NC Agency Faces Critical Vote On Toxic Air Pollutant Next Week

(6 March, 2003 — Raleigh)  Environmental Defense today called on the North Carolina Environmental Management Commission (EMC) to protect public health by adopting strict standards for emissions of hydrogen sulfide (H2S) when it meets March 12-13 in Raleigh.  H2S, familiar to many North Carolinians by its rotten-egg odor, is produced by pulp and paper mills and phosphate processing operations.  Industry is making a strong push to exempt portions of these facilities from new standards, although they are the major sources of unhealthy H2S in the state.

“For many North Carolinians, hydrogen sulfide doesn’t just smell bad, it feels bad,” said Michael Shore, southeast air quality manager for Environmental Defense.  “Hydrogen sulfide emissions irritate eyes and lungs and expose thousands of asthmatics to pollution that can trigger attacks.  The vote on hydrogen sulfide standards is the first important vote on air quality to come before the EMC in more than a year.  The EMC must not exempt any industries from new standards that will improve the quality of the air for all North Carolinians.”

“Some in industry would like to ignore the harmful effects of this pollutant and lobby for weak standards, including one that would exempt wastewater treatment processes from pulp and paper mills.  Wastewater treatment processes account for the majority of hydrogen sulfide emissions from many facilities,” said Shore.  “The human respiratory system does not make a special exception for hydrogen sulfide emissions that come from treating wastewater, and neither should the EMC.”

“The state Division of Public Health has documented the adverse health affects of breathing this pollutant and delivered its report to the EMC.  The Department of Environment and Natural Resources Scientific Advisory Board has made clear recommendations to the EMC on the standards needed to protect public health.  The EMC must remain steadfast and follow recommendations of the state’s own health and scientific boards by adopting a comprehensive rule that deals with all the processes at pulp and paper mills that emit dangerous hydrogen sulfide pollution,” said Shore.