Contact: Mr. Karl Joyce / 952-831-2473

For Immediate Release - July, 2004

  Minneapolis , Minnesota – Environmental Information is releasing a series of EI Digest report examining the role of captive and commercial management of hazardous waste. EI has undertaken this effort to help clarify the degree to which manufacturers rely on commercial hazardous waste services for their waste management needs. Between 1997 and 2001, the volumes reportedly sent by Arkansas manufacturers to commercial hazardous waste facilities increased by over 30%.

The most recent EI Digest report focused on biennial reporting by Arkansas manufacturers. Overall, Arkansas statistics indicated that nearly 80% of the hazardous waste in the state was managed on-site. However, greater than 98% of Arkansas manufacturers that produce hazardous waste rely on commercial services. The apparent contradiction between these two statistics is explained by the fact that a small number of companies account for most of the waste managed on-site in Arkansas and that even these sites often ship at least some waste off-site for other types of commercial management.

Overall state hazardous waste statistics can also be misleading with respect to trends. In the case of Arkansas , overall state statistics indicate a net reduction in hazardous waste managed since 1997, but the majority of this reduction is attributable to one company reporting substantially lower volumes of underground waste injection on its property. Moreover, that company’s reduced volumes are partially offset by increases reported by other companies.

Measuring progress by simply volume of waste managed can also be misleading. The amount of toxins reported to be underground injected (Class I) in Arkansas in 2001 was slightly higher than in 1997. The combination of volume and toxin data suggests that injected wastes contained more concentrated toxins. It further infers that while Arkansas has achieved a net reduction in hazardous waste volumes between 2001 and 1997, this may not have resulted in a net reduction of toxins needed to be managed as hazardous wastes.

These state market reports are a two-year project being undertaken by the EI Digest during 2004 and 2005. The first report, Estimated Hazardous Waste & Wastewater Management – State of Alaska is available for download at www.envirobiz.com as a sample. For further information on the EI Digest, visit Envirobiz.com or contact Environmental Information Limited at (619) 297-0321.