Lead and Lead Compounds Toxics Release Inventory Fact Sheet June 2004
Lead and Lead
Compounds Report:
2002 Toxics Release
Inventory
U.S. EPA Region 9
Arizona, California,
Hawaii, Nevada, the
Pacific Islands, and
Tribal Nations
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Major On and Off-Site Releases of Lead and
Lead Compounds
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Lead and Lead Compounds Toxics Release Inventory Fact Sheet June 2004
For the year 2001, lead and lead compounds were
reported as persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic
(PBT) chemicals for the first time. While lead
compounds have been on the list of reportable
chemicals since 1987, for the year 2001 the reporting
threshold was drastically lowered (from 25,000 pounds
manufactured or processed, and 10,000 pounds
otherwise used to 100 pounds manufactured,
processed, or otherwise used). As a result, additional
facilities are required to report releases of lead and lead
compounds.
A Note on Risk
It is important to note that releases should not be
directly equated with risk. To evaluate risk, release
data must be combined with information about
chemical toxicity, site-specific conditions, and
exposure. In the case of lead and lead compounds, the
TRI data does not indicate whether a facility is
violating environmental laws. Many of the substances
reported through this program are subject to state and
federal regulations designed to protect human health
and the environment.
Industries
A facility is subject to TRI reporting requirements if it:
has 10 or more full-time employees; is classified under
a reportable Standard Industrial Classification (SIC)
code; and manufactures, processes, or otherwise uses
any of the listed toxic chemicals in amounts greater
than the threshold quantities. For most chemicals
(excluding PBTs) the thresholds are 25,000 pounds
manufactured or processed, and 10,000 pounds
otherwise used.
Manufacturing industries have been reporting their
releases since 1987, and federal facilities started
reporting in 1994. In 1998, an additional seven
industry sectors began reporting their toxic chemical
releases. These sectors are metal and coal mining,
electricity generation, commercial hazardous waste
treatment, solvent recovery, petroleum bulk terminals,
and wholesale chemical distributors.
Releases
As shown in the table below, there was an overall 31%
increase in on- and off-site releases of lead and lead
compounds for the year 2002.
Newmont Mining Corp. Lone Tree Mine, located in
Valmy Nevada, is responsible for 80% of the reported
increases. Numerous facilities reported decreases
ranging froml to 12 million pounds.
In a state-by-state comparison for reporting year 2002,
California, Arizona, Nevada and Hawaii ranked 9, 5, 2,
and 45 respectively for total on- and off-site releases of
lead and lead compounds. Alaska ranked number 1,
reporting 204,362,889 pounds of on and off-site
releases of lead and lead compounds.
Lead and Lead Compound Releases (in pounds)
Reporting Industry Sectors - the 2002 Data
A review of the TRI data suggests that among the TRI-
regulated industry sectors, gold ore mining is the
largest contributor of lead and lead compound releases
in the Region. This industry sector accounts for 70%
by State or U.S. Territory
State
Air
Land
Under-
ground
Injection
Water
Off-Site
Arizona
40,999
11,454,507
88
16
22,123
California
14,502
3,394,417
5
1,651
1,414,733
Hawaii
5,120
82,892
3
22
54
Nevada
60,821
57,726,016
1
51
211
Guam
29
84
0
0
0
Northern
Marianas
1
2
0
0
0
On and Off-Site Releases
Release Media
Reporting Year
Change
(pounds)
2001
2002
Air
79,411
121,472
42.060
Land
55,710,225
72,657,918
16,947,693
Water
1,007
1,740
733
UI *
13
97
85
Off-Site
900,909
1,437,121
536,212
Net Change
17,526,783
Percent Change
+ 31%
* Underground Injection
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Lead and Lead Compounds Toxics Release Inventory Fact Sheet June 2004
of the Region 9 total. Furthermore, the combined gold,
copper and silver ores mining industries account for
81% of the Region 9 total. The primary metals
industry and hazardous waste refuse systems are also
large contributors.
Lead and Lead Compound Releases (in pounds)
Industry
Air
Land
Water
Off-Site
Metal Mining -
Gold Ores
2,596
51,679,869
52
12
Primary Smelting
and Refining of
Copper
34,346
6,103,220
4
40
Refuse Systems
290
5,389,690
5
50,356
Metal Mining -
Copper Ores
1,640
5,184,617
0
17
Metal Mining -
Silver Ores
700
3,303,286
0
0
Secondary Smelting
and Refining of
Nonferrous Metals
2,145
0
10
1,252,593
National Security
4,904
491,926
0
313
Electric Services
61,396
272,573
6
2,521
Explosives
597
68,785
0
0
Hydraulic Cement
1,382
62,337
91
0
* 92 pounds were released by underground injection.
Metal Mining
Lead is present in gold, silver and copper ores. In
Region 9, there are 28 facilities in the gold, silver and
copper industries that collectively reported over 60
million pounds of releases of lead and lead
compounds. The Newmont Mining Corp. Lone Tree
Mine reported over 35 million pounds of lead
compound releases, which are by-products of their
gold separation process.
Primary and Secondary Smelting of Cower
and Nonferrous Metals
Primary and secondary smelting and refining of non-
ferrous metals may utilize scrap metal feed containing
lead compounds. In Region 9, twenty-three facilities
reported over 7 million pounds of lead and lead
compound releases.
Refuse Systems
This industry includes hazardous waste treatment and
disposal and material recovery facilities. A total of 11
hazardous waste facilities reported disposing of over 5
million pounds of lead and lead compounds into
permitted landfills.
Top Region 9 Counties
County
Pounds Released
Humboldt, Nevada
38,530,951
Elko, Nevada
6,397,595
Gila, Arizona
4,837,534
Pershing, Nevada
3,653,309
Nye, Nevada
3,317,643
Pinal, Arizona
3,308,269
Pima, Arizona
3,070,720
Kings, California
2,810,062
Lander, Nevada
2,722,891
Eureka, Nevada
2,360,370
or On-Site Releases
Top Facilities for Total On- and Off-Sil
te Releases
Facility Name
City, State
Pounds
Released
Newmont Mining Corp.
Lone Tree Mine
Valmy, Nevada
35,201,878
Barrick Goldstrike
Mines, Inc.
Elko, Nevada
6,110,476
Asarco Inc. Ray Complex
Hayden Smelter and
Concentrator
Hayden, Arizona
3,407,650
Coeur Rochester, Inc.
Lovelock,
Nevada
3,282,957
Chemical Waste
Management
Kettleman City,
California
2,810,284
Cortez Gold Mines Mill 2
Cresent Valley,
Nevada
2,701,862
Asarco, Inc. Mission
Complex
Sahuarita,
Arizona
2,625,049
Newmont Mining Corp.
Twin Creeks Mine
Golconda,
Nevada
2,550,353
US Ecology Nevada, Inc.
Beatty, Nevada
2,462,026
Newmont Mining Corp.
Carlin South Area
Carlin, Nevada
2,200,255
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Lead and Lead Compounds Toxics Release Inventory Fact Sheet June 2004
On-line Access
For national information on data releases, see:
http://www.epa. gov/tri
The TRI data is available through Envirofacts
Warehouse, EPA's premier internet site for distributing
environmental information at:
http://www.epa.gov/enviro
or the TRI Explorer tool:
http://www.epa.gov/triexplorer
For general information on the Toxics Release
Inventory, including reporting requirements for
businesses, go to:
http://www.epa.gov/region09/toxic/tri
For more information on the EPA's PBT Chemicals
Program, go to:
http://www.epa.gov/opptintr/pbt/
Information and Assistance
Region 9 staff will answer questions and assist you in
learning more about the TRI Program in Region 9.
U.S. EPA Region 9
Nancy Sockabasin, TRI Coordinator
(415) 972-3772
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