TRI National Analysis 2018
www, epa. aov/trinationa lana lysis/
February 2020
Releases of Chemicals
Releases or disposal of chemical waste into the environment occur in several ways. Facilities
may release chemical waste into the air or water or dispose of it on land, per EPA regulatory
requirements. Facilities may also ship (transfer) wastes that contain TRI chemicals to an off-site
location for treatment or disposal. Release and disposal practices are subject to a variety of
regulatory requirements designed to minimize potential exposure or harm to human health and
the environment. To learn more about what EPA is doing to help limit the release of TRI
chemicals into the environment, see the EPA laws and regulations webpage.
Evaluating releases of TRI-listed chemicals can help identify potential concerns and gain a
better understanding of potential risks the releases may pose. This evaluation can also help
identify priorities and opportunities for government and communities to work with industry to
reduce chemical releases and potential associated risks. However, it is important to consider
that the quantity of releases is not necessarily an indicator of health impacts posed by the
chemicals. Human health risks resulting from exposure to TRI chemicals are determined by
many factors, as discussed further in the Hazard and Potential
Risk of TRI Chemicals section.
Many factors can affect trends in releases at facilities, including
production rates, management practices, the composition of raw
materials used, and the installation of control technologies.
As with any dataset, there are several factors to consider when
reading about or using the TRI data. Key factors associated with
data presented are summarized in the Introduction. For more
information see Factors to Consider When Using Toxics Release
Inventory Data. Also note that the list of TRI chemicals has
changed over the years. For comparability, trend graphs include
only those chemicals that were reportable for all years presented. Figures and text that focus
only on the year 2018 include all chemicals reportable for 2018, therefore, values for a 2018-
only analysis may differ slightly from results for 2018 in a trend analysis.
The following graph shows the total disposal or other releases of TRI chemicals (also referred
to as "total releases"), including on-site disposal to land, discharges to water, and releases to
air, and off-site transfers for disposal or release.
vvEPA
Helpful Concepts
What is a release?
In the context of TRI, a "release"
of a chemical generally refers to a
chemical that is emitted to the air,
discharged to water, or disposed
of in some type of land disposal
unit. The vast majority of TRI
releases occur in the course of
routine production operations at
the facility.
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oEPA
TRI National Analysis 2018
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February 2020
o
CL
o
to
c
o
5,000
Total Disposal or Other Releases
30
20
-i 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 r
2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018
Year
On-site Air Releases
i On-site Land Disposal
Reporting Facilities
i On-site Surface Water Discharges
Off-site Disposal or Other Releases
10 !S
Note: For comparability, trend graphs include only those chemicals that were reportable to TRI for all years presented.
From 2007 to 2018:
Total disposal or other releases of TRI chemicals decreased by 9%.
o Excluding the metal mining sector, releases decreased by 34%.
o Reduced hazardous air pollutant (HAP) emissions, such as hydrochloric acid.
from electric utilities were the most significant contributor to the decline, with
additional air emission reductions from the chemical and paper manufacturing
sectors.
Air releases decreased 56%, surface water discharges decreased 18%, and off-site
disposal decreased 22%.
The number of facilities reporting to the TRI Program declined by 8% overall, although
the count has remained relatively steady since 2010.
From 2017 to 2018:
Total disposal or other releases decreased by 3%.
o On-site land disposal decreased by 6%, which is the main driver for the decrease
in total releases. There was little change in on-site air releases or on-site surface
water discharges, while off-site disposal increased by 11%.
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TRI National Analysis 2018
www, epa. aov/trinationa lana lysis/
February 2020
Releases in 2018
Use the interactive chart below to explore how total releases of chemicals that occurred in 2018
are associated with different industry sectors, specific chemicals, and geographies. Visit the full
TRI National Analysis Olik dashboard to explore even more information about releases of
chemicals.
No selections applied
//
Wr Industry
Chemical
State/Territory
Total Disposal or Other Releases, 2018
3.80 billion pounds
Off-site Disposal or_
Other Releases:
11%
On-site Land Disposal:
63%
On-site Air Releases:
16%
On-site Surface Walter
Discharges:
5%
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February 2020
Releases by Chemical
Release quantities of 8 chemicals comprised 75% of total releases.
vvEPA
Total Disposal and Other Releases by Chemical, 2018
3.80 billion pounds
All Others:
25%
Lead:
22%
Ammonia:
4%
Arsenic:
5%
Manganese:
8%
Copper:
5% .
Barium:
Compounds:
Note: In this figure, metals are combined with their metal compounds, although metals and compounds of the same metal are
listed separately on the TRI list (e.g. lead is listed separately from lead compounds).
Percentages may not sum to 100% due to rounding.
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TRI National Analysis 2018
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February 2020
Releases by Industry
The metal mining sector accounted for 47% of releases (1.80 billion pounds), which were
primarily in the form of on-site land disposal. Learn more about this sector in the Metal Mining
profile.
Total Disposal or Other Releases by Industry, 2018
3.80 billion pounds
All Others: 9%
Food I
Manufacturing: 4%
Paper
Manufacturing: 4%
Hazardous Waste
Management: 4%
Primary Metals:
9%
Electric Utilities: .
9%
Chemical
Manufacturing
Metal Mining: 47%
14%
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Hazard and Potential Risk of TRI Chemicals
The data collected and made publicly available in the Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) on the
quantities of chemical waste released to the environment from industrial and federal facilities
throughout the US is measured in pounds. Pounds of releases, however, is not necessarily an
indicator of health impacts posed by the chemicals, as described in EPA's Factors to Consider
When Using Toxics Release Inventory Data. Although TRI data generally cannot indicate to
what extent individuals have been exposed to chemicals, TRI can be used as a starting point to
evaluate exposure and potential risks TRI chemicals pose to human health and the
environment.
The health risks resulting from exposure to chemicals are determined by many factors, as
shown in the figure below. TRI contains some of this information, including what chemicals are
released from industrial facilities; the amount of each chemical released; and the amounts
released to air, water, and land.
Overview of Factors that Influence Risk
TRI Air Inhalation Chemical Individual Exposed
Non-TRI Water Ingestion Concentration Timing of Exposure
Land Dermal Chemical Duration of Exposure
Properties
It is important to keep in mind that while TRI includes information on many chemicals used by
industry, it does not cover all facilities, all chemicals, or all
sources of TRI chemicals in communities. There are other
potential sources not tracked by TRI such as exhaust from
cars and trucks, chemicals in consumer products, and
chemical residues in food and water.
To provide context on the relative hazard and potential for
risks posed by certain waste management activities of TRI
chemicals (e.g., from releases to the environment), the TRI
Program uses EPA's Risk-Screening Environmental Indicators
fRSED model.
RSEI is a screening-level, multi-media model that incorporates TRI information together with
risk factor concepts to assess the potential chronic human health impacts of TRI chemicals.
vvEPA
Helpful Concepts
The hazard of a chemical is its
inherent ability to cause an adverse
health effect(s) (e.g., cancer, birth
defects).
The likelihood that a toxic chemical
will cause an adverse health effect
following its release into the
environment is often referred to as
risk. Risk is a function of hazard and
exposure.
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RSEI includes TRI data for on-site releases to air and water, transfers to Publicly Owned
Treatment Works (POTWs), and transfers for off-site incineration. RSEI does not currently
model other TRI-reported waste management activities and release pathways, such as those
associated with land disposal.
RSEI produces hazard estimates and unitless risk
"scores," which represent relative risks to human health
following chronic exposure to a TRI chemical. Each type
of result can be compared to other results of the same
type.
RSEI hazard estimates consist of the pounds
released multiplied by the chemical's toxicity
weight. They do not include any exposure
modeling or population estimates.
A RSEI risk score is an estimate of potential risk
to human health. It is a unitless value that accounts for the magnitude of the release
quantity of a chemical, the fate and transport of the chemical throughout the
environment, the size and locations of potentially exposed populations, and the
chemical's inherent toxicity.
Note that RSEI is not a stand-alone source of information for making conclusions or decisions
about the risks posed by any particular facility or environmental release of a TRI chemical. RSEI
does not produce a formal risk assessment, and RSEI results should not be used to determine
whether a facility is in compliance with federal or state regulations. RSEI results should only be
used for screening-level activities such as trend analyses that compare potential relative risks
from year to year, or ranking and prioritizing chemicals, industry sectors, or geographic regions
for strategic planning. RSEI can be used, however, in conjunction with other data sources and
information, to help policy makers, researchers, and communities establish priorities for further
investigation and to look at changes in potential human health impacts over time.
vvEPA
RSEI: Risk-Screening
Environmental Indicators
RSEI results consider more than just
chemical quantities released.
RSEI hazard results also
consider:
o Toxicity of the chemical
RSEI scores also consider:
o Location of releases
o Toxicity of the chemical
o Environmental fate and
transport
o Human exposure pathway
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Hazard Trend
RSEI hazard estimates provide greater insight on the potential impacts of TRI chemical releases
than consideration of TRI release quantities alone. RSEI hazard considers the amounts of
chemicals released on site to air and water by TRI facilities or transferred off site to Publicly
Owned Treatment Works (POTWs) or incinerators, multiplied by the toxicity weight of the
chemicals. The following graph shows the trend in RSEI hazard compared to the trend in the
corresponding pounds of TRI chemical releases.
vvEPA
RSEI Hazard and Corresponding Releases
ฃ
O
35
30
25
= 20
I
H
i15
ru
N
CD
X 10
5
0
2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018
Year
2,500
2,000
ฃ
O
1,500 =
1,000 1
o
Q.
500
Air Releases (Hazard) Water Releases (Hazard) Transfers to POTWs (Hazard)
I Off-site Incineration (Hazard)^^ปMillions of Pounds Released
Note: For comparability, trend graphs include only those chemicals that were reportable to TRI for all years presented.
From 2007 to 2018:
The overall RSEI hazard estimate decreased by 58%, while corresponding pounds
released decreased by 41%. Thus, in recent years, TRI-reporting facilities are not only
releasing fewer pounds of TRI chemicals, they may be releasing proportionally fewer
pounds of the more toxic TRI chemicals relative to the less toxic TRI chemicals.
The decrease in the hazard estimate from 2008 to 2009 was driven by a large decrease
in chromium releases to air from three facilities.
The increase in the hazard estimate from 2017 to 2018 was driven by large fugitive air
releases of chromium at one facility and large off-site transfers to incineration of
hydrazine and nitroglycerin by two other facilities.
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Risk-Screening Trend
EPA's RSEI model also estimates risk "scores" that represent relative human health risk from
chronic exposure to TRI chemicals. These risk scores can be compared to RSEI-generated risk
scores from other years. RSEI scores are different from RSEI hazard estimates in that RSEI
scores consider the location of the release, chemical fate and transport throughout the
environment, and the route and extent of potential human exposure. The following graph
shows the trend in the RSEI score compared to the trend in the corresponding pounds of TRI
chemical releases.
vvEPA
1,200
1,000
ฃ 800
o
600
o
& 400
RSEI Score and Corresponding Releases
2,500
2,000
ฃ
O
200
1,500 =
1,000 I
o
Q.
500
2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018
Year
Air Releases (Score) Water Releases (Score) Transfers to POTWs (Score)
I Off-site Incineration (Score) ^^^Millions of Pounds Released
Note: For comparability, trend graphs include only those chemicals that were reportable to TRI for all years presented.
From 2007 to 2018:
The overall RSEI score estimate decreased by 36%, while corresponding pounds
released decreased by 41%.
Of the types of releases modeled by RSEI, air releases, by far, contributed the most to
the RSEI scores.
The increase in RSEI score from 2017 to 2018 was driven by increases in reported
fugitive air emissions of chromium and chromium compounds from two facilities located
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February 2020
in Houston, Texas and Ocala, Florida, as well as a facility that reported a large stack air
release of ethylene oxide for the first time in Jacksonville, Florida.
vvEPA
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RSEI Dashboard
Use the EPA's Risk-Screening Environmental Indicators fRSED EasvRSEI dashboard to
view the national trend in RSEI hazard and RSEI score, or use the Dashboard's filter
capabilities to view RSEI information for a specific chemical or location of interest.
vvEPA
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TRI National Analysis 2018
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February 2020
Air Releases
Air emissions reported to TRI continue to decline, serving as a primary driver of decreased total
releases. Air releases include both fugitive air emissions and stack air emissions. This graph
shows the trend in the pounds of chemicals released to air. Air emissions are regulated by EPA
under the Clean Air Act.
Air Releases (Pounds Released) ฎ Pounds Released
o RSEI Score
ฆ Fugitive Air Emissions ฆ Stack Air Emissions
(0
T3
O
Q.
O
(0
1,600
1,400
1,200
1,000
800
600
400
200
II
ฆ ฆ ฆ
II
ฆ ฆ
II
ฆ ฆ
111
ฆ ฆ ฆ
2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018
Year
Note: For comparability, trend graphs include only those chemicals that were reportable to TRI for all years presented.
From 2007 to 2018:
Air releases declined significantly, serving as a primary driver of decreases in total
releases.
Air releases decreased by 56% (755 million pounds).
o Hydrochloric acid, sulfuric acid, hvdroaen fluoride, methanol, toluene, and
stvrene were the chemicals with the greatest reductions in air releases since
2007.
o The decrease was driven by electric utilities due to: decreased emissions of
Hazardous Air Pollutants (HAPs) such as hydrochloric acid; a shift from coal to
other fuel sources (e.g., natural gas); and the installation of control technologies
at coal-fired power plants.
o Electric utilities accounted for 93% of nationwide reductions in air releases of
hydrochloric acid and sulfuric acid from 2007 to 2018.
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TRI National Analysis 2018
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February 2020
ฆ Note that only those electric utilities that combust coal or oil to generate
power for distribution into commerce are covered under TRI reporting
requirements. Therefore, electric utilities that shift from combusting coal
or oil to entirely using other fuel sources (such as natural gas) no longer
report to TRI.
Air releases of Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) carcinogens also
decreased; see the Air Releases of OSHA Carcinogens figure.
For trends in air releases of other chemicals of special concern, including lead
and mercury, see the Chemicals of Special Concern section.
Air releases are regulated by EPA under the Clean Air Act, which requires major sources
of air pollutants to obtain and comply with an operating permit.
In 2018:
Ammonia, followed by methanol, accounted for the greatest air releases of TRI
chemicals.
Air releases decreased by less than one percent since 2017.
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TRI National Analysis 2018
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February 2020
This graph shows the trend in the RSEI Scores for TRI air releases.
Air Releases (RSEI Score)
1,200
1,000
O 800
a; 600
o
o
to
tO
DC
400
200
Fugitive Air Releases
] Stack Air Releases
III
2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018
Year
Note: For comparability, trend graphs include only those chemicals that were reportable to TRI for all years presented.
The top chemicals by RSEI score for air releases were chromium and ethylene oxide.
The increase in RSEI score from 2017 to 2018 was driven by increases in reported
fugitive air emissions of chromium and chromium compounds from two facilities located
in Houston, Texas and Ocala, Florida, as well as a facility that reported a large stack air
release of ethylene oxide for the first time in Jacksonville, Florida.
Stack air releases tend to contribute relatively less to the RSEI score than fugitive air
releases. This is because chemicals released through stacks tend to get dispersed over a
wider area than fugitive air releases, resulting in lower average concentrations, and
therewith, lower potential for population exposure.
For a complete, step-by-step description of how RSEI models air releases and derives
RSEI Scores from stack air emissions and fugitive air emissions, see "Section 5.3
Modeling Air Releases" in Chapter 5 ("Exposure and Population Modeling") of EPA's Risk-
Screening Environmental Indicators fRSED Methodology. RSEI Version 2.3.6.
For general information on how RSEI Scores are estimated, see Hazard and Potential
Risk of TRI Chemicals.
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Air Releases by Chemical
This pie chart shows which TRI chemicals were released to air in the greatest quantities during
2018.
On-site Air Releases by Chemical, 2018
602.02 million pounds Ammonia:
/ 20%
Note: Percentages may not sum to 100% due to rounding.
Facilities manufacturing nitrogen fertilizers accounted for about one third of the air
releases of ammonia reported to TRI for the past five years.
Air releases of methanol were primarily from pulp, paper, and paperboard mills and have
decreased by 24% since 2007.
Air releases of n-hexane were primarily from food manufacturing facilities. Air releases
of n-hexane have increased by 10% since 2007.
Thirty-three percent of hydrochloric acid and 78% of sulfuric acid emissions to air were
reported by facilities in the electric utilities sector. Air releases of these two chemicals
reported to TRI have decreased considerably since 2007. One reason for the decrease in
air releases of these chemicals reported to TRI is the increase in the use of natural gas
vvEPA
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February 2020
as a fuel for electricity generation. Natural gas power plants are not required to report
to TRI.
Air Releases by Industry
This pie chart shows the TRI-covered industry sectors that reported the greatest releases of TRI
chemicals to air during 2018.
vvEPA
Primary Metals
5%
Plastics and
Rubber
5%
Petroleum
Product
Manufacturing
7%
Air Releases by Industry, 2018
602.02 million pounds
All Others
16%
Chemical
Manufacturing
25%
Food
Manufacturing
Paper
Manufacturing
21%
Electric Utilities
14%
Chemical manufacturing, paper manufacturing, and the electric utility sectors accounted
for the greatest releases to air in 2018. Air releases in these three industries each
changed by less than 1% since 2017:
o Chemical manufacturing: 652,000 pound decrease
o Paper manufacturing: 423,000 pound increase
o Electric utilities: 336,000 pound decrease
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Water Releases
Facilities are required to report the quantity of Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) chemicals they
release to receiving streams or other water bodies. Surface water discharges are often
regulated by other programs and require permits such as the Clean Water Act National Pollutant
Discharge Elimination System CNRDESI permits. The following graph shows the trend in the
pounds of TRI chemical waste discharged to water bodies.
vvEPA
Surface Water Discharges (ง)Pounds Released
2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018
Year
Note: For comparability, trend graphs include only those chemicals that were reportable to TRI for all years presented.
From 2007 to 2018:
Surface water discharges decreased by 18% (44 million pounds). Most of this decline
was due to reduced releases of nitrate compounds to water.
o Nitrate compounds are often formed as byproducts during wastewater treatment
processes such as when nitric acid is neutralized, or when nitrification takes
place to meet standards under EPA's effluent guidelines. Nitrate compounds are
released to water in quantities that are larger than any other TRI chemical
released to water.
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In 2018:
Nitrate compounds alone accounted for 89% of the total quantity of all TRI chemicals
discharged to surface waters.
vvEPA
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The following graph shows the trend in the RSEI Scores for TRI chemicals released to water
bodies.
Surface Water Discharges (RSEI Score) fj pounds Released
2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018
Year
The biggest contributor to RSEI water scores from 2007 to 2018 was arsenic
compounds. For 2018, the largest contributor to RSEI water scores was mercury
compounds.
The increase in the RSEI score from 2017 to 2018 was due to an overall increase in
surface water discharges of TRI chemicals, and also large releases to water of mercury
from the Chemours Starke facility in Starke, Florida. fClick to view facility details in the
P2 tooll
The high RSEI score for water discharges in 2008 includes a large one-time release of
arsenic compounds due to a coal fly ash slurry spill, and a release of benzidine, which
has a relatively high toxicity.
For a complete, step-by-step description of how RSEI derives RSEI Scores from surface
water discharges of TRI chemicals see "Section 5.4 Modeling Surface Water Releases" in
Chapter 5 ("Exposure and Population Modeling") of EPA's Risk-Screening Environmental
Indicators fRSED Methodology. RSEI Version 2.3.6.
vvEPA
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For general information on how RSEI Scores are estimated, see Hazard and Potential
Risk of TRI Chemicals.
vvEPA
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Water Releases by Chemical
This pie chart shows which TRI-listed chemicals were released to water bodies in the greatest
quantities during 2018.
vvEPA
Water Releases by Chemical, 2018
195.31 million pounds
21%
22%
All Others
Sodium Nitrite
Manganese
Nitric Acid
ฆ Ammonia
Zinc
Methanol
Note: In this chart, metals are combined with their metal compounds, although metals and compounds of the
same metal are listed separately on the TRI list (e.g. lead is listed separately from lead compounds).
Nitrate compounds accounted for 89% of the total quantity of TRI chemicals released to
water in 2018. Nitrate compounds are soluble in water and commonly formed as part of
facilities' on-site wastewater treatment processes. The food manufacturing sector
contributed 40% of total nitrate compound releases to water, due to the treatment
required for large quantities of biological materials in wastewaters from meat processing
facilities.
o While nitrate compounds are less toxic to humans than many other TRI
chemicals, in nitrogen-limited waters, nitrates have the potential to cause
increased algal growth leading to eutrophication in the aquatic environment. See
EPA's Nutrient Pollution webpaae for more information about the issue of
eutrophication.
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Manganese and manganese compounds, ammonia, and methanol were the next most
commonly released chemicals, and, in terms of combined mass quantities, accounted for
6% of the chemicals released to water.
vvEPA
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Water Releases by Industry
This pie chart shows the TRI-covered industry sectors that reported the greatest releases of TRI
chemicals to water bodies during 2018.
vvEPA
Water Releases by Industry, 2018
195.31 million pounds
All Others: 12%
Paper
Manufacturing 9%
Primary Metals: 13%
Chemical
Manufacturing 14%
Food Manufacturing
36%
V Petroleum Product
Manufacturing 16%
The food manufacturing sector accounted for 36% of the total quantities of TRI
chemicals released to water during 2018, which was similar to its contribution over the
past 10 years.
o Nitrate compounds accounted for 99% of the total quantities of TRI chemicals
released to water from the food manufacturing sector. Nitrate compounds are
relatively less toxic to humans than many other TRI chemicals discharged to
surface waters but are formed in large quantities by this sector during
wastewater treatment processes due to the high biological content of
wastewater.
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Land Disposal
This graph shows the trend in chemicals reported to TRI as disposed of to land. The metal
mining sector accounts for most of the TRI chemical quantities disposed of to land. Disposal of
chemicals to land is often regulated by EPA under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act
fRCRA\
vvEPA
3,000
ฆS 2,000
c
3
O
O.
c
.9 1,000
On-site Land Disposal
@) Land Disposal, All Sectors
Land Disposal, Excluding Metal Mining
2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018
Year
ฆ All Other Land Disposal ฆ RCRA Subtitle C Disposal ฆ Underground Injection
Note: For comparability, trend graphs include only those chemicals that were reportable to TRI for all years presented.
From 2007 to 2018:
On-site land disposal increased by 28% (from 2.0 to 2.6 billion pounds).
Recent fluctuations were primarily due to changes in TRI chemical quantities disposed of
to land on site by metal mines.
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"All Other Land Disposal" in the figure includes
disposal: in landfills and surface impoundments that
are not regulated under RCRA Subtitle C; to soil (land
treatment/application farming); and any other land
disposal. Most of the TRI chemical quantities
reported as "other land disposal" were from the
disposal of waste rock at metal mines.
In 2018:
Land disposal trends are largely driven by the metal
mining sector, which accounted for 70% of land
disposal quantities. Select the "Land Disposal,
Excluding Metal Mining" button to view the land
disposal trend with metal mines excluded from the
analysis.
o Most of the land disposal quantities from the
metal mining sector were made up of either lead compounds (44%) or zinc
compounds (26%).
Metal mining facilities typically handle large volumes of material. In this sector, even a small
change in the chemical composition of the mineral deposit being mined can lead to big changes
in the amount of TRI-listed chemicals reported. In recent years mines have cited changes in
production of waste rock, changes in the chemical composition of waste rock, and the closure
of a heap leach pad as the primary reasons for the reported variability in land disposal of TRI
chemicals. Changes in waste rock composition can have an especially pronounced effect on TRI
reporting because of a regulatory exemption that applies based on a chemical's concentration in
the rock, regardless of total chemical quantities generated.
Regulations require that waste rock, which contains contaminants, be placed in engineered
piles, and may also require that waste rock piles, tailings impoundments, and heap leach pads
be stabilized and re-vegetated to provide for productive post-mining land use.
For more information on the mining industry, see the Metal Mining sector profile.
vvEPA
Helpful Concepts
What is underground injection?
Underground injection involves placing fluids
underground in porous formations through
wells.
What is RCRA Subtitle C disposal?
The RCRA Subtitle C Disposal category in TRI
includes disposal to landfills and surface
impoundments authorized to accept
hazardous waste under the Resource
Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA). RCRA
design standards include a double liner, a
leachate collection and removal system, and a
leak detection system. Operators must also
comply with RCRA inspection, monitoring, and
release response requirements.
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1,000
800
T3
C
3
q? 600
<4-
O
c
o
= 400
200
0
Note: For comparability, trend graphs include only those chemicals that were reportable to TRI for all years presented.
From 2007 to 2018:
Total on-site land disposal for all industries other than metal mining decreased by 11%.
The decrease in land disposal for industries other than metal mining was driven by
reduced releases to land from electric utilities and hazardous waste management
facilities.
In 2018:
Excluding on-site land disposal by metal mines, the chemicals disposed of to land in the
largest quantities were: barium and barium compounds (18%), manganese and
manganese compounds (12%), and zinc and zinc compounds (10%).
Excluding on-site land disposal by metal mines, most land disposal was reported by the
chemical manufacturing, electric utilities, hazardous waste management, and primary
metals sectors.
vvEPA
_ _ , , (jfi Land Disposal, All Sectors
On-site Land Disposal Excluding Metal Mines
(_) Land Disposal, Excluding Metal Mining
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018
Year
ฆ All Other Land Disposal ฆ RCRA Subtitle C Disposal ฆ Underground Injection
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TRI National Analysis 2018
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February 2020
Land Disposal by Chemical
This pie chart shows the chemicals disposed of to land on site in the greatest quantities during
2018.
On-Site Land Disposal by Chemical, 2018 ฎLand DisPosal'A"Sector5
2.57 billion pounds O Land Disposal, Excluding Metal Mining
vvEPA
Note: In this chart, metals are combined with their metal compounds, although metals and compounds of the
same metal are listed separately on the TRI list (e.g. lead is listed separately from lead compounds). Percentages
may not sum to 100% due to rounding.
The metal mining sector alone was responsible for 95% of the lead and lead compounds and
86% of the zinc and zinc compounds disposed of to land in 2018. Annual fluctuations occur in
land disposal quantities reported by metal mines because even a small change in the chemical
composition of the mineral deposit being mined can lead to big changes in the amount of TRI-
listed chemicals reported nationally.
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oEPA
TRI National Analysis 2018
www, epa. aov/trinationa lana lysis/
February 2020
On-Site Land Disposal Excluding Metal Mining, by
Chemical Q Larid Disposal, All Sectors
778 million pounds ^ DjSp0sa| Excluding Metal Mining
All Others:
33%
Ammonia
4%
Asbestos
4%
Barium:
18%
Manganese:
12%
Lead:/ Nitrate Copper:
5% Compounds 7%
7%
Note: In this chart, metals are combined with their metal compounds, although metals and compounds of the
same metal are listed separately on the TRI list (e.g. lead is listed separately from lead compounds).
From 2007 to 2018:
Barium: Releases decreased 27%.
Manganese: Releases decreased 17%.
Zinc: Releases decreased 47%.
In 2018:
When the metal mining sector is excluded, a wider variety of chemicals contribute to
most of the land releases. Eight different chemicals, for example, comprised 67% of
land releases, as opposed to three chemicals comprising a comparable 63% of releases
when metal mining is included.
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TRI National Analysis 2018
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February 2020
Land Disposal by Industry
This pie chart shows the TRI-covered industry sectors that reported the greatest quantities of
TRI chemicals disposed of to land on site during 2018.
vvEPA
On-site Land Disposal by Industry, 2018
2.57 billion pounds
Chemical
The metal mining sector accounted for most of the TRI chemicals disposed of to land in
2018, mostly due to chemicals contained in waste rock.
The relative contribution by each industry sector to on-site land disposal has not
changed considerably in recent years.
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v>EPA
TRI National Analysis 2018
www, epa. aov/trinationa lana lysis/
February 2020
Chemicals of Special Concern
In this section, we take a closer look at some Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) chemicals that are
of special concern: 1) persistent, bioaccumulative, and toxic (PBT) chemicals; and 2) known or
suspected human carcinogens.
Chemicals designated as PBTs are toxic and remain in the environment for a long time where
they tend to build up in the tissue of organisms throughout the food web. These organisms
serve as food sources for other organisms, including humans, that are sensitive to the toxic
effects of PBT chemicals.
Reporting requirements for the 16 chemicals and 5 chemical categories designated as PBTs on
the TRI chemical list for Reporting Year 2018 are more stringent than for other TRI chemicals.
This section focuses on the following PBT chemicals: lead and lead compounds: mercury and
mercury compounds: and dioxin and dioxin-like compounds.
There are also chemicals included on the TRI chemical list that the Occupational Safety and
Health Administration (OSHA) includes on its list of carcinogens. These chemicals also have
more stringent TRI reporting requirements. This section presents the trend in air emissions for
the OSHA carcinogens reported to TRI. A list of these chemicals can be found on the TRI basis
of OSHA carcinogens webpaae.
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oEPA
TRI National Analysis 2018
www, epa. aov/trinationa lana lysis/
February 2020
Lead Releases Trend
This graph shows the trend in the pounds of lead and lead compounds disposed of or otherwise
released by TRI reporting facilities including metal mines, manufacturing facilities, hazardous
waste management facilities and electric utilities.
V)
T3
C
3
O
O.
V)
c
o
1,250
1,000
Total Disposal or Other Releases of
Lead and Lead Compounds
(ง) All Sectors
0 Excluding Metal Mining
750
500
250
2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018
Year
On-Site Air Releases ฆ On-site Surface Water Discharges
i On-site Land Disposal ฆ Off-site Disposal or Other Releases
From 2007 to 2018:
Releases of lead and lead compounds rose and fell between 2007 and 2018, with an
overall increase of 71%.
The metal mining sector accounts for most of the lead and lead compounds disposed of
on site to land, driving the overall trend. For 2018, for example, metal mines reported
95% of total lead and lead compounds disposed of to land on site.
From 2017 to 2018:
Total releases of lead and lead compounds decreased by 12% (121 million pounds).
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oEPA
TRI National Analysis 2018
www, epa. aov/trinationa lana lysis/
February 2020
This graph shows the trend in lead and lead compounds disposed of or otherwise released, but
excludes quantities reported by the metal mining sector.
Total Disposal or Other Releases of
Lead and Lead Compounds, Excluding Metal Mining
O All Sectors
(ฃ) Excluding Metal Mining
2007 2008 2009 2010 2011
2012 2013
Year
2014 2015 2016 2017 2018
On-Site Air Releases
I On-site Land Disposal
i On-site Surface Water Discharges
Off-site Disposal or Other Releases
From 2007 to 2018:
Among sectors other than metal mining, releases of lead and lead compounds have
decreased by 21% (14.5 million pounds).
Among sectors other than metal mining, most releases of lead and lead compounds
were from the primary metals and hazardous waste management sectors.
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TRI National Analysis 2018
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February 2020
Lead Air Releases Trend
This graph shows the trend in the pounds of lead and lead compounds released to air.
vvEPA
Air Releases of Lead
and Lead Compounds
Inn
2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018
Year
Fugitive Air Emissions ฆ Stack Air Emissions
From 2007 to 2018:
Air releases of lead and lead compounds decreased by 61%. The primary metals and
electric utilities industry sectors have driven this decrease.
The primary metals sector, which includes iron and steel manufacturers and smelting
operations, reported the greatest quantities of releases of lead and lead compounds to
air.
From 2017 to 2018:
Air releases of lead and lead compounds increased by 10%. This is largely due to a
single facility in the primary metals sector. The facility attributed its increase in reported
air releases of lead for 2018 to higher throughput and updated emission factors.
In 2018, 44% of air releases of lead were from the primary metals industry sector.
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TRI National Analysis 2018
www, epa. aov/trinationa lana lysis/
February 2020
Mercury Air Releases Trend
This graph shows the trend in the pounds of mercury and mercury compounds released to air
by TRI reporting facilities.
Air Releases of Mercury and Mercury Compounds
175
150
2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018
Year
Fugitive Air Emissions ฆ Stack Air Emissions
From 2007 to 2018:
Releases of mercury and mercury compounds to air decreased by 71%.
Electric utilities drove the decline in mercury air emissions, with a 90% reduction
(84,000 pounds).
From 2017 to 2018:
Air releases of mercury and mercury compounds decreased by 6%.
The primary metals sector, which includes iron and steel manufacturers and smelting
operations, accounted for 35% of the air emissions of mercury and mercury compounds
reported to TRI for 2017 and 2018.
vvEPA
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TRI National Analysis 2018
www, epa. aov/trinationa lana lysis/
February 2020
Dioxins Releases Trend
This graph shows the trend in the grams of dioxin and dioxin-like compounds disposed of or
otherwise released by TRI-reporting facilities from 2010 to 2018. Note that the dioxins chemical
category is reported to TRI in grams while all other TRI chemicals are reported in pounds. The
TRI reporting requirements for dioxin and dioxin-like compounds changed in reporting year
2010, so for a consistent presentation this graph starts with 2010.
vvEPA
120,000
80,000
u
E
re
u
40,000
Total Disposal or Other Releases, Dioxin
and Dioxin-like Compounds
11 h 11111
2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018
Year
On-Site Air Releases ฆ On-site Surface Water Discharges
i On-site Land Disposal i Total Off-site Disposal or Other Releases
Dioxin and dioxin-like compounds ("dioxins") are persistent, bioaccumulative, and toxic
chemicals (PBTs) characterized by EPA as probable human carcinogens. Dioxins are the
byproducts of many forms of combustion and several industrial chemical processes.
From 2010 to 2018:
Dioxin releases increased by 136%. This increase was largely driven by three facilities
which together released over 400,000 grams of dioxins between 2010 and 2018,
accounting for 66% of all dioxin releases reported during that time.
o Increases in off-site releases of dioxins were largely driven by two facilities, both
basic organic chemical manufacturing facilities.
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TRI National Analysis 2018
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February 2020
From 2017 to 2018:
Releases of dioxins increased by 17%.
o Off-site disposal or other releases increased by 73% and were largely driven by
one basic organic chemical manufacturing facility which reported 35,000 grams
released in 2018. In comparison, this facility reported releasing fewer than 6,000
grams annually between 2010 and 2018.
In 2018, most (68%) of the quantity released was disposed or otherwise released off
site.
vvEPA
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v>EPA
TRI National Analysis 2018
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February 2020
Dioxins Releases by Industry
TRI also requires facilities to report data on 17 types, or congeners, of dioxin. These congeners
have a wide range of toxic potencies. The mix of dioxins from one source can have a very
different level of toxicity than the same total amount, but different mix, from another source.
These varying toxic potencies can be taken into account using Toxic Equivalency Factors
(TEFs), which are based on each congener's toxic potency. EPA multiplies the total grams of
each congener reported by facilities by the associated TEF to obtain a toxicity weight and sums
all congeners for a total of grams in toxicity equivalents (grams-TEQ). Analyzing dioxins in
grams-TEQ is useful when comparing disposal or other releases of dioxin from different sources
or different time periods, where the mix of congeners may vary.
The following two pie charts show: 1) the TRI-covered industry sectors that reported the
greatest releases of dioxin and dioxin-like compounds in grams, compared to 2) the industry
sectors that reported the greatest releases of grams in toxicity equivalents (grams-TEQ). Note
that only those TRI reports that included the congener detail for calculating grams-TEQ are
included in these charts.
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kvEPA
TRI National Analysis 2018
www, epa. aov/trinationa lana lysis/
February 2020
Releases of Dioxin and Dioxin-Like Compounds
by Industry, 2018
All others: Grams
2%
Hazardous Waste
Management:
3%
Primary Metals:
20%
Chemical
Manufacturing:
75%
Grams-TEQ
Hazardous Waste
Management:
2%
All Others:
4%
Paper
Manufacturing:
4%
Chemical
Manufacturing:
26%
Primary Metals:
64%
Various industry sectors may dispose of or otherwise release very different mixes
of dioxin congeners,
The chemical manufacturing industry accounted for 75% and the primary metals sector
for 20% of total grams of dioxins released.
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TRI National Analysis 2018
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February 2020
However, when TEFs are applied, the primary metals sector accounted for 64% and the
chemical manufacturing sector for 26% of the total grams-TEQ released.
vvEPA
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TRI National Analysis 2018
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February 2020
Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Carcinogens Air Releases
Among the chemicals that are reportable to the TRI Program, some are also included on OSHA's
list of carcinogens. EPA refers to these chemicals as TRI OSHA carcinogens. This graph shows
the trend in the pounds of TRI chemicals that are OSHA carcinogens released to air.
vvEPA
Air Releases of OSHA Carcinogens
120
2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018
Year
ฆ Fugitive Air Emissions ฆ Stack Air Emissions
Note: For comparability, trend graphs include only those chemicals that were reportable to TRI for all years presented.
From 2007 to 2018:
Air releases of these carcinogens decreased by 35%.
The long-term decreases in air releases of OSHA carcinogens were driven mainly by
decreases in releases of stvrene to air from the plastics and rubber and transportation
equipment industries.
In 2018, air releases of OSHA carcinogens consisted primarily of stvrene (44% of the air
releases of all OSHA carcinogens), acetaldehvde (12%) and formaldehyde (7%).
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TRI National Analysis 2018
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February 2020
Non-Production-Related Waste
Non-production-related waste refers to quantities of Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) chemicals
disposed of or released, or transferred off site, as the result of one-time events, rather than due
to standard production activities. These events may include remedial actions, catastrophic
events, or other one-time events not associated with normal production processes. Non-
production-related waste is included in a facility's total disposal or other releases, but is not
included in the its production-related waste managed. The following graph shows the annual
quantities of non-production-related waste reported to TRI.
vvEPA
240
Non-Production-Related Waste
o
Q.
200
160
120
= 80
40
2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018
Year
For 2018, 553 facilities reported 7.4 million pounds of one-time, non-production-related
releases of TRI chemicals.
Non-production-related waste from all facilities was below 35 million pounds in all years
except for 2013 when a mining facility reported a one-time release of 193 million
pounds. The facility reported zero releases in 2014 and has not reported to TRI since.
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