US Ecology Making Millions Accepting Toxic Waste

Is that glow I see in the southern sky actually southern Idaho? The online Hanford News out of the Tri-Cities area of Washington, recently reported that toxic waste is bringing in big bucks to southern Idaho. It seems that US Ecology's public hazardous waste dump facility knows that toxic waste is a lucrative business venture.

Boise based American Ecology is the parent company of US Ecology. As the article reports, last year American Ecology brought in $165.5 million with a $45.5 million gross profit. As for the contribution to Idaho:

"According to a 2006 economic impact analysis by economist Don Reading, American Ecology's annual economic contribution in Idaho is $51 million in taxes, payroll and direct and indirect spending. The company paid $1.4 million in state taxes in 2005."

Unfortunately we don't yet know how much they're going to be making off the Kuwaiti sand. But as Mountain Goat reports, following the money certainly provides much information about why Idaho is filling up with an abundance of toxic waste.

Given the effects that Hanford had on my neck of the woods, American Ecology doesn't seem like the best business venture for the state of Idaho. I'd hate to think that Idahoans may, in the future, suffer the same economic fate of the buffalo.... As much as I love north Idaho, British Columbia is beginning to look more and more desirable.