Methanol: Toxic air pollution is the biggest concern

Having attended the presentation by environmental scientist Wilma Subra at the University of Puget Sound, I walked away alarmed and disheartened.

She stated that the biggest concern about a methanol plant is air pollution. This plant could release an estimated 578,000 tons of greenhouse gases per year, which would affect our health and contribute significantly to global warming.

Chemicals released by methanol facilities include benzene, formaldehyde, naphthalene, toluene and methanol. Among others effects, these chemicals can irritate our skin, nose and throats. Some are carcinogenic, some affect female fertility, cause birth defects, and are toxic to humans and animals.

The Port of Tacoma has spent $33 million cleaning the soil where the methanol plant is proposed. We have been cleaning up our city, and it has become vibrantly alive. It is beyond me to think that we would now embrace a toxic industry.

The port and city officials need to delve deeper into an unbiased scientific education on this issue. And what right do we have to damage our pristine Northwest in exchange for dollars?

This story was originally published March 1, 2016 at 10:10 AM with the headline "Methanol: Toxic air pollution is the biggest concern."