The excellent website scorecard.org has identified the top 60 polluters in the West Michigan area in terms of pounds of toxic chemicals released into the environment. The toxic chemicals, identified by the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) program have a variety of adverse health effects on people living in the areas near where the chemicals are released. According to analysis of EPA data, Kent County is in the worst 10% of counties for air releases of recognized carcinogens and developmental toxicants. Scorecard's analysis also found that people of color and those with low income are at the most risk from pollutants in Kent County.

The top 5 polluters in the Grand Rapids area are:

• Keeler Brass Co. FKI Hardware Group.
  Keeler Brass, located at 955 Godfrey Ave SW, is among the dirtiest facilities in the United States in terms of air releases of recognized carcinogens, with 20,178 pounds of the carcinogen Dichlormethane released and is in the worst 30% of environmental releases and non-cancerous pollutant releases.
  
  
• Steel Case Inc.
  Steelcase, located at 1120 36th Street SE, releases approximately 76,325 pounds of pollutants per year. The most often released chemical is Xylene, a chemical suspected of causing numerous health issues. Steelcase is in the worst 30% of factories for total environmental releases and in is among the worst 20% in terms of non-cancer releases and carcinogenic releases with their release of lead.
  
  
• Magna Lakeland.
  Magna Lakeland, located at 4185 44th St SE, releases some 59,768 pounds of pollutants annually and is among the worst 30% of environmental air releases and is in the worst 20% in terms of air releases of carcinogens, with their release of recognized carcinogens increasing by 23% from 2000 to 2002.
  
  
• Wolverine World Wide.
  Wolverine, located at 465 Wolverine St in Rockford, releases nearly 55,579 pounds of chemicals annually, including 21,642 pounds of the known developmental toxicant Toulene. Wolverine is among the worst 20% of businesses in terms of the release of recognized developmental toxicants and the worst 30% of total environmental releases.
  
  
• Miller Products Inc.
  Miller, located at 601 First St NW, releases some 41,642 pounds of chemicals annually and is ranked in the worst 20% of businesses for release of developmental toxins.
  
  

By clicking on the name of each of the top 5 polluters, concerned citizens can send free online faxes to each of the companies and participate in a variety of other actions designed to pressure polluters.