Toxic releases in Nevada

Toxic releases from Nevada facilities increased by 2 percent between 2006 and 2007, according to the just released, annual Toxic Release Inventory (TRI) from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Metal mining facilities accounted for 96 percent of the state’s chemical releases, with Barrick Goldstrike Mines in Elko, Newmont Mining Corp-Twin Creeks Mine in Golconda and Ruby Hill Mine in Eureka leading the toxic offenders pack.

Other increases included on-site land releases up 3.4 million pounds, or 2 percent; mercury releases increased 41 percent, and off-site releases nearly doubled in 2007, increasing by more than a million pounds.

Decreasing in 2007 were air releases by 7.8 percent, and water releases were down 102,000 pounds from 2006, a 99.9 percent change. The water decrease “was due almost entirely to one gold mine, Newmont’s Lone Tree Mine, which reported a 191,000 pound decrease,” said the report.

Nationwide, air releases decreased by 7 percent and water releases decreased by 5 percent.

For more information about chemical releases in Nevada, visit www.epa.gov/region09/toxic/tri/report/07/tri-nv.html