National Priority Chemicals Trends Report (2001-2005) Section 4 Chemical Specific Trends Analyses for Priority Chemicals (2001-2005): Pentachlorophenol


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):

Pentachlorophenol

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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Pentachlorophenol

Chemical Information:

Alternate Names - 2,3,4,5,6-Pentachlorophenol

General Uses - Pentachlorophenol was used as a biocide to kill small organisms and is now used as a
wood preservative to protect wood from decay and insect attack.

Potential Hazards - Pentachlorophenol is toxic; inhalation, ingestion, or skin contact may cause severe
injury or death.

How Much Pentachlorophenol was Generated?

Exhibit 4.140. National Generation of Pentachlorophenol (2001-2005

TRI Reporting Year

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

Total Quantity of Pentachlorophenol (pounds)

54,339

36,856

28,295

117,264

77,281

Number of TRI Facilities Reporting Pentachlorophenol

25

20

18

15

17

For 2005, 17 facilities reported approximately 77,300 pounds of pentachlorophenol, representing an increase of
approximately 23,000 pounds, or 42 percent, compared to the total quantity of pentachlorophenol reported for
2001 (Exhibit 4.140).

Exhibit 4.141. Distribution of Quantities for Facilities Reporting Pentachlorophenol (2005)

Pentachlorophenol (77,281 pounds)

Quantity Reported

Number of Facilities Reporting
This Quantity (2005)

Percent of Total Quantity of
Pentachlorophenol (2005)

up to 10 pounds

0

0.0%

between 11 -100 pounds

0

0.0%

between 101 -1,000 pounds

8

4.8%

between 1,001 - 10,000 pounds

6

16.7%

between 10,001 - 100,000 pounds

3

78.5%

between 100,001 - 1 million pounds

0

0.0%

> 1 million pounds

0

0.0%

Three of the 17 facilities reported approximately 79 percent of the total quantity of pentachlorophenol for 2005
(Exhibit 4.141).

4-100

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~ 3 largest facilities reporting pentachlorophenol
• Other facilities reporting pentachlorophenol

WASHINGTON

NORTH
DAKOTA

EPA
.Region

MONTANA

—"EPA^
Region i10

MINNESOTA

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[Region 5

AJMSCONSII

./new \
11 *YORK S

-^EPA 1
Region 2'

EWJMMI 3HJI

SOUTH
DAKOTA

EPA
Region 8

[QNSIeCTICUT

PENNSYLVANIA

NEVADA

IOWA

NEBRASKA

J Region 7

EPA
Region 9

¦LA WARE
'LAND

OHIO

COLORADO

WEST fj
VIRGINIA

MISSOURI

KANSAS

KENTUCKY

NORTH
CAROLINA

OKLAHOMA

ARKANSAS

ARIZONA

EPA
Region 4

NEW MEXICO

SOUTH CAROLINA

EPA
Region 6

UNITED STATES

TEXAS

LOUISIANA

Alaska

•XI CO

[FLORID/

I Puerto Rico

Where Was Pentachlorophenol Generated?

	Exhibit 4.142. Location of Facilities that Reported Pentachlorophenol (2005)

,-A\

[Guam

Facilities Reporting Pentachlorophenol (2005)

Office of Solid Waste - Fall 2007
Analysis and Information Branch

Pacific \ CALIFORNIA
Ocean

17 Facilities Reporting Pentachlorophenol

Atlantic
Ocean

For 2005, 17 facilities in 10 states reported pentachlorophenol (Exhibit 4.142).

Exhibit 4.143. Quantity of Pentachlorophenol, 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
Pentachlorophenol
(2005)

4

MS

6,753

18,505

10,861

55,776

31,620

40.9%

6

LA

33

59

1,335

1,500

18,720

24.2%

7

KS

0

0

0

0

14,309

18.5%

4

NC

1,430

1,011

1,157

813

3,651

4.7%

4

SC

13,025

5,511

6,186

43,660

3,112

4.0%

4

AL

3,229

2,900

924

1,017

1,842

2.4%

10

OR

1,624

542

1,827

2,171

1,579

2.0%

7

MO

637

726

1,459

9,015

1,393

1.8%

10

WA

851

0

0

0

534

0.7%

9

NV

445

1,099

955

607

521

0.7%

Total

28,027

30,353

24,704

114,559

77,281

100.0%

4-101

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For 2005, facilities in three EPA regions: Regions 4, 6, and 7 reported approximately 97 percent of the total
quantity of pentachlorophenol (Exhibit 4.143). Since 2001, facilities in EPA Region 4 consistently reported
most of the pentachlorophenol, including approximately 52 percent of the total quantity for 2005. For 2005,
facilities in three states: Mississippi, Louisiana, and Kansas reported approximately 84 percent of the total
quantity of pentachlorophenol. A facility in Louisiana reported pentachlorophenol for the first time in 2005,
accounting for approximately 91 percent of this PC in Louisiana. A facility in Kansas that shutdown its
pentachlorophenol manufacturing process also reported this PC for the first time for 2005 and accounted for 100
percent of this PC in Kansas.

Compared to the quantities reported for 2001, facilities in six states no longer reported pentachlorophenol for
2005. On the other hand, a facility in North Carolina reported an increase of approximately 2,800 pounds as a
result of increased production and demand for wood poles. Also, a facility in South Carolina reported an
increase of approximately 37,500 pounds for 2004 and a decrease of approximately 40,500 pounds for 2005.
The facility attributes the fluctuations due to demand for pentachlorophenol treated wood and the use of a
different technique for estimating the quantity of pentachlorophenol in the waste.

Exhibit 4.144. Quantity of Pentachlorophenol, by State and County, for Facilities Reporting
		95 Percent of the Total Quantity (2005)		

State

County

Quantity (pounds) of Pentachlorophenol

Percent of Total
National Quantity of
Pentachlorophenol
(2005)

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

MS

Grenada

6,092

17,009

9,449

55,261

29,324

37.9%

LA

Iberville

0

0

0

0

17,000

22.0%

KS

Sedqwick

0

0

0

0

14,309

18.5%

NC

Brunswick

1,405

986

1,148

813

3,651

4.7%

SC

Florence

13,025

5,511

6,186

43,660

3,112

4.0%

MS

Kemper

653

1,476

1,390

495

1,938

2.5%

LA

Rapides

33

59

1,335

1,500

1,720

2.2%

MO

Jasper

637

726

1,459

9,015

1,393

1.8%

OR

Washington

0

0

1,307

1,155

1,090

1.4%

Three facilities, one each in Grenada County, Mississippi, Iberville County, Louisiana, and Sedgwick County,
Kansas reported approximately 79 percent of the total quantity of pentachlorophenol for 2005 (Exhibit 4.144).

4-102

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Which Industries Generated Pentachlorophenol?

Exhibit 4.145. Industry Sectors Quantities of Pentachlorophenol (2001-2005)

Primary
SIC Code

SIC Description

Number of
Facilities Reporting
Pentachlorophenol in
This SIC code (2005)

Quantity (pounds) of Pentachlorophenol

Percent of Total
Quantity of
Pentachlorophenol
(2005)

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2491

Wood preservinq

15

34,016

36,116

28,286

117,264

45,972

59.5%

2879

Pesticides and agricultural chemicals, nec

1

20,298

715

0

0

17,000

22.0%

2812

Alkalies and chlorine

1

0

0

0

0

14,309

18.5%

Total

17

54,314

36,831

28,286

117,264

77,281

100.0%

For 2005, facilities in three industry sectors (SIC codes) reported pentachlorophenol (Exhibit 4.145). Fifteen facilities in SIC 2491 (Wood
preserving) reported approximately 60 percent of the total quantity of pentachlorophenol for 2005; a facility in Mississippi reported approximately 64
percent of the total quantity within this industry sector. For 2004, this facility and a facility (same company) in South Carolina reported increases of
approximately 46,000 pounds and 37,500 pounds, respectively - accounting for 94 percent of total increase for this industry sector.

Two other facilities, one each in SIC 2879 (Pesticides and agricultural chemicals, nec) and SIC 2812 (Alkalies and chlorine), reported approximately
22 percent and 19 percent of the total quantity of pentachlorophenol, respectively. The SIC 2879 facility, located in Louisiana, reported
pentachlorophenol for the first time for 2005, accounting for approximately 91 percent of this PC in Louisiana. This facility incinerates waste from
other facilities within its company; quantities fluctuate from year to year. The SIC 2812 facility, located in Kansas, permanently shutdown and began
to dismantle it. Contaminated debris containing pentachlorophenol was generated during the dismantling activities.

4-103

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How did facilities manage Pentachlorophenol?

Exhibit 4.146. Trends in Management Methods for Pentachlorophenol (2001-2005)

Management Method for Pentachlorophenol

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

Disposal Quantity (pounds)

2,198

112

1,381

1,966

15,633

Energy Recovery Quantity (pounds)

5,017

4,319

2,153

37,625

8,757

Treatment Quantity (pounds)

47,123

32,425

24,761

77,673

52,891

Recycled (pounds)26

3,160

3,261

2,090,081

Exhibit 4.146 shows the national trends for how facilities managed pentachlorophenol in 2001-2005.

Disposal: From 2001 to 2004, facilities disposed of relatively small quantities of pentachlorophenol. However,
in 2005, the quantity increased significantly due to the offsite disposal of contaminated debris (containing
pentachlorophenol) that was generated by the dismantling activities at a facility being shutdown.

Energy Recovery: From 2001 to 2003, facilities used energy recovery for relatively small quantities of
pentachlorophenol. In 2004, the quantity increased significantly by approximately 35,500 pounds. Two
facilities (same company) reported approximately 79 percent of this increase.

Treatment: Since 2001, facilities used treatment as the primary non-recycling method to manage
pentachlorophenol. For 2004, two facilities (same company) primarily accounted for the increase, reporting an
increase of approximately 71,000 pounds of treated pentachlorophenol.

Recycling: For 2001 to 2004, facilities reported recycling only relatively small quantities of pentachlorophenol.
For 2005, two facilities (same company) reported recycling increases of 1.2 million pounds and 890,000
pounds. However, these facilities noted uncertainty whether the quantities they reported as onsite recycling
should indeed be considered recycling and might therefore be in error.

26 For additional information on recycled quantities see footnote 8.

4-104

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Exhibit 4.147. Management Methods for Pentachlorophenol 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)

2491

Wood preserving

0

1,324

0

8,757

3,371

32,520

2,090,016

65

2812

Alkalies and chlorine

14,309

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

2879

Pesticides and agricultural chemicals, nec

0

0

0

0

17,000

0

0

0

Total

14,309

1,324

0

8,757

20,371

32,520

2,090,016

65

Exhibit 4.147 shows how facilities, by SIC code, managed pentachlorophenol in 2005. For non-recycled quantities, most facilities in SIC 2491
(Wood preserving) primarily treated pentachlorophenol offsite. One Louisiana facility in this industry sector primarily used offsite disposal.

One facility in SIC 2812 (Alkalies and chlorine) used offsite disposal for 100 percent of its pentachlorophenol. This facility, located in Kansas,
disposed of contaminated debris (containing pentachlorophenol) that was generated by dismantling activities during shutdown of the facility.

One facility in SIC 2879 (Pesticides and agricultural chemicals, nec) reported pentachlorophenol for the first time in 2005 and treated the entire
quantity on site.

4-105

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