY, 7/12/05
Maximum Mercury Conc. in Air Around Pioneer 2,629 ng/m3
ATSDR Minimal Risk Level 200 ng/m3
EPA Reference Concentration 300 ng/m3
Location Monitored Maximum Concentration
ng/m3
Mobile Monitoring State Road 75 2,629.3**
8 minute run
Mobile Monitoring on Landry Dr. 12.1
and State Road 75, Stationary Sampling
for 2 minutes at 3495 State Road 75
28 minute run
Mobile Monitoring on State Road 75 and 141
31 minute run 1,480.7**
Mobile Monitoring on State Road 75 and 141 236.9*
31 minute run
Mobile Monitoring on State Road 75, 141, 211.1*
Sixth Street and MLK - 31 minute run
Mobil Monitoring on State Road 75, 141, 40.1
and ICI Road - 13 minute run
Winds variable through out monitoring periods
*Exceeds ATSDR Level by up to 13 times
**Exceeds EPA Level by up to 8.8 times and ATSDR Level
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