Earth Day Question- Which corporations are the worst polluters?

[ColbertWatcher]

To celebrate Earth Day, 2008, I would like to know which five corporations you think do more damage to this planet than any other, so that I can keep myself informed, and avoid their products/services.

Please post your pick for top five worst polluters in reply and please include any links to support your choice.

Thank you, have a nice Earth Day!

[fasttense]

1. I don't have a link but "Ring of Fire" on Air America

with Robert Kennedy, said that GE was the worst polluter.

[ColbertWatcher]

2. GE!? The one with all those fancy commercials...

...telling me what a good company GE is!?

My TV lied to me!

[ColbertWatcher]

3. That's it!? One corporate polluter? We don't need an Earth Day!?

Seriously. I guess this got lost in the mire.

[0rganism]

4. I don't know, maybe it's a hard question?

There's a lot of different kinds of pollution, right? There's air pollution, groundwater contamination, radioactive waste, hell, even noise pollution counts for something. 3rd-world salvage operations on second hand computer equipment create massive amounts of hazardous pollution, but is it fair to lay that at the feet of IBM, Apple, and/or Dell? And how would you even begin to count gene pool contamination by the likes of Monsanto? What about raw resource extraction damage by timber and mining operations? All this makes it pretty tough to quantify, especially when so much of the damage is externalized in ways that are tough to measure to begin with and mixed into a generally degraded environment along with all the other muck generated by billions of humans all trying to get a piece of the "good life."

Phew. That was a bit more rantlike than I intended.

Anyway, just offhand I'd nominate DuPont, Dow, Exxon, GM and Alcoa. That's not research or anything, just an intuitive sense of the situation.

Hmm, I just looked it up, and it seems my intuition wasn't far off according to this index:
http://www.peri.umass.edu/Toxic-100-Index.430.0.html

All my nominees are in the top 20 according to this measurement. I missed some obvious ones: ADM and GE seem to be pretty blatant violators. It surprises me that Kodak and Bayer are so high up, though, and what's with Nissan? I notice steel companies are well-represented on the list -- I just don't usually think of them when I think pollution. Anyway, that's one way of getting at an answer. Good luck avoiding their products :D

[ColbertWatcher]

5. Wow.I would never have guessed Bayer!

But Kodak (film processing, etc) I'm not surprised about.

As far as being a hard question, well this is a message board! It's too bad we can't have a substantial conversation about Earth Day on Earth Day! (That's not directed to you, but GD:P, LOL)

As far as what type of pollution, I leave that to the poster. What kind do they consider worse than others? Your list pretty much covers them all, but isn't that sad? One would think of water and air pollution instinctively, but taking your list into account, bet no one would have thought of "gene pool contamination" right away, but after reading your post, maybe now they will?

Hopefully.

On your last point, "Good luck avoiding their products" yeah, well, ya gotta start somewhere, right? Knowledge of the problem is the first step and all that...happy Earth day.

[Lorien]

6. Not a corporation, an industry:

http://www.mcspotlight.org/media/reports/beyond.html

[ColbertWatcher]

7. Thank you!

Our dear be-codpieced "president's" masculinity depends on the whole Texas machismo. His is a house of beef jerky.

Thank you for posting this. This is yet another way to look at pollution.

[dpbrown]

8. The Top Ten Worst Polluters from the Water Keeper Alliance

1. AK Steel Corp. (NYSE: AKS), led by James L. Wainscott, has the distinct (dis-)honor of being the single largest reported discharger of toxics to water nationwide. Their Rockport, Indiana operation discharged an astonishing 29,680,083 pounds of toxins to the Ohio River. Though named one of America's Most Admired Companies by Fortune Magazine, how truly admirable can a company can be when they are poisoning our water?


2. BASF Corp. (NYSE: BASF) directed by U.S. CEO Klaus Peter Löbbe. Their Freeport, Texas, chemical plant is the second largest reported discharger of toxins to surface water in the U.S., releasing 15,945,553 pounds of contaminates into the Clute Lake Jackson Drainage Channel and the Brazos River. The German-based chemical company reported discharging toxins to 11 different waterbodies in eight states. Maybe BASF should change their tagline to "We don't make a lot of the products you buy, but we do make a lot of the water you drink polluted."


3. Cargill, Inc. (privately held), headed by Warren R. Staley, and their subsidiaries are a triple threat—high number (11) of facilities discharging toxins, high number (10) of waterbodies polluted, and total pounds (almost 12 million) of toxins discharged. Cargill is a multibillion-dollar industrial agriculture corporation, which translates to big yields and big money for them, but big pollution for all of us.


4. Dow Chemical Co. (NYSE: DOW), and their subsidiaries under the guidance of Andrew N. Liveris, discharge a whopping 97 different toxins to 16 different U.S. waterbodies, including a total of 606 pounds of the incredibly dangerous, dioxin. There is no known safe exposure limit to dioxin and it bioaccumulates—working its way up the food chain and passing from mother to child in the womb and through breast milk. So much for "Living. Improved daily."


5. E.I. Du Pont De Nemours & Co., Inc. (NYSE: DD), with Charles O. Holliday, Jr. at the helm, continues to discharge PCBs to the Delaware River, even though this highly toxic substance is banned. In addition, Du Pont, in conjunction with the U.S. Army, is planning to discharge VXH, a form of caustic nerve gas, into the Delaware River. It will take one of Du Pont's "miracles of science" to undo the damage that it has done to American waterways.


6. ExxonMobil Corp. (NYSE: XOM) is the company that brought us the Exxon-Valdez oil spill in Alaska. Under the direction of CEO Lee R. Raymond this dinosaur continues to poison our waterbodies with mercury, a neurotoxin, and MTBE, a potential human carcinogen. This petroleum powerhouse weighs in with 25 facilities releasing 47 different kinds of toxins into 25 different U.S. waterbodies.


7. General Electric Co. (NYSE: GE), controlled by CEO Jeffrey R. Immelt, is notorious for their legacy of PCB contamination of the upper Hudson River. They've spent millions on a campaign to avoid cleaning up this mess. They lead the pack with the largest number of facilities discharging toxins to surface water. Despite being named one of Working Mother's "Best Companies to Work For," we think most working parents wouldn't want their kids playing in GE's toxic playground—the 37 waterbodies they have polluted and should take responsibility for cleaning up.


8. Monsanto Co. (NYSE: MON) and CEO Hugh Grant continue their horrifying tradition as the manufacturer of Agent Orange and now banned PCBs, producing herbicides and pesticides that contaminate water all over the U.S. and the world. Not only are their products dangerous, they take top dishonors for discharging the largest variety of toxins (97) to our waterways. While Monsanto has undergone considerable corporate restructuring, they haven't stopped "imAgining" new ways to poison our water and our communities.


9. Tyson Foods, Inc. (NYSE: TSN), led by CEO John Tyson, is an industrial agriculture giant. Tyson's 23 facilities discharge toxins to 24 different waterbodies. The largest chicken producer in the U.S. and largest supplier of beef likes to keep it big—including the 18,424,001 pounds of toxins they discharged to U.S. waters in 2002. Even though Tyson thinks it's "what your family deserves," we actually think your family deserves better.


10. U.S. Steel Corp. (NYSE: X), directed by John P. Surma, Jr., dischages more than 20 heavy metals and other toxins to nine waterbodies in Alabama, California, Indiana, and Pennsylvania. Their Gary, Indiana, steel works alone pumps out 2,970,499 pounds of arsenic, chromium, cyanide, lead, mercury and 18 other toxins into Lake Michigan and three other surrounding waterbodies. Their long history as the largest steel producer in the United States would be more impressive if they weren't among the largest toxic dischargers as well.

FEATURES I Part 1: America's Worst Corporate Polluters

[ColbertWatcher]

13. Who would have thought...

...that big agriculture would be such a big polluter?

Seriously.

I wonder if they really need to pollute so much, or their mess is due more to laziness and greed than in actual production.

Thank you for the links.

[dpbrown]

17. My Pleasure! If I wasn't so lazy I'd do it as an original post. Interesting lists

Big agri-business is a serious polluter. Yech!

[ColbertWatcher]

20. I was hoping to get...

...some really good links from the many DUers.

But, as it turned out, you're providing the rest of DU with the excellent links!

Thank you, these are helpful and informative.

[Dont_Bogart_the_Pretzel]

21. You the man!

Great links :thumbsup:
...Bookmarking this thread for a good reading later on.

[ColbertWatcher]

23. Yes dpbrown did some awesome research.

Thank you, dpbrown, you are indeed the man.

[dpbrown]

25. Thank you very much

It was fun, and when you asked the question, I got curious what the answer would be.

Thanks for the provocation!

[devilgrrl]

9. I wouldn't doubt if Wal-Mart is one of them

:popcorn:

[dpbrown]

10. Top Ten "Total Toxins Released" Facilities in the United States by Scorecard

Rank Facility Pounds
1. RED DOG OPS., 90 MILES N. OF KOTZEBUE, KOTZEBUE, AK 481,578,816
2. NEWMONT MINING CORP. TWIN CREEKS MINE, 35 MILES N.E. OF GOLCONDA, GOLCONDA, NV 291,128,400
3. BHP COPPER N.A. SAN MANUEL OPS., 200 S. REDDINGTON RD., SAN MANUEL, AZ 248,695,440
4. KENNECOTT UTAH COPPER MINE CONCENTRATORS & POWER PLANT, 12300 S. UTAH HWY. 111, COPPERTON, UT 113,640,793
5. BARRICK GOLDSTRIKE MINES INC., 27 MILES N. OF CARLIN, ELKO, NV 79,410,838
6. NEWMONT MINING CORP. LONE TREE MINE, STONEHOUSE EXIT 212, VALMY, NV 58,686,703
7. NEWMONT MINING CORP. CARLIN SOUTH AREA, 6 MILES N. OF CARLIN, CARLIN, NV 43,143,578
8. KENNECOTT GREENS CREEK MINING CO., 13401 GLACIER HWY., JUNEAU, AK 37,103,243
9. ASARCO INC. RAY COMPLEX HAYDEN SMELTER & CONCENTRATOR, 640 ASARCO AVE., HAYDEN, AZ 34,941,191
10. US ECOLOGY IDAHO INC., 10 1/2 MILES N.W. OF GRAND VIE LEMELY RD., GRAND VIEW, ID 28,895,378

POLLUTION RANKINGS | Toxic Chemical Releases |By Facility


edit: Title

[dpbrown]

11. Top Ten Polluters in the USA by Planet Hazard

Top Ten Polluters in the USA
1 Regional Sanitation Dist
annual emissions: 470,481,000.85
pollutants: 38 sources: 97

2 Burney Forest Products
annual emissions: 452,615,399.90
pollutants: 20 sources: 20

3 Georgia Power Company, Bowen Steam-Electric Generating Plant
annual emissions: 443,124,323.33
pollutants: 75 sources: 386

4 Rio Rancho Facility
annual emissions: 409,126,000.00
pollutants: 20 sources: 61

5 Reliant Energy Keystone Power Plant
annual emissions: 403,284,644.74
pollutants: 77 sources: 198

6 W. H. Sammis Plant
annual emissions: 382,822,785.55
pollutants: 74 sources: 560

7 Allegheny Energy Supply Co/Hatfields Ferry Power Sta
annual emissions: 378,112,509.21
pollutants: 80 sources: 292

8 Bethlehem Steel Corp. - Burns Harbor
annual emissions: 362,134,004.70
pollutants: 67 sources: 1967

9 Reliant Energy/Keystone Power Plt
annual emissions: 359,198,970.89
pollutants: 26 sources: 131

10 Psi Energy - Gibson
annual emissions: 352,794,755.70
pollutants: 88 sources: 594

http://www.planethazard.com/phmapenv.aspx?mode=topten&area=national">Top Ten Polluters in the USA | PlanetHazard

[dpbrown]

12. Highest CO2 Emitting Plants in United States by CARMA

SCHERER
North America
United States
Georgia
Present: Tons CO2 25,300,000
MWh Energy 23,200,000
Intensity 2,180

MILLER
North America
United States
Alabama
Present: Tons CO2 20,600,000
MWh Energy 19,500,000
Intensity 2,106

BOWEN
North America
United States
Georgia
Present: Tons CO2 20,500,000
MWh Energy 20,600,000
Intensity 1,985

GIBSON
North America
United States
Indiana
Present: Tons CO2 20,400,000
MWh Energy 21,100,000
Intensity 1,930

WA PARISH
North America
United States
Texas
Present: Tons CO2 20,000,000
MWh Energy 18,800,000
Intensity 2,133

CARMA - Carbon Monitoring for Action

[dpbrown]

14. Top U.S. Mercury Polluters by The Daily Green

Top U.S. Mercury Polluters, 2006

Pounds – Facility, Location

1. 2.15 million – Barrick Goldstrike Mines, Inc., Elko, Elko County, Nev.

2. 1.50 million – Newmont Mining Corp., Twin Creeks Mine, Golconda, Humboldt County, Nev.

3. 194,000 – Chemical Waste Management, Emelle, Sumter County, Ala.

4. 149,000 – Cortez Gold mines, Crescent Valley, Lander, Nev.

5. 123,000 – Phelps Dodge Miami Inc., Claypool, Gila County, Ariz.

6. 110,000 – Newmont Mining Corp., Lone Tree Mine, Valmy, Humboldt County, Nev.

7. 90,000 – Newmont Mining Corp., Carlin, Eureka County, Nev.

8. 87,000 – Newmont Mining Corp., Carlin, Eureka County, Nev.

9. 72,000 – Jerrit Canyon Mine, Elko, Elko County, Nev.

10. 69,000 – Glamis Marigold Mine, Valmy, Humboldt County, Nev.

Top 10 Mercury Polluters in the United States

[dpbrown]

15. The Toxic 100: The Top Ten Corporate Air Polluters in the U.S. by PERI

E. I. Du Pont de Nemours & Co.

Nissan Motor

Archer Daniels Midland (ADM)

Bayer Group

Dow Chemical

Eastman Kodak

General Electric

Arcelor Mittal

U.S. Steel

ExxonMobil

PERI - Political Economy Research Institute: Toxic 100 Index 2008

[0rganism]

18. This is a good list -- it covers a wide spectrum of pollutants & accounts for population exposure

The cross-refs are a nice feature. You can click on each of the 100 corps and go to tables of reported toxic output per facility, including mailing addresses and a map for each one. Some of the prime offenders have dozens of poison-spewing sites scattered across the country.
I posted the link straight to the tabular index upthread, but here it is again: http://www.peri.umass.edu/Toxic-100-Index.430.0.html

[ColbertWatcher]

19. How and when did industry become so filthy?

Can none of these products be made without all of the resultant pollution?

[0rganism]

22. I think industry's always been filthy

When you look back at the gilded age of robber barons and unregulated child labor, which our "friends" in the republican party are doing their best to get us back into, industry was just as toxic and dirty and wasteful as it is now and maybe moreso -- but it was much much smaller. We have regulatory apparatus in place now that industrialists of the day couldn't have imagined, and we have technology to improve the cleanliness and efficiency of many operations beyond their wildest dreams.

Which brings us to why my take on your second (rhetorical) question is both yes and no.

Yes, most products could be made with far less pollution, far better containment of what pollution is necessary, and far less workforce exploitation. The price wouldn't even have to change much, theoretically. However, there is a big reason why this won't happen: Investors Expect To Make Economic Profits On EVERYTHING.

That means it's not enough if you make a gizmo and cover all your costs at the point of sale for said gizmo. Microeconomics would suggest that's a valid operating point for a competitive business, but it's no longer sufficient, especially for the big guys. Pretty much everything we buy has to be marked up to provide a margin of profit above and beyond the level of successful competition to perk the investors and fund an outrageously huge salary for the corporate officers. That's the new operating model. Thus, all manufacturing must be done in the cheapest way possible, rather than the best way possible. You still pay about as much for a gizmo produced by the filthy cheap process as you would for a comparable gizmo produced by an environmentally sound process, because consumers in your area are willing to pay a certain amount for one more of that gizmo. The difference is that investors get a bigger cut when the marginal cost of production is decreased.

So, for example, while Nike could make a pair of shoes in the USA, using an eco-friendly process and abiding by American employment standards while doing so, then turn around and sell a pair of shoes to you for $60 while still covering costs and then some, they make considerably more money by having those shoes made under lax or nonexistent labor and ecological regulations in Indochina, importing them duty-free thanks to GATT, and selling them to you for $60. This keeps stockholders (i.e., those who've loaned money (aka investment capital) to Nike by way of purchasing Nike stock) happy, and you can't tell the difference. Then the extra money that isn't parceled out to investors gets spent on advertising and community relations projects to convince people that their products are both essential to a healthy lifestyle and socially beneficial. Make sense? :P

[dpbrown]

24. The outrageously huge salaries are the key, in my opinion

Companies like Costco can be run very successfully without the imposition of multi-million dollar executive packages - therefore any company in the world can be run the same way.

It's truly shameful when the burden of pollution dumped on this and future generations is used to prop up obscene handouts to executives.

[dpbrown]

16. The 10 Biggest Carbon Dioxide Polluters (in the U.S.) by U.S. News & World Report

The 10 Biggest Carbon Dioxide Polluters
COMPANY TONS OF CO2 PER YEAR
1. American Electric Power 174 million
With 5 million customers in 11 states from Ohio to Texas, its biggest carbon emissions come from its Gavin coal plant in Cheshire, Ohio.
2. SOUTHERN 172 million
Has 4.3 million customers in the Southeast and owns the top three carbon-emitting power plants in the country: Scherer, in Juliet, Ga.; Miller in Quinton, Ala.; and Bowen in Cartersville, Ga.
3. (tie) AES CORP. 108 million
Has power plants from New York to California, with the worst emissions from its Petersburg, Ind., plant.
3. (tie) DUKE ENERGY 108 million
Serves 4 million customers in the Carolinas, Ohio, Kentucky, and Indiana. Its Gibson plant in Owensville, Ind., is the nation's fourth-largest carbon emissions source in the power sector.
5. TENNESSEE VALLEY AUTHORITY 101 million
The nation's largest public power company serves the 8.7 million residents of the Tennessee Valley. Its Cumberland City, Tenn., plant ranks eighth in the nation in CO2 emissions.
6. NRG ENERGY 82.7 million
A wholesale power producer that operates in deregulated electricity markets throughout the country, its W.A. Parish plant in Thompsons, Texas, is the nation's No. 5 carbon emissions source.
7. XCEL ENERGY 76.1 million
With 3.3 million customers in the West and Midwest, its largest carbon generator is its Sherburne County plant in Becker, Minn.
8. MIDAMERICAN ENERGY HOLDINGS 70.9 million
A Warren Buffett Berkshire Hathaway company, MidAmerican serves customers in Iowa, Illinois, and South Dakota, with its largest CO2 emissions from the Jim Bridger plant in Point Of Rocks, Wyo.
9. PROGRESS ENERGY 68.1 million
Based in Raleigh, N.C., its plant in Roxoboro, N.C., is its biggest emissions source.
10. DOMINION RESOURCES 66.6 million
Dominion is based in Virginia, with operations stretching into the Northeast and Midwest. Its biggest carbon emissions source is its Mount Storm, W.Va., plant.

The 10 Biggest Carbon Dioxide Polluters - US News and World Report

[Blue_In_AK]

26. I hate Exxon. n/t

[ensho]

27. Monsanto and US military with DU poisoning

nt

[dpbrown]

28. Link?

Just wondering what the actual statistics are.

[ColbertWatcher]

30. I'd like to know too...

...although, I doubt they will be able to get any real solid numbers anytime soon...

[Blue_Tires]

29. ttt