Each day, the proposed methanol refinery in Kalama would produce approximately 26 tons of landfill waste and 2,242 gallons of dewatered sludge. This is according to the Wastewater Engineering Report produced by Northwest Innovation Works, the Chinese government-backed company proposing to transport natural gas via pipeline to Kalama, where it would be refined then shipped by tanker to China.
As reported in The Daily News on April 19, the refinery would produce 1,208,000 metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions annually, making this project a top producer of greenhouse emissions. According to Sightline Institute, a quarter of the time the refinery would release steam containing five times the diesel particulates of pollution than state guidelines for air toxins.
After review, the Washington State Department of Ecology sent the proposed shoreline permit back for revision, especially citing underestimation of greenhouse emissions. For more information: www.nomethanol360.com.