COLUMBUS — The Ohio Environmental Protection Agency has announced that 55 industries statewide, including eight in Southwest Ohio, have proposed dramatic cuts in pollution by voluntarily participating in the agency's Tox-Minus pollution reduction challenge.

OEPA Director Chris Korleski extended an invitation to all state companies.

He proposed the program last fall to encourage Ohio companies to take additional steps to reduce emissions of chemicals reported under to the nationwide Toxic Release Inventory, OEPA said.

The program has focused on 100 of the top toxic chemical reporters based on 2005 Toxic Release Inventory data. The Office of Compliance Assistance and Pollution Prevention, a non-regulatory office within Ohio EPA, oversees the program.

Area participants include Dayton Power & Light's J.M. Stuart Station in Aberdeen; General Motors Moraine Assembly in Dayton; and Norcold Inc. in Sidney.

Honda of America Mfg. Inc., also is participating.

For more, see www.epa.state.oh.us/ocapp/tox-minus.html.

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