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):

Hexachlorobenzene (HCB)

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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Hexachlorobenzene (HCB)

Chemical Information:

Alternate Names - pentachlorophenyl chloride, perchlorobenzene

General Uses - HCB is also a potential byproduct formed during the production of metallic magnesium
when it is produced via electrolysis with carbon electrodes. The degassing of molten aluminum with
hexachloroethylene at aluminum foundries and secondary aluminum smelting plants also produces
HCB. Gaseous emissions from hexachloroethylene-based aluminum degassing contain high yields of
complex organochlorine compounds, including HCB. HCB was once used as an agricultural fungicide,
but health concerns about its toxicity led to the cancellation of the registrations of all pesticides that
contained HCB as an active ingredient. Its primary use was to treat wheat seeds, onions, and sorghum.
Although no longer used as an active ingredient in pesticides, HCB is a byproduct impurity contained in
a number of pesticides. However, using and intentionally making HCB is no longer allowed in the
United States.

How Much Hexachlorobenzene Was Generated?

Exhibit 4.69. National Generation of Hexachlorobenzene (2001-2005)

TRI Reporting Year

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

Total Quantity of HCB (pounds)

5,765,382

4,208,705

4,270,659

6,485,490

6,685,485

Number of TRI Facilities Reporting HCB

40

36

36

35

33

For 2005, 33 facilities reported approximately 6.7 million pounds of HCB, an increase of approximately
920,000 pounds, or 16 percent, compared to the total quantity of HCB reported for 2001. Since 2002, the
number of reporting facilities remained relatively constant (Exhibit 4.69). The quantity of HCB had been
reduced to approximately 4.2 million pounds in 2002-2003, but increased by 2.2 million pounds (+52 percent)
in 2004. Most of this increase was reported by one facility, located in Louisiana, which attributed its increased
quantity to improved flow measurement equipment.

Exhibit 4.70. Distribution of Quantities for Facilities Reporting Hexachlorobenzene (2005)

Hexachlorobenzene (6,685,485pounds)

Quantity Reported

Number of Facilities Reporting
This Quantity (2005)

Percent of Total Quantity of
HCB (2005)

up to 10 pounds

11

<0.1%

between 11 -100 pounds

2

<0.1%

between 101 - 1,000 pounds

6

<0.1%

between 1,001 - 10,000 pounds

7

0.5%

between 10,001 - 100,000 pounds

2

0.7%

between 100,001 - 1 million pounds

3

14.0%

> 1 million pounds

2

84.8%

Two of the 33 facilities reported approximately 85 percent of the total national quantity of HCB for 2005; five
facilities reported approximately 99 percent of the total quantity of HCB (Exhibit 4.70).

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Where Was Hexachlorobenzene Generated?

Exhibit 4.71. Location of Facilities that Reported Hexachlorobenzene (2005)

CSS)

Facilities Reporting Hexachlorobenzene (2005)

Office of Solid Waste - Fall 2007
Analysis and Information Branch







Tor 2005, 33 facilities in 17 states reported HCB (Exhibit 4.71).

Exhibit 4.72. Quantity of Hexachloro

>enzene, by EPA Region and State (2001-2005



EPA
Region

State

2001
(pounds)

2002
(pounds)

2003
(pounds)

2004
(pounds)

2005
(pounds)

Percent of
Total Quantity
of HCB
(2005)

6

LA

3,180,684

2,445,788

3,478,265

5,616,058

5,173,469

77.4%

6

TX

2,570,436

1,752,324

772,624

735,335

1,349,458

20.2%

4

TN

3,163

1,765

2,988

116,522

142,508

2.1%

9

CA

4,560

5,059

4,424

5,285

8,246

0.1%

4

KY

0

0

8,600

8,002

8,002

0.1%

For 2005, facilities in three states: Louisiana, Texas, and Tennessee reported 99.7 percent of the total national
quantity of HCB (Exhibit 4.72).

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Exhibit 4.73. Quantity of Hexachlorobenzene, by State and County (2005)

State

County

Quantity (pounds) of HCB

Percent of

Total
National
Quantity of
HCB (2005)

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

LA

Iberville

2,449,783

1,919,389

2,575,072

4,873,518

4,379,798

65.5%

TX

Brazoria

2,485,308

1,689,162

726,180

676,640

1,303,955

19.5%

LA

Calcasieu

647,807

441,288

549,780

630,532

522,498

7.8%

LA

Ascension

83,023

85,110

353,411

112,008

271,172

4.1%

TN

Shelby

3,163

1,765

2,988

116,522

142,508

2.1%

TX

Harris

67,635

44,415

41,979

56,330

45,123

0.7%

Total

5,736,719

4,181,129

4,249,411

6,465,549

6,665,054

99.7%

Exhibit 4.73 shows the quantity of HCB reported for 2001-2005, by state and county. Two facilities, one each
located in Iberville County, Louisiana and Brazoria County, Texas, reported approximately 85 percent of the
total national quantity of HCB for 2005. The facility in Brazoria County reported a large increase of
approximately 627,000 pounds or 93 percent for 2005.

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Which Industries Generated Hexachlorobenzene?

Exhibit 4.74. Industry Sectors Quantities of Hexachlorobenzene (2001-2005)

Primary
SIC
Code

SIC Description

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

Quantity (pounds) of HCB

Percent of

Total
National
Quantity of
HCB (2005)

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2869

Industrial organic chemicals, nec

9

51,414

1,960,603

2,620,397

5,714,909

4,526,241

67.7%

2812

Alkalies and chlorine

6

5,660,497

2,215,976

903,456

742,935

2,098,027

31.4%

2879

Pesticides and agricultural chemicals, nec

4

37,036

5,062

19,707

22,904

57,145

0.9%

2821

Plastics materials and resins

3

14,972

14,972

726,196

3,872

4,040

0.1%

Total

22

5,763,919

4,196,613

4,269,757

6,484,619

6,685,453

100.0%

For 2005, facilities in nine SIC codes reported HCB. Exhibit 4.74 shows the quantity of HCB for the four industry sectors in which 22 facilities
reported almost 100 percent of HCB for 2005. Eleven facilities in five other industry sectors only reported a combined 32 pounds of HCB for 2005.

Facilities in two industries: SIC 2869 (Industrial organic chemicals, nec) and SIC 2812 (Alkalies and chlorine) reported approximately 99 percent of
the HCB from 2001 to 2005. For 2002, the large increase reported by SIC 2869 facilities, along with the corresponding large decrease reported by
SIC 2812 facilities, was due, in part, to a facility that reported under SIC 2869 beginning in 2002, rather than under SIC 2812 as it had done in 2001.

For 2004, SIC 2869 facilities reported a significant increase of approximately 3.1 million pounds. Approximately 2.3 million pounds was attributed
to a facility that reported increased production and improved flow measurement equipment that resulted in the facility using larger volume flow
streams in calculating quantities of HCB.

For 2005, the large decrease reported by SIC 2869 facilities, along with the corresponding large increase reported by SIC 2812 facilities, was
primarily due to a facility that reported under SIC 2869 for 2004, but then reported under SIC 2812 for 2005.

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How Did Facilities Manage Hexachlorobenzene?

Exhibit 4.75. Trends in Management Met

lods for Hexachlorobenzene (2001-2005)

Management Method for Hexachlorobenzene

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

Disposal Quantity (pounds)

13,992

6,247

14,395

16,946

27,320

Energy Recovery Quantity (pounds)

350,900

201,616

301,990

332,723

266,310

Treatment Quantity (pounds)

5,400,490

4,000,842

3,954,274

6,135,821

6,391,855

Recycled (pounds)"

6,310

740,144

399,607

1,004,270

978,348

Exhibit 4.75 shows the national trends for how facilities managed HCB in 2001-2005.

Disposal: Since 2001, relatively small quantities of HCB were disposed.

Energy Recovery: Since 2001, one facility accounted for approximately 99 percent of the HCB sent to energy
recovery.

Treatment: By far, since 2001, most facilities treated most of the HCB, primarily onsite.

Recycling: Since 2002, one facility recycled significant quantities of HCB, accounting for approximately 99
percent of the total quantity recycled.

17 For additional information on recycled quantities see footnote 8.

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Exhibit 4.76. Management Methods for Hexachlorobenzene in Industry Sectors (2005)

Primary
SIC
Code

SIC Code Description

Onsite
Disposal
(pounds)

Offsite
Disposal
(pounds)

Onsite
Energy
Recovery
(pounds)

Offsite
Energy
Recovery
(pounds)

Onsite
T reatment
(pounds)

Offsite
T reatment
(pounds)

Onsite
Recycling
(pounds)

Offsite
Recycling
(pounds)

2869

Industrial organic chemicals, nec

4

3,802

0

0

4,514,586

7,849

1,400

0

2812

Alkalies and chlorine

956

0

263,333

1

1,830,311

3,425

970,000

1

2879

Pesticides and agricultural chemicals, nec

0

22,299

0

2,975

15,920

15,951

6,842

0

2821

Plastics materials and resins

220

8

0

0

3,778

34

0

0

Total

1,180

26,109

263,333

2,976

6,364,595

27,258

978,242

1

The 22 facilities in these four industry sectors reported virtually 100 percent of the HCB for 2005 (Exhibit 4.76). Facilities in all four industry sectors
overwhelmingly treated (incinerated) HCB, mostly onsite. A facility in SIC 2812 (Alkalies and chlorine) reported most of the energy recovery
quantity; another SIC 2812 facility reported virtually 100 percent of the amount of HCB recycled.

Facilities Only Recycling Hexachlorobenzene

Primary
SIC Code

SIC Code Description

State

County

Onsite Recycling
(pounds)

Offsite Recycling
(pounds)

Total Recycling
(pounds)

2819

Industrial inorganic chemicals, nec

CO

Weld

0

558

558

Total

0

558

558

For 2005, one facility, in SIC 2819 (Industrial inorganic chemicals, nec), reported it used only recycling to manage approximately 558 pounds of
HCB (Exhibit 4.77).

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