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More toxic pollution coming from DuPont DeLisle?
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26, 2004

The concerns with DuPont DeLisle's application for several permits that would increase air pollution limits and allow 24 acres of wetlands to be filled in order to construct a new landfill for located close to the Bay of St. Louis.

DuPont is applying for a "retroactive" permit back to 1989 on its last expansion because they found out they have been emitting more pollution than previously estimated. The proper course of action under the Clean Air Act would be to make DuPont install better pollution controls. Instead, the company proposes that the MS Dept. of Environmental Quality (DEQ) increase their permit levels retroactively to "more appropriate" levels. This way DuPont can still claim to be in compliance with the law. The proposed permit allows almost a three-fold increase in some pollutants such as carbonyl sulfide and chlorine over what was reported in the 2001 TRI. Instead of literally making the sky the limit for whatever levels of pollution DuPont is allowed to emit, DEQ should require that pollution be greatly reduced.

In the 2001 Toxic Release Inventory (www.epa/tri, zip code 39571) DuPont reported releasing 13,863,356 pounds of dangerous toxic chemicals. According to www.scorecard.org, DuPont DeLisle ranks among the top 90-100 percent dirtiestworst facility of its type in the country. DuPont is the worst polluter in Mississippi.

There is a strong correlation between toxic releases and rates of cancer and asthma. The MS Gulf Coast has the highest releases of toxic substances in the state, and also has the highest cancer rate in the state, according to the National Cancer Institute. One elementary school in Gulfport has a 25 percent asthma rate among its students. Currently there is an Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) investigation into the health concerns of the community around the DeLisle plant. Increasing pollution significantly should not be allowed until health concerns, and their link to illnesses in the community, are thoroughly investigated.

In addition to the retroactive permit, DuPont proposes a $38-million expansion that would increase production and pollution by 16 percent. No new jobs would be created. DuPont is saying it doesn’t need to use the best pollution controls available for the expansion because the Coast is in "attainment" with ozone air quality standards. However, in 2003 the Coast air significantly exceeded ozone (smog) limits established by the EPA. But by combining that data with pollution data from two previous abnormally cool summers when ozone was less a problem, the Coast is officially considered in attainment, meaning that DuPont could get an air permit that could last a decade or longer without having to reduce pollution to make the Coast’s air more healthy to breathe.

In the 2001 TRI the DuPont DeLisle Plant reported releasing about 42 percent of the dioxin-like compounds reported in the entire U.S. DuPont must eliminate its dioxin production, and make plans to clean up the dioxin produced at the plant for the past 23 years. Dioxin-like compounds are among the most dangerous substances that exist.

There was a 14-fold increase in toxics releases on onsite landfills at DuPont from 2000 to 2001, according to the TRI. Now DuPont wants to fill in 24 acres of wetlands to make another 32-acre waste dump. DuPont has requested an exemption from water pollution controls for landfill runoff during peak rainfall intensities and flooding events. There are major concerns about contamination after storms, and probable soil and groundwater contamination because the EPA says all landfills eventually leak.

Other concerns include underground plumes of lead and other types of pollution at the DuPont Plant site. What is called "natural attenuation"—in other words, doing nothing—is primarily what is being done to remedy the situation. In the meantime, because millions of gallons of water are being withdrawn daily on the Coast, the natural flow of groundwater has been reversed. Instead of springs coming to the surface as the way nature intended, surface waters are now being siphoned downward. This could carry contamination from landfills and other contaminated areas down into our drinking water supplies. DuPont withdraws about six millions gallons of water per day from the aquifer.

Attend MDEQ’s Public Hearing, Thursday, May 6 at 7 p.m., West Harrison Community Center, 4670 Espy Avenue, Long Beach. If you cannot attend the public hearing, please send your comments opposing increased pollution limits for DuPont DeLisle to:

Mr. Charles Chisholm
Executive Director, MS DEQ
Office of Pollution Control
450 High Street
Jackson, MS 39019
(601) 359-3680
chisholm@deq.state.us

Mr. Jim Hood
MS Attorney General’s Office
P.O. Box 10385
Jackson, MS 39201
msag05@ago.state.ms.us

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