The Environmental Protection Agency's 2006 Toxics Release Inventory, made public recently, shows that Florida Power & Light's Parrish plant produced a county-leading 640,861 pounds of toxic chemical byproducts, including 513,000 pounds of sulfuric acid and 61,500 pounds of hydrochloric acid.
The EPA report also lists how companies like Florida Power & Light manage their toxic chemicals, either through air emissions, deep well injections, recycling, energy recovery or treatment.
In FPL's case, the 513,000 pounds of sulfuric acid were released into the air, the EPA report states.
Mel Klein, an FPL spokesman, said Monday that FPL has permits to release the sulfuric acid into the air.
"We can't operate without a state air permit," Klein said. "All of our units in Parrish are permitted. We file through the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. All that we emit has to be within permitted limits."
The second- and third-largest chemical producers in 2006 in Manatee County were from the boat industry. Wellcraft Marine's Plant 6, formerly on Whitfield Avenue, came in with 212,535 pounds, and Chris Craft Corp. on 15th Street East, produced 78,980 pounds.
Of Plant 6's pounds, 160,789 were of styrene. Chris Craft's 78,980 pounds included 72,319 pounds of styrene. In both cases the styrene was released into the air, the EPA report states.
Tropicana Manufacturing Co. was in fourth place with 76,160 pounds, including 57,010 pounds of methanol. The methanol also was released into the air, according to the report.
No phosphate mining companies are listed for Manatee County in the 2006 EPA report because the phosphate ore isn't processed in the county, which creates chemical by-products. But ore is processed in nearby counties.
Mosaic Fertilizer LLC, in Polk County, produced 923,126 pounds of toxic chemicals, according to the EPA report.
The numbers remind the public that the price of doing business in Florida is often the creation of large amounts of chemicals, said Glenn Compton, a director with the Manasota-88 environmental group.
Toxic substances released in 2006
| Pounds of | |
| Firm | chemicals |
| 1. Florida Power & Light, Parrish plant | 624,861 |
| 2. Wellcraft Marine, 1651 Whitfield Ave. | 212,535 |
| 3. Chris Craft Corp., 8161 15th St. E. | 78,980 |
| 4. Tropicana,1001 13th Ave. E. | 76,160 |
| 5. Allied Fiberglass, 1145 13th Ave. E., Palmetto | 48,400 |
| 6. Wellcraft Marine, 7150 15th St. E. | 43,486 |
| 7. Jupiter Marine, 1103 12th Ave. E., Palmetto | 10,400 |
| 8. Hi-Stat Manufacturing, 7290 26th Ct. E. | 4,056 |
| 9. Hendrix & Dail, 7610 U.S. 41 N., Palmetto | 2,172 |
| 10. Precision Boat Works,1511 18th Ave. Drive E., Palmetto | 1,700 |
| SOURCE: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency EPA identifies county leaders in toxic releases;power plant, boat manufacturers lead the way |
