Brush Ceramics Granted Beryllium Emission Permit, But Will Be Subject to Monitoring

TUCSON, AZ — November 17, 2006 — Over the objections of environmentalists and some community groups, the Pima County Department of Environmental Quality has issued a five–year permit renewal to the Brush Ceramic Products, Inc. facility, allowing it to continue to release beryllium through its stacks. The facility has been operating on an expired permit since 1999.

Located at 6100 South Tucson Boulevard, the Brush facility is part of Brush Wellman, the largest beryllium producer in the nation. The plant uses beryllium oxide to manufacture ceramic parts for computer and telecommunications equipment, automotive electronics, and the aerospace and defense industries.

Under the new permit, emissions from the facility’s stacks will be checked annually for beryllium emission levels. Previously, the company was required to submit to quarterly testing, according to the Arizona Daily Star. However, Department officials say they will now make unexpected inspections of the facility and that they will have more access to Brush Ceramic records (Press Release, November 7, 2006).

Brush Ceramic and the Department have entered into a voluntary agreement in which the company will cover a portion of the cost of setting up two more air monitoring sites, bringing the total of monitoring stations near the plant to six. The Department will send the filters collected from these sites to an independent laboratory for beryllium analysis, and post the results on its web site.

According to the head of the Pima County Health Department, recent test results show that beryllium emissions from the Brush Ceramic plant are below the state air quality standard for beryllium of 10 grams in 24 hours (Arizona Daily Star, November 8, 2006). The Environmental Action Group disputes the significance of these findings, stating that they are averages and that trace amounts of beryllium have been found in the air and soil at Sunnyside High School, a local school near the facility. Community groups are also concerned that the facility is located near a new housing development and within range of six schools (Tucson Citizen, April 7, 2006).

In 2001, Brush Ceramic was fined for venting a clothes dryer used to launder beryllium–contaminated clothes directly to the outside air. Some claim that this is just one example of lax plant practices. Thirty–five plant employees have developed chronic beryllium disease, a serious lung ailment caused by inhaling beryllium dust. Two have died from the disease.

Since chronic beryllium disease may develop 10 to 40 years after exposure to beryllium, we may not be seeing all the cases of this illness. Doctors have not found a safe level of beryllium exposure that does not result in beryllium disease in susceptible individuals.

Brayton Purcell is concerned about beryllium use and potential exposure hazards. If you have been exposed to beryllium and developed chronic beryllium disease, please feel free to contact us. We will review your potential case free of charge and advise you of your legal rights and choices.