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NJ Air Toxics Improvements

AIR TOXICS IMPROVEMENTS IN NEW JERSEY SINCE 1990

"" Emission Reductions Reported Under Community Right-to-Know Program
"" Improvements in Ambient Air Quality
"" National-Scale Air Toxics Assessment for 1996


EMISSION REDUCTIONS REPORTED UNDER THE COMMUNITY RIGHT-TO-KNOW PROGRAM

NJDEP operates a Right-to-Know program for collection of chemical inventory, environmental release, and materials accounting data from certain manufacturing sectors in the state. This includes reporting of releases and transfers of toxic chemicals to the environment, which are contained in a USEPA database known as the Toxic Release Inventory (TRI). TRI is a source of information about releases of more than 650 toxic chemicals from manufacturing and some non-manufacturing facilities throughout the United States. TRI data from affected New Jersey facilities using, manufacturing, treating or releasing any of the listed toxic chemicals are submitted to NJDEP and USEPA on an annual basis. Although the TRI database represents only a subset of total toxic emissions, the information can be used to identify trends in the release of air toxics. Based upon reported TRI data (see graph below), New Jersey sources have reduced their total air toxic emissions by almost 77.5% since 1988.

TRI Air Emissions Trend
TRI Air Emissions Trend

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IMPROVEMENTS IN AMBIENT AIR QUALITY

NJDEP has been operating an air toxics monitoring site in Camden since 1989. Thirteen of the substances measured there were included in USEPA's National Air Toxics Assessment (NATA). Comparing the concentrations measured at the site in 1996 (the year on which the NATA estimates are based) to those measured in the same year, we find that the levels of these 13 pollutants have been substantially reduced. The graph below shows the change in benzene levels from 1989 to 2000. Similar results have been found at other monitoring sites in the northeastern United States.

Although the trends at Camden for these thirteen pollutants is downward from 1996 to 2000, many of them are still above the NJDEP health benchmarks, indicating that there is still some work to be done in reducing exposure to air toxics in New Jersey.

Trend in Measured Benzene Concentrations at Camden, NJ
Since 1989 Using EPA's AIRS Data

Trend in Measured Benzene Concentrations at Camden, NJ
Since 1989 Using EPA's AIRS Data

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NATIONAL-SCALE AIR TOXICS ASSESSMENT FOR 1996

The following table compares the NATA predictions and the actual measured concentrations for the pollutants for which 1996 measurements are available. Actual 2000 levels and the amount they've changed since 1996 are also shown.

 

Comparison of NATA Predicted to Measured Levels in Camden, NJ
Pollutant (HAP) NATA Predicted 1996,
ug/m3
Measured 1996 Level,
ug/m3
Measured 2002 Level,
ug/m3
Percent Change in Measured Levels in 1996 & 2002
Acetaldehyde 1.74 4.53 1.19 -73.7%
Acrylonitrile 0.003 NA 0.81 NA
Benzene 2.61 2.57 1.66 -35.4%
1,3-Butadiene 0.12 0.15 0.09** -40.0%
Carbon Tetrachloride 0.88 0.61 0.40 -18.0%
Chloroform* 0.10 0.18** 0.01** -94.4%
1,3-Dichloropropene* 0.26 0.00** 0.00** 0.0%
Formaldehyde 2.20 14.63 2.85 -80.5%
Methylene Chloride 0.83 0.61 1.49 144.3%
1,1,2,2-Tetrachloroethane* 0.00 0.01** 0.00** -100.0%
Trichloroethylene 0.52 0.59 0.34** -42.4%
Trichloroethylene 0.29 0.09** 0.02** -77.8%
Vinyl Chloride* 0.01 0.00** 0.00** 0.0%

Notes:
* Measurements for 1996 and 2002 were below detection limits.
** Measurement fell below detection limits.
Negative values for percent change mean measured levels went down from 1996 to 2002.

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