Increases in pollution from Indiana’s coal-fired power plants sent the state’s overall toxic releases up nearly 5 percent in 2005 despite efforts by manufacturers to reduce their emissions, state and federal environmental officials say.

Northwestern Indiana’s Lake County, with its industrial base, ranked as the seventh most toxic county in the nation, with releases of 50.3 million pounds of chemicals — or 20 percent of the state’s total output — in 2005, according to the Toxic Release Inventory data released last week by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Overall, Indiana ranked fifth worst among states in the amount of toxic chemicals released into the air, water and land. The annual survey tracks nearly 650 chemicals, including many linked to cancer and other serious health problems, but does not include some sources of pollution such as automotive emissions.

The data showed manufacturers in the state decreased toxic pollution by 1.6 million pounds, but electric generating facilities increased toxic releases by 7.4 million pounds, according to the Indiana Department of Environmental Management. [Source (http://www.jconline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070326/NEWS09/70326006" title="Journal and Courier Online)]

That’s awesome!

EDITED 07-24-08: Link to Journal and Courier Online article expired.