By JENNIFER ELLEDGE
elledge@du2.byu.edu
During the past decade Utah's future has looked crystal clear, but growth of population and big business may have clouded Utah's natural resources.
In a recent study the Population Reference Bureau ranked Utah as the nation's worst state for toxic air pollutants, waste and water consumption.
Dianne Nielsen, executive director of the Department of Environmental Quality said it's no surprise Utah is at the top of the list. As long as we have MagCorp, we're going to be at the top of the list every year.'
Nielsen explained there is a difference between toxic releases such as from MagCorp and ambient or breathable air.
'From our perspective as far as air quality and ambient air are concerned we are way ahead of the game,' Nielsen said.
Magnesium Corporation of America, located near the great Salt lake in Tooele County, releases chlorine products into the air as a bi-product of their production.
'MagCorp has made reductions in its emissions of chlorine and they are much more efficient and are in complinace with air safety standards,' Nielsen said.
The Provo Orem area was designated as a non-attainment area for carbon monoxide, said David Graves, development engineer for the city of Provo.
'Back in the early '70s there was some extensive testing done and it was found that Provo had high levels of carbon monoxide,' Graves said. 'Seven or eight years ago the same problem was detected for the Orem area. Because of this, Utah County was given a PM10 particulate non-attainment designation.'
Graves said once a non-attainment area goes for three years without a violation they can apply for a change of status and both Provo and Orem are undergoing this process.
'For the Provo area we are doing much better,' Graves said. 'Back in the early '90s we were given a high reading on the carbon monoxide scale. It was a one day reading, it wasn't consistent. A lot of the talk about air pollution is a little misleading.'
Graves attributes part of the carbon monoxide pollution to individual car, wood and gas stove use. He said the rest comes from larger corporations.
Nielsen also cited cars as a primary contributer.
'If we look at the contribution of vehicles on the Wasatch Front, it makes up 65 to 70 percent of the pollution in the valley,' Neilson said.
According to information provided by the Utah Air Quality Department the population across the Wasatch Front increases two percent per year while car miles traveled increases four percent a year.
Nielsen sees a twofold solution to this problem.
'First, cars need to become cleaner and second, we need to reduce the number of miles driven,' Neilson said.
The report also found that Utah averages 2,995 pounds of solid waste per capita. The national average is 2,469 pounds.
Dave Gunn, director of public services said Provo residents generate a hefty eight pounds per person a day.
'One of the things that makes Utah different is that other states have banned yard waste from their landfills because in an anaerobic environment green waste produces a noxious waste,' Gunn said.
'Utah has not banned yard waste and that is probably a main reason for why we produce more waste than the national average. You have to figure in about one or two pounds of the waste per person is yrad waste.'
Gunn said yard waste is about 25-30 percent of the waste stream. Yard waste is the only product Provo has been able to find a market for.
Gunn explained many states have found processing recylable products is not cost effective. Products such as glass and plastic need to be separated into categories and then tranfered to a recycling plant.
'Utah's problems with recycling are twofold,' Gunn said. 'We are so far from the market and Utah legislature has not felt a need to impose a mandate that part of the waste stream be recycled.'
Gunn said many other states have subsidized recycling programs. Subsidation requires each household pay one to two dollars per month. He said many Utah residents have not been willing to pay the subsidy.