Toxics Release Inventory: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Releases Annual National Analysis

The United States Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”) released its 2017 Toxics Release Inventory (“TRI”) National Analysis (“Analysis”).

EPA contends that an analysis of the TRI database indicates that since 2007 releases of TRI chemicals in the United States manufacturing sector have declined despite the growth of the economy.

The TRI is a publically available database. It is prepared and published by EPA annually.

The Federal Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (“EPCRA”) was enacted in 1986. The federal statute requires certain facilities to submit reports each year on the amounts of toxic chemicals they release in the environment, either routinely or as a result of accidents. Federal legislation in 1990 extended reporting requirements to waste management and source reduction activities. EPA implements these laws and compiles information it receives in the TRI.

The TRI contains information on releases of over 650 chemicals and chemical categories from industries including manufacturing, metal and coal mining, electric utilities, and commercial hazardous waste treatment (among others). EPCRA requires companies that manufacture, process, or otherwise use specified toxic chemicals in amounts above reporting threshold levels to submit reports to EPA and to designated state officials.

An EPA Region 6 news release indicates the states that it encompasses (Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, New Mexico and Texas) decreased in the release of lead and lead compounds by 5 percent from 2016-2017 and 45 percent from 2007-2017. Further, it states that the amount of TRI chemical waste form production processes also declined. The decline is stated to be 1 percent from 2016-2017 and 8 percent from 2007-2017.

The 2017 Analysis includes what are described as additional “features.” These include:

• A new graphic on innovative use of green chemistry by industry
• Profile of the paints and coatings manufacturing and other sectors
• Expanded illustration of the role of TRI data in chemical risk evaluations

The information in the Analysis includes:

• Pollution Prevention and Waste Management
• The Releases of Chemicals
• Industry Sectors
• Where You Live (Analysis of the TRI data specific to United States geographic areas)
• TRI and Beyond (TRI data used in conjunction with data from other environmental programs such as chemical production data reported to EPA under the Toxic Substances Control Act)

A link to the 2017 Analysis can be found here.