Among these facilities are places such as Solutia and Gulf Power, which are big names around the area. Huntsman Petrochemical Corp., located in Cantonment, is the fourth largest polluter in Escambia County.
Huntsman Petrochemical Corp. was founded in 1970 by Jon M. Huntsman. They are a manufacturer and marketer of chemicals used to make everything from footwear to plastics and paints. It is a company of over 12,000 employees, and they produce 33 billion pounds of product annually according to www.huntsman.com.
They release about 183,572 pounds of chemicals annually, according to the EPA’s Toxic Release Inventory. Among these chemicals are: Acrylic Acid, Dibutyl Phthalate, Maleic Anhydride, N-Butyl Alcohol, Phthalic Anhydride and Vandium Compounds.
These chemicals are toxic and can lead to many human health issues. The most toxic of the chemicals released by Huntsman Petrochemical Corp. is the Acrylic Acid.
Acrylic Acid is ranked in the worst 10 percent of hazardous chemicals to ecosystems and human health, according to www.scorecard.org. Human health consequences from Acrylic Acid include immunotoxicant, Respiratory Toxicant and skin or sense organ toxicant. Hunstman Petrochemical Corp. emits 7,089 pounds annually all through On-site disposal, according to the TRI reports on the EPA’s website.
158,208 pounds of Dibutyl Phthalate, 11,457 pounds of Maleic Anhydride, 6,664 pounds of N-butyl Alcohol, 136 pounds of Phthalic Anhydride and 0 pounds of Vandium Compounds were disposed of On-site in 2008.
On-site disposals are emitting of chemicals into the air, body of water, disposal at the facility land, and disposal in underground injection sites in the area that the facility is located in, making it a local issue.
Health effects caused by the other five chemicals released by the factory include: Kidney toxicants, reproductive toxicants, gastrointestinal or liver toxicants, neurotoxicants and development toxicants, causing health issues ranging from liver failure to becoming unable to reproduce.
Many of the chemicals emitted by the company are believed to be cancer causing toxins, according to www.scorecard.org.
Although Huntsman Petrochemical Corp. released large amount of pollution, throughout the past 15 years they have been lowering their chemical emitting. In 1995, 422,317 pounds of toxic chemicals were released. In 1999, there were 313,900 pounds emitted, and in 2008, they dropped to 183,572 pounds released.
Public contact for Huntsman Petrochemical Corp., Russ Stolle, was unable to comment about the toxins released by the company.
Huntsman is not just lowering their toxic chemical releases; Jon Huntsman Sr. has dedicated more than $250 million toward cancer research and treatment.
In 1999, Huntsman Petrochemical Corp. started a cancer research and treatment center, the Huntsman Cancer Institution.
"We will place into society assistance for those who suffer, hope for those who may need inspiration, and education for those who may feel the challenge but do not have the means." Huntsman said on www.huntsman.com.
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