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):
Dioxin and Dioxin-Like Compounds (Dioxin)

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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Dioxin and Dioxin-Like Compounds (Dioxin)

Chemical Information:

Dioxin refers to a group of chemical compounds that share similar chemical and biological properties.
Several hundred of these compounds exist and are members of two closely related families: chlorinated
dibenzo-p-dioxins (CDDs) and chlorinated dibenzofurans (CDFs).

General Uses - CDDs and CDFs are not commercially produced, except in small quantities for
chemical analyses and toxicological research. CDDs and CDFs are formed as unwanted byproducts
when chlorinated materials are involved in combustion or other high-temperature processes, such as
waste incineration, energy generation, metallurgical processes, chemical manufacturing and other
industrial processes. Energy generation sources of CDD/CDF releases include the combustion of coal,
oil, and wood. Other high-temperature sources include Portland cement production, pulp mills using
the kraft process, asphalt mixing plants, catalyst regeneration at petroleum refineries, and carbon
reactivation furnaces. Metallurgical processes that may release CDD/CDFs include ferrous sources such
as iron ore sintering, coke production, and the production of steel in electric arc furnaces from scrap
feed. Secondary aluminum, copper, and lead smelters can also be sources of CDD/CDFs. CDDs and
CDFs can also be formed as unintended byproducts of manufacturing processes. For example, they are
generated in pulp and paper mills during chlorine bleaching.

NOTE:

Dioxins are generally produced and released by industrial processes in relatively small quantities compared with
the quantities of other TRJ-listed chemicals produced and released. Because of this, and the fact that certain
dioxins are toxic at very low levels of exposure, a much lower TRI reporting threshold was established for
dioxins (0.1 gram per year). As such, facilities report dioxins to TRI in grams. For the purposes of this section,
we present our trends analyses using grams, rounded to the nearest whole gram. Please note that most of the
dioxin quantities in the database are expressed in terms of very small quantities - even up to seven decimal
places. In rounding the quantities to the nearest whole gram, certain quantities will appear to be zero. We made
this conversion to facilitate our trends analyses. In no way should this conversion be interpreted as minimizing
the importance of smaller quantities of dioxin - which are of considerable concern.

Elsewhere in this document, where analyses of trends for aggregated quantities of PCs are presented, we
converted the quantities (grams) of dioxin to pounds (using 454.5 grams/pound) and rounded these quantities to
the nearest whole pound. We made this conversion to provide uniformity and consistency in the quantities used
to perform analyses of trends at the more aggregated levels. Again, in no way should this conversion and
rounding be interpreted as minimizing the potential health affects associated with smaller quantities of dioxin.

How Much Dioxins Were Generated?

Exhibit 4.47. National Generation of Dioxin and Dioxin-Like Compounds

(2001-2005)

TRI Reporting Year

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

Total Quantity of Dioxins (grams)

320,204

246,325

176,766

219,926

216,840

Number of TRI Facilities Reporting Dioxins

366

360

377

378

376

For 2005, 376 facilities reported approximately 217,000 grams of dioxins, representing a decrease of
approximately 103,000 grams, or 32 percent, compared to the total quantity of dioxins reported for 2001. Since
2001, the number of reporting facilities remained relatively constant (Exhibit 4.47).

4-34


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Exhibit 4.48. Distribution of Quantities for Facilities Reporting Dioxins and Dioxin-Like Compounds (2005)

Dioxins (216,840 grams)

Quantity (grams) Reported*

Number of Facilities Reporting
This Quantity (2005)

Percent of Total Quantity of
Dioxins (2005)

up to 0.1 gram

144

< 0.1%

0.2 - 1.0 gram

83

<0.1%

1.1 - 10.0 grams

61

0.1%

10,1 - 100 grams

47

0.8%

100.1 - 1,000 grams

25

3.8%

1,000.1 - 10,000 grams

11

17.6%

>10,000.1 grams

5

77.7%

* rounded to 1 decimal place

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Five of the 376 facilities reported approximately 78 percent of the total national quantity of dioxins for 2005
(Exhibit 4.48).

Where Were Dioxins Generated?

	Exhibit 4.49. Location of Facilities that Reported Dioxins (2005)	

Facilities Reporting Dioxin (2005)

Office of Solid Waste - Fall 2007
Analysis and Information Branch

376 Facilities Reporting Dioxin

~ 10 largest facilities reporting dioxin
• Other facilities reporting dioxin

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Ocean

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[ Guam

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Ocean

For 2005, 376 facilities in 45 states reported dioxins (Exhibit 4.49).

4-35


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Exhibit 4.50. Quantity of Dioxins and Dioxin-Like Compounds, by EPA Region and State, for Facilities Reporting

EPA
Region

State

2001
(grams)

2002
(grams)

2003
(grams)

2004
(grams)

2005
(grams)

Percent of
Total National

Quantity of
Dioxins (2005)

6

LA

58,352

59,556

63,254

89,823

128,308

59.2%

6

TX

156,401

119,716

61,035

43,686

40,954

18.9%

4

MS

2,273

5,017

3,068

28,545

18,973

8.7%

5

Ml

61,741

16,149

27,387

26,627

14,811

6.8%

4

TN

2,626

2,753

2,957

2,655

2,587

1.2%

4

KY

482

1,822

2,589

2,481

2,287

1.1%

4

NC

1,033

458

521

284

1,266

0.6%

4

SC

5,670

2,464

2,775

15,041

1,112

0.5%

10

WA

765

506

522

806

969

0.4%

5

IN

1,398

1,202

1,134

1,221

951

0.4%

4

AL

1,579

1,441

705

516

791

0.4%

10

OR

1,609

905

892

753

551

0.3%

7

MO

285

323

651

3,117

484

0.2%

3

WV

3

3

4,662

439

460

0.2%

7

KS

114

474

454

456

451

0.2%

In seven of the 10 EPA regions, the quantities of dioxins decreased compared to quantities reported for 2001
(Exhibit 4.50). Since 2001, facilities in EPA Region 6 consistently reported most of the dioxins, including
approximately 169,000 grams or 78 percent of the total national quantity for 2005. Some highlights concerning
trends are:

•	Facilities in Louisiana reported approximately 59 percent of the total quantity of dioxins for 2005. This
quantity is an increase of approximately 120 percent compared to the quantity for 2001, including an
increase of approximately 38,500 grams or 43 percent compared to the quantity reported for 2004. One
facility reported an increase of approximately 42,400 grams for 2005, accounting for most of the total
increase.

•	Facilities in Texas reported approximately 19 percent of the total quantity of dioxins; since 2001, the
quantity has steadily decreased each year.

•	For 2004, facilities in Mississippi reported a large increase in dioxins, compared to quantities reported
each year since 2000. A wood preserving facility in Mississippi revised how it estimates the
concentration of dioxins in its wastes. For 2005, this facility reported a decrease of approximately
10,000 grams.

•	Since 2001, a facility in Michigan reported most of the dioxins quantity in this state. This facility
reported a decrease of approximately 47,100 grams or 76 percent, compared to the quantity reported for
2001. The facility attributed the significant reduction in 2005 to a reduced dioxin content indicated by
analysis of landfilled material.

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Exhibit 4.51. Quantity of Dioxins and Dioxin-Like Compounds, by State and County, for Facilities Reporting
			96 Percent of the Total Quantity (2005)		

State

County

Quantity (grams) of Dioxins

Percent of Total
National
Quantity of
Dioxins (2005)

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

LA

Iberville

36,874

39,701

38,658

60,224

102,656

47.3%

LA

Calcasieu

16,701

18,273

22,647

25,634

21,030

9.7%

MS

Grenada

1,704

4,038

2,126

28,036

18,157

8.4%

TX

Brazoria

109,622

93,699

29,405

13,020

17,357

8.0%

TX

Harris

38,867

17,904

24,475

23,403

16,852

7.8%

Ml

Midland

61,739

16,148

27,225

26,455

14,658

6.8%

TX

San Patricio

7,660

7,905

6,930

7,072

6,532

3.0%

LA

Ascension

4,077

750

606

3,073

3,422

1.6%

TN

Blount

2,500

2,609

2,709

2,309

2,210

1.0%

KY

Marshall

186

1,529

2,327

2,262

2,068

1.0%

NC

Brunswick

626

440

512

281

1,262

0.6%

SC

Florence

5,630

2,444

2,758

15,028

1,092

0.5%

LA

Rapides

20

32

600

664

941

0.4%

Of the two facilities in Iberville County, Louisiana, one facility reported approximately 98 percent of the county
total of dioxins and 46 percent of the total national quantity (Exhibit 4.51). Since 2001, the facility in Brazoria
County, Texas had been reporting steadily decreasing quantities of dioxins until 2005. In 2005, a facility
located in Midland County, Michigan reported its lowest quantity of dioxins from 2001-2005.

4-37


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Which Industries Generated Dioxins?

Exhibit 4.52. Industry Sectors Quantities of Dioxins and Dioxin-Like Compounds (2001-2005)

Primary
SIC Code

SIC Description

Facilities
Reporting
Dioxins in This
SIC Code (2005)

Quantity (grams) of Dioxins

Percent of
Total Quantity
of Dioxins
(2005)

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2869

Industrial organic chemicals, nec

17

94,745

83,475

95,647

120,049

139,474

64.3%

2812

Alkalies and chlorine

11

159,241

16,454

20,478

35,492

36,642

16.9%

2491

Wood preserving

21

15,005

13,467

11,130

50,249

24,512

11.3%

2879

Pesticides and agricultural chemicals, nec

3

18,677

4

12,156

4,398

7,213

3.3%

2821

Plastics materials and resins

14

4,182

872

738

2,585

2,636

1.2%

3341

Secondary nonferrous metals

40

3,980

2,410

2,591

2,743

2,357

1.1%

3334

Primary aluminum

2

2,544

2,609

2,709

2,309

2,210

1.0%

Total

108

298,374

119,290

145,449

217,825

215,042

99.2%

For 2005, facilities in 40 SIC codes reported dioxins (Exhibit 4.52). Except for 2001, facilities in SIC 2869 (Industrial organic chemicals, nec)
reported the largest quantities of dioxins, including approximately 64 percent of the total quantity for 2005. The large decrease for SIC 2812
(Alkalies and chlorine) was due to a facility in Texas that had reported its primary SIC code as SIC 2812 for 2001, but reported under SIC 2813
(Industrial gases) for 2002-2003, and then back to SIC 2812 since 2004. This facility reported steadily decreasing quantities of dioxins until 2005.

4-38


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How Did Facilities Manage Dioxins?

Exhibit 4.53. Management Methods for Dioxin and Dioxin-Like Compounds (2001-2005)

Management Method for Dioxins

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

Disposal Quantity (qrams)

32,914

26,523

55,749

36,696

31,758

Enerqy Recovery Quantity (qrams)

2,348

2,010

1,129

14,092

4,325

Treatment Quantity (qrams)

284,942

217,792

119,887

169,138

180,757

Recycled *

NA

NA

NA

NA

NA

*Note: Althouqh some facilities reported they recycled dioxins, EPA does not reqard recyclinq as a viable manaqement method for
dioxins.

Exhibit 4.53 shows the national trends for how facilities managed dioxins in 2001-2005.

Disposal: The quantity of dioxins disposed of in 2005 was comparable to the quantity disposed of in 2001. In
2003, there was a significant increase in disposal.

Energy Recovery: Although there was a significant increase in 2004, facilities used energy recovery for only a
relatively small portion of dioxins in other years.

Treatment: Since 2001, facilities primarily treated dioxins. The decrease of approximately 104,000 grams or
37 percent in 2005, compared to 2001, closely tracks the comparable overall decrease in dioxin quantity
generated.

Exhibit 4.54. Management Methods for Dioxin and Dioxin-Like Compounds in Industry Sectors (2005)

Primary
SIC
Code

SIC Code Description

Onsite
Disposal
(grams)

Offsite
Disposal
(grams)

Onsite
Energy
Recovery
(grams)

Offsite
Energy
Recovery
(grams)

Onsite
Treatment
(grams)

Offsite
Treatment
(grams)

2869

Industrial orqanic chemicals, nec

5,945

4,579

0

0

120,660

8,290

2812

Alkalies and chlorine

10,160

477

0

0

21,947

4,057

2491

Wood preservinq

0

591

0

4,309

1,227

18,384

2879

Pesticides and aqricultural chemicals, nec

0

7,211

0

2

0

0

2821

Plastics materials and resins

0

444

0

3

1,963

226

3341

Secondary nonferrous metals

206

1,235

0

0

874

41

3334

Primary aluminum

0

10

0

0

2,200

0

Facilities in five of the seven industry sectors primarily treated dioxins (Exhibit 4.54). Facilities in SIC 2491
(Wood preserving) primarily accounted for the quantities of dioxins sent to energy recovery. Facilities in all
seven industry sectors disposed of dioxins to some degree; facilities in two industries: SIC 2879 (Pesticides and
agricultural chemicals, nec) and SIC 3341 (Secondary nonferrous metals) primarily used land disposal.

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