Kennecott's pollutants | The Salt Lake Tribune

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The Environmental Protection Agency's Toxic Release Inventory goes a long way toward explaining the foul air from which we suffer ("Toxic releases rise in Utah," Tribune, Jan. 17). Two Kennecott facilities in the area rank second and 13th nationally in their 2011 toxic releases.

If a modest fee of only 10 cents per pound were imposed on the 168,784,336 pounds of toxic materials released by these two Kennecott facilities, it would raise $16 million that could help defray the medical costs of those who suffer from these toxic releases.

According to Standard and Poor's, Kennecott's parent company Rio Tinto had revenues of $60.5 billion in 2011, so the fee would easily be affordable. It would also give Kennecott an incentive to clean up its act.

Ole R. Holsti

Salt Lake City