TRI National Analysis 2013: Industry Sectors

www2.eDa.gov/toxics-release-inventorv-tri-Drogram/2013-tri-national-analvsis
Updated January 2015

Industry Sectors
Comparing Industry Sectors

Individual industry sectors reporting to TRI can vary
substantially in size, scope, and makeup, therefore,
the amounts and types of toxic chemicals generated
and managed by each differ greatly. Within a sector, however, the industrial processes,
products, and regulatory requirements are often similar, resulting in similar toxic chemical
use and waste generation. Therefore, it is useful to look at waste management trends within
a sector to identify potential emerging issues and opportunities for better waste
management practices.

This chapter examines which sectors contribute the most to production-related waste
managed and total disposal or other releases in 2013, and highlights several industry
sectors to show trends occurring over time within each. For analysis purposes, the TRI
program has combined 3- and 4-digit North American Industry Classification System (NAICS)
codes to create 26 distinct industry sector categories.

Production-related waste managed and releases by industry

SEPA

In This Chapter:

-Chemical Manufacturing

-	Metal Mining

-	Electric Utilities

-	Petroleum Refineries

Production-Related Waste by Industry, 2013
25.63 billion lb

This pie chart shows that 86% of production-related waste managed was reported from
seven industry sectors. More than 61% originated from three sectors: chemicals (42%),
primary metals (11%), and metal mining (8%).

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TRI National Analysis 2013: Industry Sectors

www2.eDa.gov/toxics-release-inventorv-tri-Drogram/2013-tri-national-analvsis
Updated January 2015

Total Disposal or Other Releases by Industry, 2013
4.14 billion lb

All Others: S*

Food/Beverages/l" '
H a za rd cu s W a ste Managemen

Paper: 556

Primarv Metals: 3%

Chemicals: 12%

Electric Utilities: 13%

This pie chart shows that 92% of total disposal or other releases of TRI chemicals originated
from seven of the 26 TRI industry sectors. Recall that disposal or other releases make up a
portion of production-related waste managed, so this chart shows a more in-depth look at
the 4.14 billion pounds of releases that are also one part of the 25.63 billion pounds of
production-related waste managed. More than two-thirds originated from just three industry
sectors: metal mining (47%), electric utilities (13%), and chemicals (12%). Both metal mining
and chemical sectors are in the top three for waste management and total releases.

Over time, the amounts and proportions of TRI chemicals managed including how released
have varied. For more details, see the production-related waste managed bv industry trend
graph and the releases bv industry trend graph.

Some sectors have reported a significant percentage decrease in production-related waste
managed and releases in recent years. For more information on these sectors and their
reported source reduction activities, see the industry sectors with largest percentage
decrease in releases graph and the types of source reduction activities graph.

It is also important to consider the influence that production and the economy have on
waste managed and releases. For more information, see the production-related waste
managed and value added bvthe manufacturing sector graph and the total releases and
value added bv the manufacturing sector graph.

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^ IP—ilP&« TRI National Analysis 2013: Industry Sectors

www2.epa.gov/toxics-release-inventorv-tri-program/2013-tri-national-analvsis
^^^¦1	Updated January 2015

Chemical Manufacturing

Chemical Manufacturing Facilities Reporting to TRI, 2013

Chemical manufacturers produce a variety of products, including basic chemicals, products
used by other manufacturers (such as synthetic fibers, plastics, and pigments), and
consumer products (such as paints, fertilizers, drugs, and cosmetics). In 2013, 3,454
chemical manufacturing facilities reported to TRI; more than any other sector. This sector
reported 42% of the TRI production-related waste managed; also more than any other
sector.

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4>EPA

TRI National Analysis 2013: Industry Sectors

www2.eDa.gov/toxics-release-inventorv-tri-Drogram/2013-tri-national-analvsis
Updated January 2015

Quick Facts for 2013
Chemical Manufacturing

Number of TRI Facilities: 3,454

Facilities Reporting Newly Implemented Source
Reduction Activities: 737
Production-Related Waste Managed: 10,819.1 million lb

¦Recycled:	4,375.0 million lb

¦	Energy Recovery:	1,557.4 million lb
¦Treated: 4,364.6 million lb

¦	Disposed of or Otherwise Released:

522.2 million lb
Total Disposal or Other Releases: 523.3 million lb

¦	On-site:	453.8 million lb

o Air:	177.9 million lb

o Water:	34.0 million lb

o Land:	241.9 million lb

¦	Off-site:	69.5 million lb

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4>EPA

TRI National Analysis 2013: Industry Sectors

www2.eDa.gov/toxics-release-inventorv-tri-Drogram/2013-tri-national-analvsis
Updated January 2015

Waste management by the chemical manufacturing sector

g 10,000

Q.

o 8,000

LO

C

J 6,000
S 4,000
2,000
0

Production-Related Waste Managed, 2003-2013
Chemical Manufacturing

Recycled
Energy Recovery
Treated

Disposed of or Otherwise Released
Production Index

100



80

60 .2

- 40

20

2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013

Year

This figure shows that production-related waste managed by the chemical manufacturing
sector decreased by 5% from 2003 to 2013, while production (represented by the black line
as reported by the Federal Reserve Board Industrial Production Index) fluctuated but
changed little overall. In 2013, 5% of the sector's waste was released, while the rest was
managed through treatment, energy recovery, and recycling. Quantities of waste released,
treated, or used in energy recovery have decreased since 2003, while the quantity of waste
recycled has increased. From 2012 to 2013, production-related waste managed increased
by 9%, primarily due to an increase in treatment and recycling.

Although the chemical manufacturing sector has consistently been the sector with the most
production-related waste managed, 21% of facilities in the sector initiated source reduction
activities in 2013 to reduce their toxic chemical use and waste generation. The most
commonly reported category of source reduction activities for the sector was good operating
practices, which includes improving maintenance scheduling, record keeping, and
procedures and changing production schedules to minimize equipment and feedstock
changes. For example, one facility reported adjusting its production schedule to increase the
batch size of zinc products, which reduced the frequency of vessel cleanouts. Other common
source reduction activities in the chemical manufacturing sector include process
modifications and spill and leak prevention. TRI's Pollution Prevention Search Tool can help
you learn more about pollution prevention opportunities in this sector.

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4>EPA

TRI National Analysis 2013: Industry Sectors

www2.eDa.gov/toxics-release-inventorv-tri-Drogram/2013-tri-national-analvsis
Updated January 2015

Releases by the chemical manufacturing sector

Total Disposal or Other Releases, 2003-2013
Chemical Manufacturing

o
a.

600

500

400

300

*8

| 200

I

100

i Off-site Disposal or Other Releases
i On-site Land Disposal
i On-site Surface Water Discharges
On-site Air Releases



2003 2004 2005 2006 2007

2008
Year

2009 2010 2011 2012 2013

As shown in this figure, total releases by the chemical manufacturing sector decreased by
9% from 2003 to 2013. This is primarily due to a reduction in air emissions. Water releases
have also declined since 2003, while on-site releases to land and off-site disposal have
increased slightly. Over the past four years, total releases remained fairly constant with only
an increase of 5 million pounds (+1%) from 2012 to 2013. The chemical manufacturing
sector had the third-largest quantity of total disposal or other releases in 2013.

For more information on how this sector and others can choose safer chemicals, visit
EPA's Design for the Environment Program pages for Alternatives Assessments and
the Safer Chemical Ingredients List.

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^ IP—ilP&« TRI National Analysis 2013: Industry Sectors

www2.epa.gov/toxics-release-inventorv-tri-program/2013-tri-national-analvsis
^^^¦1	Updated January 2015

Metal Mining

Metal Mines Reporting to TRI, 2013

The portion of the metal mining sector covered by TRI includes facilities mining for copper,
lead, zinc, silver, gold, and several other metals. In 2013, 88 metal mining facilities reported
to TRI and they tend to be in Western states where most of the copper, silver, and gold
mining occurs; however, zinc and lead mining tend to occur in Missouri, Tennessee, and
Alaska. Metals generated from U.S. mining operations are used in a wide range of products,
including automobiles and electrical and industrial equipment. The extraction and
beneficiation of these minerals generate large amounts of waste.

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4>EPA

TRI National Analysis 2013: Industry Sectors

www2.eDa.gov/toxics-release-inventorv-tri-Drogram/2013-tri-national-analvsis
Updated January 2015

Quick Facts for 2013
Metal Mining

Number of TRI Facilities: 88

Facilities Reporting Newly Implemented Source
Reduction Activities: 9
Production-Related Waste Managed: 1,863.4 million lb

¦	Recycled:	66.1 million lb

¦	Energy Recovery:	5 lb
¦Treated: 25.2 million lb

¦	Disposed of or Otherwise Released:

1,772.1 million lb
Total Disposal or Other Releases: 1,966.0 million lb

¦	On-site:	1,962.9 million lb

o Air:	2.9 million lb

o Water:	1.3 million lb

o Land:	1,958.7 million lb

¦	Off-site:	3.1 million lb

Note: The amounts disposed of or otherwise released under Production-Related Waste Managed exclude
releases due to catastrophic or other one-time events not related to normal production processes.

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SEPA

TRI National Analysis 2013: Industry Sectors

www2.epa.gov/toxics-release-inventorv-tri-program/2013-tri-national-analvsis
Updated January 2015

Waste management by metal mines

Production-Related Waste Managed, 2003-2013
Metal Mining

Recycled
Energy Recovery
Treated

Disposed of or Otherwise Released
Mine Production

2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013

Year

As shown in this figure, 95% of the metal mining sector's production-related waste managed
is disposed of or otherwise released. While metal mining production (as reported in the U.S
Geological Survey Mineral Commodities Surveys) has remained relatively steady from 2003
to 2013, as shown by the black line in the graph, the quantity of waste managed has
fluctuated. This indicates that factors other than production have contributed to the recent
changes in quantities of waste managed. One factor frequently cited by facilities is the
composition of the extracted ore and waste rock, which can vary substantially from year to
year. In some cases, small changes in the waste's composition can impact whether
chemicals in waste rock qualify for a concentration-based exemption. Large quantities of
toxic chemicals in waste rock may qualify for the exemption and not need to be reported in
one year, but not qualify for the exemption the next year or vice versa.

In the metal mining sector, 9 of the 88 facilities initiated source reduction activities in 2013
to reduce their toxic chemical use and waste generation. Toxic chemical quantities reported
by this sector are not especially amenable to source reduction, because they primarily
reflect the natural composition of the ore and waste rock. The most commonly reported
source reduction activity was improving maintenance scheduling, record keeping, or
procedures.

To learn more about this sector, visit ERA'S website on reducing pollution from mineral
processing operations.

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4>EPA

TRI National Analysis 2013: Industry Sectors

www2.eDa.gov/toxics-release-inventorv-tri-Drogram/2013-tri-national-analvsis
Updated January 2015

Releases by metal mines

o
a.

Total Disposal or Other Releases, 2003-2013
Metal Mining

2,500

2,000

1,500

= 1,000

500

Off-site Disposal or Other Releases
On-site Land Disposal
On-site Surface Water Discharges
On-site Air Releases

2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013

Year

The metal mining sector's total disposal or other releases reflect the high volume of
materials managed on-site at metal mines. As shown in this figure, more than 99% of the
sector's releases are on-site land disposal. On-site land disposal by metal mines has
fluctuated in recent years, decreasing significantly in 2012 and then increasing again in
2013. Several mines have reported that changes in production and changes in the chemical
composition of the deposit being mined are the primary cause of these fluctuations in the
amount of chemicals reported. Metal mining facilities typically handle large volumes of
material, and even a small change in the chemical composition of the deposit being mined
can lead to big changes in the amount of toxic chemicals reported nationally.

In 2013, the metal mining sector reported the largest quantity of total disposal or other
releases, accounting for 47% of the releases for all industries. It also represents almost
three quarters (71%) of the on-site land disposal for all sectors in 2013.

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SEPA

TRI National Analysis 2013: Industry Sectors

www2.epa.gov/toxics-release-inventorv-tri-program/2013-tri-national-analvsis
Updated January 2015

Electric Utilities



• *-1
* \



•

•

Electric Utilities Reporting to TRI, 2013

The electric utilities sector consists of establishments primarily engaged in generating,
transmitting, and distributing electric power. Electric-generating facilities use a variety of
fuels to generate electricity; however, only those that combust coal or oil to generate power
for distribution in commerce must report to TRI. There are 567 electric generating facilities.

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4>EPA

TRI National Analysis 2013: Industry Sectors

www2.eDa.gov/toxics-release-inventorv-tri-Drogram/2013-tri-national-analvsis
Updated January 2015

Quick Facts for 2013
Electric Utilities

Number of TRI Facilities: 567

Facilities Reporting Newly Implemented Source
Reduction Activities: 17
Production-Related Waste Managed: 1,705.6 million lb

¦Recycled:	7.3 million lb

¦	Energy Recovery:	38.9 million lb
¦Treated: 1,112.4 million lb

¦	Disposed of or Otherwise Released:

547.0 million lb
Total Disposal or Other Releases: 547.9 million lb

¦	On-site:	479.1 million lb

o Air:	197.9 million lb

o Water:	3.3 million lb

o Land:	277.8 million lb

¦	Off-site:	68.8 million lb

Waste management by electric utilities

2,500

2,000

o 1,500

Q.

O
c

.2 1,000

500

Production-Related Waste Managed, 2003-2013
Electric Utilities

Recycled
Energy Recovery
Treated

Disposed of or Otherwise Released
Electricity Generation

2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013

Year

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4>EPA

TRI National Analysis 2013: Industry Sectors

www2.eDa.gov/toxics-release-inventorv-tri-Drogram/2013-tri-national-analvsis
Updated January 2015

Production-related waste managed has decreased by 4% since 2003, while net electricity
generation (in terms of electricity generated using coal and oil fuels as reported by the U.S.
Department of Energy's Energy Information Administration), has decreased by 23%. The
recent production decrease is driven by the industry's transition to natural gas, which
exempts many electric utilities from TRI reporting. While the overall quantity of production-
related waste managed has not significantly changed, the ways in which the sector manages
this waste have changed considerably.

In 2013, approximately two-thirds of production-related waste managed was treated, while
approximately one-third was released. This is in contrast to 2003, when the opposite was
the case - almost two-thirds of the waste was released, and over one-third was treated. This
trend is in large part due to an increase in the number of scrubbers at electric utilities that
treat (or destroy) acid gases that would otherwise be on-site air releases. The releases per
gigawatt-hour (GWH) produced have dramatically decreased, offset by an increase in
quantities treated per gigawatt-hour produced.

In the electric utilities sector, only 3% of facilities initiated source reduction activities in
2013 to reduce their toxic chemical use and waste generation. (Note: Adding a scrubber
would not be considered a source reduction activity because it controls waste rather than
preventing waste generation.) The most commonly reported type of source reduction
activities for this sector was process modifications, which include activities such as
modifying equipment, layout, or piping. TRI's Pollution Prevention Search Tool can help you
learn more about pollution prevention opportunities in this sector.

Releases by electric utilities

Total Disposal or Other Releases, 2003-2013
Electric Utilities

1,200

1,000

o
a.

800

600

400

200

lilll

¦	Off-site Disposal or Other Releases

¦	On-site Land Disposal

¦	On-site Surface Water Discharges
~ On-site Air Releases

I

Ml

H

2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013

Year

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TRI National Analysis 2013: Industry Sectors

www2.eDa.gov/toxics-release-inventorv-tri-Drogram/2013-tri-national-analvsis
Updated January 2015

The electric utilities sector's releases decreased by 49% from 2003 to 2013. This decrease
is driven by a 73% decrease in on-site air releases from 2003 to 2013. Over this time
period, on-site land disposal and off-site disposal or other releases remained relatively
constant, while on-site surface water discharges increased by 13%. From 2012 to 2013,
releases by electric utilities increased by 5% (28 million pounds). This increase was primarily
driven by an increase in on-site land disposal.

This sector reported the second-largest total disposal or other releases of any industry
sector in TRI for 2013, including the largest on-site air emissions, which represented over
25% of air emissions from all industries.

SEPA

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TRI National Analysis 2013: Industry Sectors

www2.epa.gov/toxics-release-inventorv-tri-program/2013-tri-national-analvsis
Updated January 2015

Petroleum Refining

Petroleum Refineries Reporting to TRI, 2013

Petroleum refineries process crude oil and natural gas liquids to produce finished petroleum
products. The primary products of the industry fall into three major categories: fuels (e.g.,
gasoline, kerosene); finished non-fuel products (e.g., solvents, asphalt); and petrochemical
feedstocks (e.g., benzene, xylene). While there are only 151 facilities in this sector (0.7% of
all facilities), they report almost 7% of production-related waste managed. Refineries are
primarily concentrated near oil fields and ports, with the majority being along the Gulf Coast
and in the Midwestern states.

&EPA

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4>EPA

TRI National Analysis 2013: Industry Sectors

www2.eDa.gov/toxics-release-inventorv-tri-Drogram/2013-tri-national-analvsis
Updated January 2015

Quick Facts for 2013
Petroleum Refining

Number of TRI Facilities: 151

Facilities Reporting Newly Implemented Source
Reduction Activities: 17
Production-Related Waste Managed: 1,661.3 million lb

¦	Recycled:	147.8 million lb

¦	Energy Recovery:	411.4 million lb
¦Treated: 1,038.7 million lb

¦	Disposed of or Otherwise Released:

63.4 million lb
Total Disposal or Other Releases: 63.6 million lb

¦	On-site:	60.3 million lb

o Air:	35.5 million lb

o Water:	22.3 million lb

o Land:	2.4 million lb

¦	Off-site:	3.3 million lb

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4>EPA

TRI National Analysis 2013: Industry Sectors

www2.eDa.gov/toxics-release-inventorv-tri-Drogram/2013-tri-national-analvsis
Updated January 2015

Waste management by petroleum refineries

Production-Related Waste Managed, 2003-2013
Petroleum Refining

1,600
1,400
1,200
1,000
800
600
400
200

7,800
7,600
7,400
7,200 2

ID
CO

7,000 §
6,800 1
6,600
6,400
6,200

2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013

Year

Note: Hydrogen sulfide is excluded from the production-related waste trend figure because it was not
a TRI-reportable chemical until 2012.

This figure shows that production-related waste managed by the petroleum refining sector
has decreased by 17% from 2003 to 2012, while production (represented by the black line
as reported by the Federal Reserve Board Industrial Production Index) has also decreased,
but only by 5%. In 2013, 4% of the sector's waste was released, while the rest was
managed through treatment, energy recovery, and recycling. The quantity treated decreased
by 45% from 2003 to 2013 while the quantity used for energy recovery increased by 34%. In
2013, three chemicals accounted for two-thirds of the sector's waste — hydrogen sulfide
(40%), ammonia (18%), and ethylene (9%). Hydrogen sulfide is excluded from the
production-related waste trend figure because it was not a TRI-reportable chemical until
2012. The following figure shows quantities of hydrogen sulfide managed by the petroleum
refining sector in 2012 and 2013.

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4>EPA

TRI National Analysis 2013: Industry Sectors

www2.eDa.gov/toxics-release-inventorv-tri-Drogram/2013-tri-national-analvsis
Updated January 2015



1,600



1,400 -

Ui

•a

1,200

c



3
0

1,000

0.



"S

800

U)



O

600

I

400 -



200



0 -

Production-Related Waste Managed, 2012-2013
Petroleum Refining

I Recyled
Energy Recovery
Treated

i Disposed of or Otherwise Released

2012

2013

Hydrogen Sulfide

All Other Chemicals

This figure shows the quantity of hydrogen sulfide that the petroleum refining industry
reported to TRI in 2012 and 2013 compared to all other TRI chemicals reported by
refineries. Hydrogen sulfide is generated from the hydrotreating process that reacts the
sulfur compounds found in crude oil with hydrogen gas. The resulting hydrogen sulfide is
then typically converted into elemental sulfur using the Claus process. Thus, almost all
hydrogen sulfide is reported as treated.

From 2012 to 2013, when hydrogen sulfide is included, the industry's production-related
waste decreased by 31%, driven by a reduction in hydrogen sulfide waste reported, which
dropped from 1,483 million lb to 665 million lb. This reduction was primarily due to
decreased hydrogen sulfide reporting by a few facilities, although most facilities in the sector
reported much less hydrogen sulfide waste in 2013 than they did in 2012.

In 2013,11% of petroleum refineries initiated source reduction activities in 2013 to reduce
their toxic chemical use and waste generation. The most commonly reported source
reduction activities were good operating practices, process modifications, and spill and leak
prevention. For example, a petroleum refinery reported that it replaced two charge heaters
with one charge heater that uses an ultra-low nitrogen oxides burner and reduced the
benzene waste generated while increasing production. TRI's Pollution Prevention Search
Tool can help you learn more about pollution prevention opportunities in this sector.

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4>EPA

TRI National Analysis 2013: Industry Sectors

www2.eDa.gov/toxics-release-inventorv-tri-Drogram/2013-tri-national-analvsis
Updated January 2015

Releases by petroleum refineries

o
a.

Total Disposal or Other Releases, 2003-2013
Petroleum Refineries

80

70

60

50

¦5 40

= 30

20

10

Off-site Disposal or Other Releases
On-site Land Disposal
On-site Surface Water Discharges
On-site Air Releases

un-biie Air rteiedbGb

2003 2004 2005 2006 2007

2008
Year

2009 2010 2011 2012 2013

The petroleum refining sector's releases decreased by 11% from 2003 to 2013. This
decrease was driven by a decrease in on-site air releases from 2003 to 2013, although the
reduction is offset in part by increased water releases. From 2012 to 2013, both releases by
petroleum refineries and production levels remained relatively steady. The top chemicals
released were nitrate compounds (to water), and ammonia and sulfuric acid aerosols (to
air). Ammonia is generated from nitrogen compounds in crude oil from hydrotreatment or
catalytic cracking. Ammonia is destroyed in wastewater treatment operations, generating
nitrate compounds that are subsequently released in wastewater streams. Sulfuric acid is
generated by the reaction of water with sulfur compounds present in processed crude oil or
from fuel combustion.

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