United States
Environmental Protection
Agency

EPA530-R-08-001
February 2008

National Priority Chemicals Trends Report (2001-2005)

Section 4

Chemical Specific Trends Analyses for Priority Chemicals (2001-2005):
Cadmium and Cadmium Compounds (Cadmium)

Hazardous Waste Minimization and Management Division
Office of Solid Waste
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

Contact Information:

Bill Kline, Senior Data Analyst
Analysis & Information Branch
(540) 341-3631
kline.bill@epa.gov

Tammie Owen, Data Analyst
Analysis & Information Branch
(703) 308-4044
owen.tammie@epa.gov

Ben Lesser, Chief
Analysis & Information Branch
(703) 308-0314
lesser.ben@epa.gov


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Cadmium and Cadmium Compounds (Cadmium)

Chemical Information:

General Uses - Cadmium is used in metal plating and to make pigments, batteries and plastics. It is
obtained as a byproduct from melting zinc, lead, or copper ores.

How Much Cadmium Was Generated?

Exhibit 4.29. National Generation of Cadmium (2001-2005)

TRI Reporting Year

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

Total Quantity of Cadmium (pounds)

932,493

743,457

824,337

863,883

611,331

Number of TRI Facilities Reporting
Cadmium

69

71

71

64

63

For 2005, 63 facilities reported approximately 611,000 pounds of cadmium, representing a decrease of
approximately 321,000 pounds, or 34 percent, compared to the total quantity of cadmium reported for 2001
(Exhibit 4.29). The number of facilities that reported cadmium since 2001 has been relatively constant, with 63
facilities reporting this PC for 2005.

Exhibit 4.30. Distribution of Quantities for Facilities Reporting Cadmium (2005)

Cadmium (611,331 pounds)

Quantity Reported

Number of Facilities
Reporting This Quantity
(2005)

Percent of Total Quantity of
Cadmium in 2005

up to 10 pounds

15

<0.1%

between 11 -100 pounds

3

< 0.1%

between 101 -1,000 pounds

17

1.0%

between 1,001 - 10,000 pounds

20

12.9%

between 10,001 - 100,000 pounds

7

39.0%

between 100,001 - 1 million pounds

1

47.1%

> 1 million pounds

0

0.0%

One facility reported approximately 47 percent of the total quantity of cadmium, while eight facilities reported
approximately 86 percent of the total quantity of cadmium (Exhibit 4.30).

4-22


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Where Was Cadmium Generated?

Exhibit 4.31. Location of Facilities that Reported Cadmium (2005)

WASHINGTON

EPA
RegionJ,

ake Superior

NORTH
DAKOTA

MINfJESOTA

> EPA^

Brutal"

| Region 5

\WISCONSI

- v EPA
^Region 2

NEW*' -

YORK

NEWrlAMPSHI

EPA lc
Region 10

[Huron

SOUTH
DAKOTA

WYOMING

AEROBE IS
:Ort0ECTICUT

EPA
Region 8

^1 PENNSYLVANIA

• L EPA ~'

•»Region-3J

NEVADA

IOWA

NEBRASKA

'W JERSEY

EPA
Region 9

ILLINOIS

¦LA WARE
'LAND

COLORADO

Region 7

*WEST J
VIRGil MA

CALIFORNIA

KANSAS

VIRGINIA

MISSOURI

KENTUCKY

NORTH
CAROLIf

EPJ}£7
Region 4*

ARKANSAS

ARIZONA

NEW MEXICO

SOUTH
vCAROLINAi

I EPA s
Region 6

ALABAI

UNITED STATES

MISSISSI

LOUISIANA

Alaska

'CXI CO

'FLORID;

Puerto Rico

63 Facilities Reporting Cadmium

~ 10 largest facilities reporting cadmium
• Other facilities reporting cadmium

Pacific
Ocean

f Guam

Atlantic
Ocean

Facilities Reporting Cadmium (2005)

Office of Solid Waste - Fall 2007
Analysis and Information Branch

7or 2005, 63 facilities in 26 states reported cadmium (Exhibit 4.31).

4-23


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Exhibit 4.32. Quantity of Cadmium, by EPA Region and State, for Facilities Reporting
		99 Percent of the Total Quantity in 2005 (2001-2005)	

EPA
Region

State

2001
(pounds)

2002
(pounds)

2003
(pounds)

2004
(pounds)

2005
(pounds)

Percent of
Total Quantity
of Cadmium
(2005)

6

OK

227,190

268,060

372,766

386,537

287,766

47.1%

4

AL

73,543

78,137

77,169

60,223

80,525

13.2%

10

ID

296,122

197,402

106,556

146,000

68,005

11.1%

5

IN

14,444

9,428

22,825

18,602

36,516

6.0%

7

NE

17,905

17,851

11,024

37,000

22,401

3.7%

3

MD

42,923

41,171

67,064

69,307

19,561

3.2%

4

TN

11,910

12,159

13,562

14,267

15,346

2.5%

5

OH

36,711

13,550

10,089

13,337

11,433

1.9%

6

TX

11,660

6,807

11,703

11,080

10,226

1.7%

5

Wl

6,998

7,648

7,698

8,347

9,768

1.6%

4

SC

7,752

4,201

28,301

4,166

8,982

1.5%

6

AR

29,062

10,189

4,542

5,206

7,444

1.2%

4

NC

760

1,220

756

18,773

6,651

1.1%

2

NJ

8,645

13,751

8,371

9,031

6,369

1.0%

1

MA

1

5,612

1

3,621

6,355

1.0%

3

PA

46,921

18,289

6,940

7,379

5,763

0.9%

5

IL

1,281

2,423

7,785

1,879

4,128

0.7%

Facilities in EPA Region 6 reported 50 percent of the total national quantity of cadmium for 2005; a facility in
Oklahoma reported 94 percent of the cadmium in this region (Exhibit 4.32). In EPA Region 10, a facility in
Idaho that reported approximately 96,000 pounds for 2001, but none since, accounted for the large decrease in
2002. Some highlights concerning trends for the reported quantity of cadmium in states include:

•	In Oklahoma, one facility reported almost all of the cadmium in this state since 2001 and also reported
the largest quantity nationally. This facility reported significant year-to-year fluctuations, including: an
increase of approximately 105,000 pounds from 2002-2003 and a decrease of approximately 99,000
pounds from 2004-2005.

•	In Idaho, the quantity of cadmium reported for 2005 decreased by approximately 228,000 pounds
compared to the quantity reported for 2001. A facility in Idaho reported approximately 96,000 pounds
for 2001, but none since. A second facility in Idaho reported significant year-to-year fluctuations
including; a decrease of 93,000 pounds from 2002-2003, an increase of 53,000 pounds from 2003-2004,
and a decrease of approximately 78,000 pounds from 2004-2005.

•	In Maryland, the shutdown of a facility accounted for the decrease of approximately 50,000 pounds in
2005.

4-24


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Exhibit 4.33. Quantity of Cadmium, by State and County, for Facilities Reporting
		90 Percent of the Total Quantity (2005)	

State

County

Quantity (pounds) of Cadmium

Percent of
Total National
Quantity of
Cadmium
(2005)

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

OK

Washinqton

227,175

267,805

372,457

386,377

287,766

47.1%

ID

Caribou

200,000

197,402

106,556

146,000

68,005

11.1%

AL

Morqan

44,770

40,980

35,393

29,769

40,789

6.7%

AL

Pike

25,745

33,939

38,442

26,636

39,608

6.5%

IN

Wabash

0

0

14,008

14,937

33,211

5.4%

NE

Jefferson

17,900

17,850

11,000

37,000

22,400

3.7%

MD

Baltimore City

42,923

41,171

67,064

69,307

19,436

3.2%

TN

Madison

11,910

12,159

13,251

14,014

15,114

2.5%

Wl

Milwaukee

6,998

7,648

7,698

8,347

9,768

1.6%

OH

Cuyahoqa

26,865

12,588

9,245

9,627

7,931

1.3%

AR

Mississippi

28,949

10,183

4,532

5,201

7,444

1.2%

In both Washington County (Oklahoma) and Caribou County (Idaho), one facility reported virtually 100 percent
of the total quantity of cadmium since 2001 (Exhibit 4.33). Each of these facilities has reported significant
year-to-year fluctuations for cadmium. The facility in Baltimore City (Maryland), that had reported most of the
cadmium in this county, closed in 2005.

4-25


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Which Industries Generated Cadmium?

Exhibit 4.34. Industry Sectors Quantities of Cadmium (2001-2005)

Primary
SIC Code

SIC Description

Number of Facilities
Reporting Cadmium
in This SIC Code
(2005)

Quantity (pounds) of Cadmium

Percent of Total
Quantity of
Cadmium
(2005)

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

3341

Secondary nonferrous metals

7

253,170

306,580

433,033

429,559

364,852

59.7%

2819

Industrial inorganic chemicals, nec

2

314,677

199,423

98,067

183,020

90,405

14.8%

2869

Industrial organic chemicals, nec

6

3,362

5,176

3,630

2,815

45,570

7.5%

3312

Blast furnaces and steel mills

11

62,922

38,355

58,719

31,212

36,941

6.0%

2816

Inorganic pigments

3

47,677

32,072

69,032

71,520

21,457

3.5%

3471

Plating and polishing

6

36,449

22,269

14,873

13,214

12,379

2.0%

3429

Hardware, nec

1

6,998

7,648

7,698

8,347

9,768

1.6%

Total

36

725,255

611,523

685,052

739,687

581,373

95.1%

For 2005, 63 facilities in 25 SIC codes reported cadmium. Facilities in SIC 3341 (Secondary nonferrous metals) and SIC 2819 (Industrial inorganic
chemicals, nec) reported approximately 75 percent of the total quantity of cadmium in 2005 (Exhibit 4.34). Some highlights concerning trends for
the reported quantity of cadmium within industry sectors include:

SIC 3341 (Secondary nonferrous metals)

• A facility, located in Oklahoma, reported the largest quantities of cadmium since 2001, including approximately 97 percent of the total
quantity for this sector in 2005. This facility extracts zinc and lead from electric arc furnace (EAF) dusts. After extracting these metals, the
remaining waste contains cadmium, typically about 30% by weight. The year-to-year fluctuations in the quantity of cadmium are due to the
variability and quantity of EAF dust processed.

SIC 2819 (Industrial inorganic chemicals, nec)

• Two facilities in SIC 2819 reported approximately 15 percent of the total quantity of cadmium for 2005. One facility, located in Idaho,
produces nodules, containing 99% pure phosphorous, for use in electric arc furnaces (EAFs). Cadmium is contained in phosphate ores used
in this process; the quantity of cadmium (an impurity) is tied to the concentration of cadmium in the ore and the production rate. The other
facility in this industry sector, located in Nebraska, produces zinc sulfate for use in animal feeds. Cadmium is contained in zinc hydroxide
which is generated in this process.

SIC 2816 (Inorganic pigments)

• The facility in this industry sector that had reported the largest quantities of cadmium since 2001 closed in 2005.

4-26


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How Did Facilities Manage Cadmium?

Exhibit 4.35. Trends in Management Methods for Cadmium (2001-2005)

Management Method for Cadmium

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

Disposal Quantity (pounds)

919,994

741,907

824,337

863,883

611,331

Energy Recovery Quantity (pounds)

0

0

0

0

0

Treatment Quantity (pounds)

12,499

1,550

0

0

0

Recycled (pounds)13

469,405

417,697

720,162

634,308

600,126

Exhibit 4.35 shows the national trends for how facilities managed cadmium in 2001-2005.

Disposal: Compared to 2001, facilities reported a decrease of approximately 309,000 pounds or 34 percent for
2005. The large decrease in 2002 was primarily due to a facility that disposed of approximately 96,000 pounds
in 2001, but none since. Year-to-year fluctuations at two facilities, caused by variations in cadmium from
production processes, accounted for the significant increase in 2003 and decrease in 2005.

Recycling: Compared to 2001, recycling of cadmium increased by approximately 131,000 pounds or 28 percent
in 2005. In 2005, the quantities of cadmium disposed of versus recycled were about the same. Overall,
recycling of cadmium was hindered by such factors as the high cost of recovering low concentrations of this
metal and its current relatively low market value.

Exhibit 4.36. Management Methods for Cadmium in Industry Sectors, for Facilities Reporting
	99 Percent of Total Disposal Quantity in 2005 		

Primary
SIC Code



Onsite

Offsite

Onsite

Offsite

SIC Code Description

Disposal
(pounds)

Disposal
(pounds)

Recycling
(pounds)

Recycling
(pounds)

3341

Secondary nonferrous metals

39,630

325,222

0

187,764

2819

Industrial inorganic chemicals, nec

68,005

22,400

0

0

2869

Industrial organic chemicals, nec

1

45,569

0

4,228

3312

Blast furnaces and steel mills

14,290

22,651

0

129,163

2816

Inorganic pigments

0

21,457

0

0

3471

Plating and polishing

0

12,379

0

0

3429

Hardware, nec

0

9,768

0

0

3357

Nonferrous wire drawing and insulating

0

9,042

4,666

22,967

3643

Current-carrying wiring devices

0

6,355

3,200

8,640

3229

Pressed and blown glass, nec

0

6,105

1,305

0

3691

Storage batteries

0

3,937

24,940

169,110

Total

121,926

484,885

34,111

521,872

Facilities in SIC 3341 (Secondary nonferrous metals) reported approximately 60 percent of the total quantity of
cadmium disposed of and approximately 31 percent of the total quantity of cadmium recycled (Exhibit 4.36).

13 For additional information on recycled quantities see footnote 8.

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Facilities Only Recycling Cadmium

Exhibit 4.37. Facilities in Int

ustry Sectors That Only Recycled Cadmium in 2005

Primary
SIC
Code

SIC Code Description

State

County

Onsite
Recycling
(pounds)

Offsite
Recycling
(pounds)

Total
Recycling
(pounds)

2851

Paints and allied products

IN

Marion

5,063

0

5,063

TX

Tarrant

751

0

751

KY

Jefferson

252

0

252

3081

Unsupported plastics, film and sheet

MD

Wicomico

670

66

736

3312

Blast furnaces and steel mills

OK

Tulsa

0

6,383

6,383

TX

El Paso

0

4,653

4,653

SC

Georgetown

0

2,204

2,204

3499

Fabricated metal products, nec

TN

Shelby

0

71,856

71,856

IL

Coles

5,911

0

5,911

KS

Sedgwick

0

53

53

3537

Industrial trucks and tractors

TN

Shelby

0

2,892

2,892

3713

Truck and bus bodies

PA

Berks

0

454

454

3799

Transportation equipment, nec

TX

Titus

0

5,787

5,787

Midland

0

1,927

1,927

Midland

0

642

642

For 2005, 15 facilities in seven industry sectors reported they only used recycling to manage approximately
110,000 pounds of cadmium (Exhibit 4.37). Three facilities in SIC 3499 (Fabricated metal products, nec)
reported approximately 71 percent of the this quantity.

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