Published November 9, 2005

ZOOM
SoyChlor plant in Jefferson.
Make sure emissions from plant are safe

Violations show need for closer state oversight.

By REGISTER EDITORIAL BOARD


Public-health experts must investigate whether emissions from the SoyChlor 
plant in Jefferson made people sick, and whether steps in the works will 
guarantee safe levels in the future.

A Des Moines Sunday Register article by Anne Fitzgerald detailed health and 
environmental problems residents believe are linked to the livestock feed 
supplement plant that opened last February. She also revealed that the 
facility has violated air-quality standards several times.

Meanwhile, on Nov. 1, the plant's owners — West Central Cooperative in 
Ralston — agreed to reduce its operations to 75 percent of capacity, said 
Catharine Fitzsimmons, Iowa Department of Natural Resources air-quality 
bureau chief. That addresses health concerns about particulate matter, or 
dust, she said. Hydrogen-chloride emissions are not an immediate concern to 
the DNR because levels are low. The company also may install an additional 
scrubber to reduce pollutants.

Those steps are not completely reassuring, however, in light of complaints 
of serious health problems that may be linked to SoyChlor. The public should 
be able to expect that a new manufacturing plant will operate safely, in 
compliance with all regulations, and that state oversight will make sure it 
does from the first day. That did not happen.

Residents have reported persistent coughing, shortness of breath and skin 
irritations. The elderly and children seem to have suffered the most. Spots 
have surfaced on vehicles' finish and home siding.

So about 150 Jefferson residents, workers and business owners filed a 
lawsuit last month against West Central. They want the plant closed. Sarah 
Dorman, a spokeswoman for the company, said she had no comment because of 
the lawsuit.

Both types of emissions from the plant are potentially harmful. Hydrogen 
chloride is a gas that when mixed with moisture becomes hydrochloric acid, 
which can eat the finish on cars and destroy wildlife and vegetation. For 
people, it can be corrosive to eyes, skin and mucous membranes and cause 
coughing and inflammation of the respiratory tract.

A test done in August found hydrogen-chloride emissions well within 
short-term health guidelines from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 
but that doesn't address long-term, cumulative effects, Fitzsimmons said.

The plant did violate the state standard for particulate matter in the 
August test, Fitzsimmons said. Levels were about 50 percent higher than the 
national ambient air-quality standards, which is "quite high," she said.

The DNR has the authority to shut down the plant but doesn't plan to do so. 
Fitzsimmons said she is not dismissing reports of harm to public health, 
"but I don't feel that I have what is a very strong causative link here that 
I think would warrant closing down the facility."

The DNR conducted a thorough study of potential pollution impacts using 
computer modeling before the plant opened, Fitzsimmons said.

But the extensive health complaints demand a comprehensive on-the-ground 
study. The Greene County Health Department has the first responsibility for 
local public-health issues, although the state will provide technical 
assistance, said Kevin Teale, Iowa Department of Public Health spokesman.

Tim Healy, Greene County sanitarian, said he is gathering as much 
information as possible. The county doesn't have the resources to conduct a 
comprehensive investigation without help from the DNR and Iowa public-health 
department. Both agencies should step forward.

SoyChlor's violations call for heavy fines. It's sad this conflict has 
arisen after the community fought so hard to win the plant. Value-added 
agriculture is important to rural Iowa, but not as important as protecting 
human health.

Copyright © 2005, The Des Moines Register.
Use of this site signifies your agreement to the Terms of Service (updated 
1/3/2003).

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
To get off the IOWA-TOPICS list, send any message to:
[log in to unmask]