Comment: Toxins spewed out by chemical orientated manufacturers are THOUSANDS of times worse than any burnt plant leaves have ever been. Standing in the same room with some toxins will kill you instantly! People have been smoking plants for thousands of years and their deaths that are labeled related to smoking may only be nutrient deficiencies combined with excess habitual abuses.

The county and state have consistently ranked as top polluters in the past decade due to heavy pollution from power plants and lax burning laws.

2004 data: The report used information from the 2004 Toxic Release Inventory submitted by industrial facilities nationwide. Researchers compiled the information to analyze pollution linked to health problems.

York County ranked 32nd in that category, 37th in dioxin releases in air and water and 97th in release of developmental toxins -- that's nationwide in 2004. Exposure to respiratory toxins such as methanol, ammonia and sulfuric acid aerosols range from irritation to bronchitis to cancer.

In 2004, facilities nationwide reported release of suspected respiratory toxins directly into the air, according to the report. Hydrochloric acid, used for cleaning, pickling and electroplating, among other things, was released in the greatest quantities.

Industries that release such toxins include electric, gas and sanitary services; paper; transportation equipment; stone, clay, glass and concrete products and some fabricated metal products, according to the report.

Dioxins are thought to be the most toxic chemicals as they can alter growth and development of cells, resulting in adverse effects on reproduction and development, suppression of the immune system and increased risk of cancer, according to the report.

Texas, Louisiana, Alabama, New Hampshire and Arkansas produced the most dioxin releases; Pennsylvania ranks 10th in the nation.

Deplore rollback: "There isn't a silver bullet fix to reduce these emissions," Masur said. "We do have to reverse the Bush administration's rollback of toxic reporting. It's the largest rollback of toxic reporting in U.S. history."

Last December, President Bush approved a new rule to reduce quantity and quality of data submitted from these facilities as well as information that would be available to the public. The administration raised the requirements for companies, giving them more leeway when it comes to reporting -- that is, they can pollute more and report less.

PennEnvironment argues that since implementation in the late 1980s of strict reporting laws, toxic emissions nationwide have been reduced by more than 50 percent.

Masur says outing polluters essentially embarrasses them into doing the right thing, or at least the better thing in reducing toxic emissions.

"Companies don't want to be seen as the bad corporate neighbors," Masur said. "So (reporting) behooves them to find ways to make reductions, as does public pressure."

-- Reach Kathy Stevens at 505-5437 or kstevens@york dispatch.com.