Toxic Pollution Rose 5 Percent in 2002

By JOHN HEILPRIN
Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON (AP) -- The volume of toxic pollutants released into the atmosphere in the United States rose 5 percent in 2002, the first increase since 1997, the government reported Tuesday.

Those two years are the only ones to show an increase since the Environmental Protection Agency began keeping track of the billions of pounds of pollution under a 1986 law. In 1997, the increase was half as much - 2.5 percent.

Even with the most recent rise - a dramatic turnaround from the 13 percent decline in 2001 - environmentalists say the EPA is still letting industry underreport the amount of air pollution by 330 million pounds a year.

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