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Toxics Release Inventory (TRI)
Public Data Release Report
.
EPA 260-R-07-001
March 2007
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What is the Toxics Release Inventory?
The Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) is a database
that contains detailed information on nearly
650 chemicals and chemical categories
that almost 23,500 industrial and oth-
er facilities manage through dis-
posal or other releases, recycling,
energy recovery or treatment
(see Figure l).The data are
collected from industries
including manufacturing,
metal and coal mining,
electric utilities, com-
mercial hazardous waste
treatment, and other
industrial sectors.
Figure 1: Information Collected Under TRI
*to
Section 313 of the
Emergency Planning
and Community Right
to Know Act (EPCRA)
of 1986 was enacted to
facilitate emergency plan-
ning, to minimize the ef-
fects of potential toxic chem-
ical accidents, and to provide
the public with information on
releases of toxic chemicals in their
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communities. The Pollution Prevention >v
Act (PPA) of 1990 mandates collection of
data on toxic chemicals that are treated on-site, re-
cycled, and combusted for energy recovery. Together, these
laws require facilities in certain industries, which manufacture, process, or use toxic chemicals above specified
amounts, to report annually on disposal or other releases and other waste management activities related to
these chemicals.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) maintains this information in a national database called the
Toxics Release Inventory, which is available to the public via the Internet (www.epa.gov/tri).
What are the benefits of TRI data?
The TRI provides the public with unprecedented access to information about toxic chemical releases and
other waste management activities on a local, state, regional and national level.
TRI data help the public, government officials and industry:
• identify potential concerns and gain a better understanding of potential risks;
• identify priorities and opportunities to work with industry and government to reduce
toxic chemical disposal or other releases and potential risks associated with them; and
• establish reduction targets and measure progress toward reduction goals.
TRI data are widely used across EPA programs. For example, the National Partnership for Environmental
Priorities, an element of the Resource Conservation Challenge (RCC), uses TRI data to identify facilities
that may present pollution prevention opportunities. EPA also uses TRI data in the Risk Screening Environ-
mental Indicator (RSEI) tool, which provides users with additional understanding of chronic human health
and potential exposures associated with TRI chemicals.You can search for other EPA programs and tools that
utilize TRI data by visiting EPA's Web Site at www.epa.gov or from EPA's publication How are the Toxics
Release Inventory Data Used? at www.epa.gov/tri/guide_docs/2003_datausepaper.pdf.
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What are the limitations of the TRI data?
Users of TRI data should be aware that TRI data reflect disposal
or other releases and other waste management of chemicals, not
whether (or to what degree) the public has been exposed to
them. Both the toxicity of a chemical and exposure consider-
ations should be taken into account when using the data.
• TRI chemicals vary widely in toxicity, or their potential to
produce toxic effects. Some high-volume releases of less toxic
chemicals may appear to be more serious than lower-volume
releases of highly toxic chemicals, when just the opposite may
be true.
• The potential for exposure may be greater the longer the chemi-
cal remains unchanged in the environment. Sunlight, heat, or mi-
croorganisms may or may not decompose the chemical. Smaller re-
leases of a persistent, highly toxic chemical may create a more serious
problem than larger releases of a chemical that is rapidly converted to a less
toxic form.
For more detailed information on this subject refer to The Toxics Release Inventory (TRI)
and Factors to Consider When Using TRI Data document at www.epa.gov/tri/tridata.
What should I know about the different types of disposal or
other releases?
The TRI Program collects data on a number of different types of disposal or other releases, as well as on cer-
tain waste management and recycling practices. Disposal or other releases of chemicals into the environment
occur through a range of practices that may ultimately affect the potential for human exposure to the toxic
chemicals. Facility releases may include discharges to air, water, and land. Facilities limit contamination and
human exposure by disposing of or otherwise releasing waste in certain ways. For example:
• Disposal of harmful materials to Class I Underground Injection wells located in isolated formations be-
neath the lowermost underground source of drinking water, which limits potential for contamination;
and
• Disposal to landfills that are designed with liners, covers, leak-detection systems, and groundwater monitor-
ing systems also limit the potential for human exposure to the contents of the landfill.
Most disposal or other release practices are subject to a variety of regulatory requirements designed to limit
environmental harm. Please refer to the Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) and Factors to Consider When Using TRI
Data (www.epa.gov/tri/tridata) for more information on the differences of these data elements.
What should I know about persistent bioaccumulative toxic
(PBT) chemicals?
The TRI PBT chemicals include dioxin and dioxin-like compounds, lead and lead compounds, mercury and
mercury compounds, polycyclic aromatic compounds (PACs), poly chlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and certain
pesticides, among other chemicals. Starting in 2000, EPA established more stringent reporting thresholds
for persistent bioaccumulative toxic (PBT) chemicals originally on, or added to, the TRI chemical list. PBT
chemicals are of particular concern not only because they are toxic but also because they remain in the envi-
ronment for long periods of time, are not readily destroyed, and build up or accumulate in body tissue.
For more detailed information about the Agency's multimedia strategy for priority PBT chemicals, visit
EPA's Office of Prevention, Pesticides, and Toxic Substances web site at
www.epa.gov/opptintr/pbt/pbtstrat.htrn.
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What do TRI data show for
reporting year (RY) 2005?
For RY 2005, 23,461 facilities, including federal facilities, reported to
EPA's TRI Program. They reported 4.34 billion pounds of on-site and off-
site disposal or other releases of the almost 650 toxic chemicals, as shown in
Table 1. Almost 88% of the total was disposed of or otherwise released on-site;
12% was sent off-site for disposal or other releases. Metal mining facilities reported
27% and electric utilities reported 25% of the total in 2005, as shown in Figure 2.
Persistent bioaccumulative toxic (PBT) chemicals accounted for 477.4 million pounds or 11%
of reported on- and off-site disposal or other releases in 2005. Of that total, lead and lead
compounds accounted for 98% or 469.3 million pounds. Total disposal or other releases for
mercury and mercury compounds were 4.4 million pounds and, for dioxin and dioxin-like
compounds, they were 85,501 grams (189 pounds).
There were 179 known or suspected carcinogens on the TRI list for 2005. They accounted for
923.1 million pounds or 21% of reported on- and off-site disposal or other releases in 2005.
Of that total, lead and lead compounds accounted for 51% and arsenic and arsenic compounds
for 20%. Almost three-quarters (680.3 million pounds or 74%) were disposed of or otherwise
released to some form of on-site land disposal. Styrene air emissions were 45% of the total 112.7
million pounds of air emissions of carcinogens.
All federal facilities, whether operated by federal agencies or contractors, are required to report
to EPA'sTRI Program. For RY 2005, a total of 304 federal facilities submitted 1,025 forms and
reported 97.6 million pounds of total on- and off-site disposal or other releases and 230.7 million
pounds of production-related waste managed.
How did the TRI data change over time?
From 2004 to 2005, total disposal or other releases on- and off-site increased by 116.9 million
pounds or 3%. On-site disposal or other releases increased by 2%, while off-site disposal or other
releases increased by 5%.
Total production-related waste managed, which focuses on waste management practices rather
than ultimate disposition of a chemical, decreased by 3% over that same time period. Recycling
and energy recovery as well as on-site treatment decreased, while off-site treatment and the
quantity disposed of or otherwise released increased from 2004 to 2005.
Disposal or other releases of PBT chemicals increased by 5% in from 2004 to 2005, due to an
increase of 6% in disposal or other releases for lead and lead compounds. Without metal mining,
disposal or other releases of lead and lead compounds increased by 2%. Total disposal or other
releases of mercury and mercury compounds decreased by 9% from 2004 to 2005; air emissions
of mercury and its compounds decreased by 1%. Total disposal or other releases of dioxin and
dioxin-like compounds decreased by 23%.
Disposal or other releases of carcinogens increased by 9% or 72.4 million
pounds from 2004 to 2005, including an increase of 54% or 65.4 million
pounds in arsenic and arsenic compounds and a 6% or 26.3 million pounds
in lead and lead compounds. On-site land disposal increased by 13% (80.7
million pounds) while air emissions of carcinogens decreased by 7% (7.9
million pounds).
Federal facilities showed an overall increase in disposal or other releases of 9.2 million
pounds or 10% from 2004 to 2005.Total production-related waste managed at federal
facilities increased by 11.5 million pounds or 5%.
From 2001 to 2005, total production-related waste managed has decreased by 8%, as
shown in Figure 3.
Manufacturing facilities have been required to report to EPA's TRI Program since
1987. From 1988 to 2005, manufacturing facilities decreased their on- and off-site
disposal or other releases by 58% based on chemicals that have been consistently
reported since 1988.
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Toxics Release Inventory, 2005
23,461 m
TRI facilities
reported 4.34 billion
pounds of on-and
off-site disposal
or other releases
for RY 2005
Figure 2:2005 TRI Total Disposal or Other Releases
4.34 billion pounds
All Others 11%
Food 47.
Hazardous Waste/
Solvent Recovery 57.
Paper 57.
Primary Metals 117.
Metal Mining 277.
Electric Utilities 257.
Chemicals 127.
Note: Data are from TRI Form R, Section 5 (all parts) and
6.1 (metals and metal compounds only) and 6.2 (disposal
codes only and metals and metal compounds reported
under codes M40 and M61) as of March 2007.
What do TRI data show over a longer period of time?
Figure 3: Total Production-related Waste Managed, 2001-2005
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2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
] Disposed of or Otherwise Released On- and Off-site
] Treated On- and Off-site
- Number of Facilities
| Energy Recovery On- and Off-site
| Recycled On- and Off-site
Note: Data are fromTRI Form, Section 8, for year indicated. Data as of March 2007.This figure covers those years for which comparable data
on all currently listed TRI chemicals, including PBTs,are available. Tables encompassing a wider range of years include only those chemicals
for which data are comparable (i.e., the chemical must have been consistently reported for the entire time covered) and can be generated using
TRI Explorer.
From 2001-2005, total production-related
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waste managed decreased by 8°/ and number of facilities
reporting decreased by 91
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TABLE 1: TRION-SITE AND OFF-SITE DISPOSAL OR OTHER RELEASES, 2005
ON-SITE DISPOSAL OR OTHER RELEASES
POUNDS
PERCENT
Air
^H
Water
Underground Injection
Land
TOTAL ON-SITE DISPOSAL OR OTHER RELEASES
1,511,690,431
34.8
240.246.101
230.659.487
1,823,908,662
3,816,291,200
5.5
5.3
42.0
87.9
OFF-SITE DISPOSAL OR OTHER RELEASES
Underground Injection
Land
POTWs and Wastewater Treatment
Other
TOTAL OFF-SITE DISPOSAL OR OTHER RELEASES
13.160.198
489,649,640
8,052,273
22,096,959
0.3
11.3
0.2
0.5
532,959,071
12.3
TOTAL ON- AND OFF-SITE DISPOSAL OR OTHER RELEASES
4.339.463.751
100.0
Note: Data are from TRI Form, Sections 5 (all parts) and 6.1 (metals and metal compounds only) and 6.2 (disposal codes only and metals and metal compounds
reported under codes M40 and M61).Does not include transfers to disposal or other releases sent to otherTRI facilities that reported the amounts as on-site disposal
or other releases. Data as of March 2007.
These 23,461 facilities reported 25.1 billion pounds of TRI chemicals in total
production-related waste managed during 2005. Almost 36°/ was recycled, 34°/ was treated,
was disposed of or otherwise released on- and off-site, and 12% was used for
energy recovery, as shown in Table 2.
TABLE 2: PRODUCTION-RELATED WASTE MANAGED BY WASTE MANAGEMENT ACTIVITY, 2005
WASTE MANAGEMENT ACTIVITY
Quantity Recycled On- and Off-site
Quantity Treated On- and Off-site
Quantity Disposed of or Otherwise Released On- and Off-site
Quantity Used for Energy Recovery On- and Off-site
TOTAL PRODUCTION-RELATED WASTE MANAGED
Non-production-related Waste Managed
POUNDS
8,972,973,497
8,637,333,393
4,462,029,095
3.018.834.164
25,091,170,149
^^^^H
23,731,682
PERCENT
35.8
34.4
17.8
12.0
100.0
Note: Data are from TRI Form R, Section 8, as of March 2007. Quantity disposed of or otherwise released on- and off-site is different from total on- and off-site
disposal or other releases because the amounts in Table 1 do not include amounts sent off-site to other TRI facilities that report that amount disposed of or otherwise
released on-site. Also, the amounts in Table 1 may include amounts reported as non-production-related waste managed in this table. The numbers may also be different
due to the differences in reporting requirements for Section 5 and 6 and Section 8.
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What other information is available on the Public Data Release?
EPA has also developed an electronic report (eReport) for the 2005 Public Data Release. This report offers
detailed information on the 2005 Public Data release and is available on the TRI Web site. The eReport
includes:
• a summary of key findings which provides a detailed look at the 2005 data; and
• additional tables and charts which provide a look at the top chemicals, industries, and facilities for 2005.
To access this report and other information on the TRI the TRI Program, please visit our Web site at:
•www. epa. gov/tr i.
How can I access TRI data?
TRI Explorer: Its On-line! Its Easy! Its Your Right to Know!
TRI Explorer provides fast and easy access to the TRI data and can answer your questions about a chemical,
facility, geographic area, or industry sector. It also provides further details and breakdown on the type of
disposal or other releases reported. Find out what chemicals are released to the air by facilities in your state in
2005, what facilities reported in your zip code, or what progress has been made in reducing TRI chemicals
since 1988. TRI Explorer provides customized reports on these and many other topics from the TRI data.
Users ofTRI data can also customize maps of states or counties within a state to their preferences. Each report
can be quickly and easily sorted by total disposal or other releases, by fugitive air emissions, by surface water
discharges, by disposal to RCRA Subtitle C landfills, etc. Electronic state fact sheets with 2005 data are also
available for each state.Visit the TRI Explorer home page to begin creating your own report on TRI data at
www. epa. gov/tr iexplorer.
1 EPA TRI Explorer: Chemi
Customize reports,
research data
quickly and easily
from your own computer:
www.epa.gov/triexplorer
-•Back IT. tJ J d ^Search _Jj Favon
Address http://wwwepa.gov/triexplorer
. J J .
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
TRI Explorer
Chemical Report
Data Set
H Select 2004 Public Data Release data set (frozen
November 18, 2005 and released to the public March 29,
2006)
Date updates will be made available later
Gem
ate Report
Report colums to include 3]
H Total On-site Disposal or Other Releases
Details
H On-Site Disposal to Class I Wells, RCRA
Subtitle C Landfills, and Other On-Site Landfills
H Other On-Site Disposal or Other Releases
H Total Off-site Disposal or Other Releases
Details
H Off-Site Disposal to Underground Injection
Wells, RCRA Subtitle C Landfills, and Other Landfills
H Other Off-site Disposal or Other Releases
H Total On- and Off-Site Disposal or Other Releases
Where can I find contact information?
There are three other options for finding more detailed information:
• You can find out more information about the TRI program by contacting the toll-free Emergency
Planning and Community Right-to-Know (EPCRA) Call Center at 1-800-424-9346, or
• You can seek assistance in accessing and using TRI data by contacting the TRI User Support Service
202-566-0250 or e-mailing your questions to tri.us@epa.gov, or
• You can find your state or regional TRI coordinator by visiting EPA's TRI web site at www.epa.gov/tri.
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