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March 2019
Releases of Chemicals
Disposal or other releases of Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) chemicals into the environment
occur in several ways. Chemicals may be disposed of on a facility's property by being released
to the air, water or land. Facilities may also ship (transfer) wastes that contain TRI chemicals to
an off-site location for treatment or disposal. Most disposal or other release practices are
subject to a variety of regulatory requirements designed to minimize potential 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 EPA's laws and regulations webpaae.
Evaluating releases of TRI-listed chemicals can help identify potential concerns and gain a
better understanding of potential risks that may be posed by the releases. 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 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
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 that focus only on the year 2017
include all chemicals reportable for 2017, therefore, values for a 2017-only analysis may differ
slightly from results for 2017 in a trend analysis.
The following graph shows the disposal or other releases of TRI chemicals, including on-site
disposal to land, water, and air, and off-site transfers for disposal.
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.
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Total Disposal or Other Releases
5,000
i nrmrrm
iiiiiiiiii
2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017
Year
On-site Air Releases
i On-site Land Disposal
Reporting Facilities
i On-site Surface Water Discharges
Off-site Disposal or Other Releases
30
20
10 !S
From 2007 to 2017:
Total disposal or other releases of TRI chemicals decreased by 7%.
o Excluding the metal mining sector, releases decreased by 37%.
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.
On-site air releases (down 57% from 2007), on-site surface water discharges (down
20% since 2007), and off-site releases (down 31% since 2007) declined during this 10-
year period.
The number of facilities reporting to the TRI Program declined by 8% overall, although
the count has remained relatively steady since 2010.
From 2016 to 2017:
On-site air releases and on-site surface water discharges decreased while off-site
disposal increased, each with under 5% change. Total releases to the environment
increased by 13%, driven by the 21% increase (433 million pounds) in on-site land
disposal.
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Releases in 2017
Visit the full TRI National Analysis Olik dashboard to explore even more information about
releases of chemicals.
No selections applied
'vr Industry
Chemical
State/Territory
Total Disposal or Other Releases, 2017
3.38 billion pounds
On-site Land Disposal: 71
Off-site Disposal or Other Releases: 10%
On-site Air Releases: 1556
On-site Water Releases: 5%
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Releases by Chemical
Release quantities of 8 chemicals comprised 76% of total releases.
Total Disposal and Other Releases by Chemical, 2017
3.88 billion pounds
Ammonia:.
4%
Copper:
4%
Zinc:
Barium:^/ 19%
5%
Arsenic: / -Nitrate
go^ Manganese: Compounds:
6% 6%
All Others:
24%
Lead:
Note: In this figure, metals are combined with their metal compounds, although metals and compounds of the same metal are
usually 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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Releases by Industry
The metal mining sector accounted for 50% of releases (1.95 billion pounds), which were
primarily in the form of on-site land disposal.
Total Disposal or Other Releases by Industry, 2017
3.88 billion pounds
All Others: 8%
Food: 3%
Paper: 4%
Hazardous
Waste: 5%
Primary Metals:|
8%
Metal Mining:
V 50%
Electric
Utilities: 9% J
Chemicals: 13%
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Hazard and Potential Risk of TRI Chemicals
Among other information, the Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) Program provides data about
environmental releases of TRI chemicals from industrial facilities throughout the United States,
measured in pounds. Pounds of releases, however, is not an indicator of health risks 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 human 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. For example, potential sources of exposure to chemicals not tracked by TRI
include exhaust from cars and trucks, chemicals in consumer products, and chemical residues in
food and water.
To provide information on the potential hazard and risk
posed by disposal or other releases of TRI chemicals, the
TRI Program uses EPA's Risk-Screening Environmental
Indicators fRSED model. RSEI is a screening-level model
that uses simplifying assumptions to fill data gaps and
reduce the complexity of calculations to quickly evaluate
large amounts of data. RSEI includes TRI data for on-site
releases to air and water, transfers to Publicly Owned
vvEPA
Helpful Concepts
The hazard of a toxic chemical is its
ability to cause an adverse health
effect(s) (e.g., cancer, birth
defects). Toxicity is a way to measure
the hazard of a chemical.
The risk of a toxic chemical is the
chance of adverse health effects
occurring as a result of exposure to
the chemical. Risk is a function of
hazard and exposure.
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Treatment Works (POTWs), and transfers for off-site incineration. RSEI does not currently
model other release pathways, such as 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 the RSEI model should only be used for screening-level activities such as trend
analyses that compare potential relative risks from year to year, or ranking and prioritization of
chemicals or industry sectors for strategic planning. RSEI does not provide a formal risk
assessment, which typically requires site-specific information, more refined exposure
information, and detailed population distributions.
vvEPA
RSEI: Risk-Screening
Environmental Indictors
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 Fate and transport
o Human exposure pathway
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Hazard Trend
RSEI hazard estimates provide greater insight on potential impacts of the quantities of releases
of TRI chemicals than the mass 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, and the toxicity 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
35
30
25
U)
= 20
o
£ 15
tT
is 10
ro
X
5
0
RSEI Hazard and Corresponding Releases
2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017
Year
Air Releases (Hazard) Water Releases (Hazard)
Off-site Incineration (Hazard) 9 Millions of Pounds Released
2,500
2,000
1,500 |
1,000 w
T3
500
Transfers to POTWs (Hazard)
o
Q.
From 2007 to 2017:
The overall RSEI hazard estimate decreased by 65%, while corresponding pounds
released decreased by 44%. This indicates that the facilities that reported to TRI from
2007 through 2017 may be releasing fewer pounds of chemicals that have greater
toxicities.
The decrease in the hazard estimate from 2008 to 2009 is driven by a large decrease in
chromium releases from three facilities.
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Risk 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, its fate and transport through 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
RSEI Score and Corresponding Releases
o
u
l/l
1,400
1,200
1,000
800
600
400
200
0
2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017
Year
Air Releases (Score) Water Releases (Score)
¦ Off-site Incineration (Score) 9 Millions of Pounds Released
2,500
2,000
1,500 |
1,000 «r
¦a
500
o
Q.
Transfers to POTWs (Score)
From 2007 to 2017:
The overall RSEI score estimate decreased by 62%, while corresponding pounds
released decreased by 44%.
Of the types of releases modeled by RSEI, air releases, by far, contribute the most to
the RSEI scores.
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RSEI Dashboard
Use the EPA's Risk-Screening Environmental Indicators fRSEII 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.
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Air Releases
Air emissions reported to TRI continue to decline, serving as a primary driver of decreased total
releases. Air releases include both fugitive axemjssions and pojnt.source.air emissions. This
graph shows the trend in the pounds of chemicals released to air.
vvEPA
Air Releases (Pounds Released)
Fugitive Air Emissions ¦ Stack Air Emissions
(0
T3
O
Q.
O
in
1,600
1,400
1,200
1,000
800
600
400
200
0
11111111
2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017
Year
From 2007 to 2017:
Air releases declined significantly, serving as a primary driver of decreases in total
releases.
Air releases decreased by 57% (757 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 is 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. 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
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coal or oil to entirely using other fuel sources (such as natural gas) no longer
report to TRI.
o Electric utilities accounted for 92% of nationwide reductions in air releases of
hydrochloric acid and sulfuric acid from 2007 to 2017.
Air releases of Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) carcinogens also
decreased; see the Air Releases of OSHA Carcinogens figure.
Air releases of other chemicals of special concern, including lead and mercury, also
decreased; see the Chemicals of Special Concern section.
Air releases are often regulated by other programs as well, such as under Title V of the
Clean Air Act, which requires major sources of air pollutants to obtain and comply with
an operating permit.
Ammonia, followed by methanol, accounted for the greatest air releases of TRI
chemicals.
Since 2016, air releases decreased by 2%.
In 2017:
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This graph shows the trend in the RSEI Score for air releases.
Air Releases (RSEI Score)
1 nnn
¦ Stack Air Releases "F
-ugitive Air Releases
ftnn
c
o
= mn -
E
6
8 400 ¦
w
I
I
I
I
linn
w
0£
200 ¦
n -
2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017
Year
The top chemicals by RSEI score for air releases were chromium and ethylene oxide.
Stack air releases tend to contribute relatively less to the RSEI score than fugitive
releases because chemicals released through stacks tend to get dispersed over a wider
area than fugitive air releases, resulting in lower average concentrations.
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 (RSEI) Methodology. RSEI Version 2.3.6.
For general information on how RSEI Scores are estimated, see Hazard and Potential
Risk of TRI Chemicals.
vvEPA
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Air Releases by Chemical
This pie chart shows which TRI chemicals were released to air in the greatest quantities during
2017.
On-site Air Releases by Chemical, 2017
600.57 million pounds Ammonia:
/ 20%
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 are primarily from pulp, paper, and paperboard mills and have
decreased by 24% since 2007.
Thirty-four percent of hydrochloric acid and 79% of sulfuric acid emissions result from
generating electricity from combustion of coal and oil. Air releases of these two
chemicals reported to TRI have decreased consistently since 2007. One reason for the
decrease in air releases of these chemicals is the increase in the use of natural gas as a
fuel for electricity generation. Natural gas power plants are not required to report to
TRI.
vvEPA
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Air Releases by Industry
This pie chart shows the TRI-covered industry sectors that reported the greatest releases of TRI
chemicals to air during 2017.
Air Releases by Sector, 2017
600.57 million pounds
All Others:
Note: Percentages may not sum to 100% due to rounding.
vvEPA
Chemical manufacturing, paper manufacturing, and the electric utility sectors accounted
for the greatest releases to air in 2017. Air releases in these three industries have
decreased since 2016:
o Chemicals: 4% decrease (7.1 million pounds)
o Paper: 2% decrease (2.5 million pounds)
o Electric utilities: 5% decrease (4.4 million pounds)
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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. The following graph shows the trend in the
pounds of chemicals released to water bodies as reported to TRI.
From 2007 to 2017:
Surface water discharges decreased by 20% (49 million pounds). Most of this decline is
due to reduction in releases of nitrate compounds to water, which decreased by 21%
(44 million pounds).
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.
Surface water discharges are often regulated by other programs and require permits
such as the Clean Water Act National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System fNPDES)
permits.
Surface Water Discharges (Pounds Released)
300
2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017
Year
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In 2017:
Nitrate compounds alone accounted for 90% of the total quantity of all TRI chemicals
discharged to surface waters.
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The following graph shows the trend in the RSEI Scores for chemicals released to water bodies
as reported to TRI.
Surface Water Discharges (RSEI Score)
(0
c
o
o
o
w
ijj
w
a.
2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017
Year
The biggest contributor to RSEI water scores is arsenic compounds.
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 (RSEI) 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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Water Releases by Chemical
This pie chart shows which TRI-listed chemicals were released to water bodies in the greatest
quantities during 2017.
Water Releases by Chemical, 2017
190.56 million pounds
17%
28%
All Others
Sodium Nitrite
Manganese
Zinc
Ammonia
Barium
Methanol
Note: In this chart, metals are combined with their metal compounds, although metals and compounds of the
same metal are usually listed separately on the TRI list (e.g. lead is listed separately from lead compounds).
Note: Percentages may not sum to 100% due to rounding.
Nitrate compounds accounted for 90% of the total quantities of TRI chemicals released
to water in 2017. 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 are the next most
commonly released chemicals, and, in terms of combined mass quantities, account for
7% of releases to water.
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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 2017.
Water Releases by Industry, 2017
190.56 million pounds
All Others: 12%
Paper: 10%
Primary Metals: 13%
Food:36%
Chemicals: 13%
Petroleum: 16%
The food manufacturing sector accounted for 36% of the total quantities of TRI
chemicals released to water during 2017, which is similar to its contribution over the
past 10 years.
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.
Surface water discharges are often regulated by other EPA programs, such as the
program established under the Clean Water Act that issues National Pollutant Discharge
Elimination System fNPDESI permits.
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Wastewater Treatment Methods
In 2017, one-third of TRI facilities reported that their operations generated wastewater.
Importantly, facilities treat their wastewater prior to discharging it into nearby waterways or
sending it to publicly owned treatment works (POTWs) where further treatment occurs. The
treatment techniques they use are designed to reduce the concentration of chemicals in the
wastewater and can even eliminate chemicals in discharges altogether. Facilities reporting to
TRI are required to provide details on the types of treatment techniques they use and to also
estimate the removal or destruction efficiency of treatment.
In 2017:
Eighteen different types of physical, chemical, and biological treatment methods were
reported, with two-thirds of facilities reporting they used multiple treatment methods
(up to 11) for the same waste stream.
The most common wastewater treatment methods were:
o physical separation techniques (settling or clarification and phase separation),
which remove both solids and TRI chemicals from the wastewater;
Wastewater Treatment Methods Used, 2017
Adsorption Air or Steam Stripping
1 I
Reduction I
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o chemical treatment such as neutralization, which alters extreme pH values,
rendering the wastewater less acidic or alkaline and thus less damaging to the
ecosystems of receiving waters and biological treatment systems at POTWs; and
o biological treatment, during which bacteria are used to digest and break down
organic chemicals.
The types and efficacy of wastewater treatment methods used by each industry sector differ
according to the chemicals and other pollutants in the wastewater. For example, neutralization
was the most prevalent type of treatment in the Food Processing sector, likely due to
operations that involve neutralizing the acids (e.g., nitric acidl used for cleaning and sanitation.
In contrast, wastewater from Petroleum Refining is more often subject to phase separation and
air or steam stripping, two processes that involve physically separating chemicals and other
pollutants from the wastewaters generated during removal of water from crude petroleum.
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Land Disposal
This graph shows the trend in the pounds of 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.
3,000
¦S 2,000
c
3
O
Q.
M-
o
(/)
c
¦9 1,000
0
Year
¦ All Other Land Disposal ¦ RCRA Subtitle C Disposal ¦ Underground Injection
From 2007 to 2017:
On-site land disposal increased by 35% (from 2.0 to 2.7 billion pounds).
Recent fluctuations are primarily due to changes in TRI chemical quantities disposed of
to land on site by metal mines.
"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
vvEPA
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treatment/application farming); and any
other land disposal. Most of the TRI
chemical quantities reported as "other land
disposal" are from the disposal of waste
rock at metal mines.
Disposal to land is often regulated by other
programs such as the Resource
Conservation and Recovery Act fRCRAl.
In 2017:
Land disposal trends are largely driven by
the metal mining sector, which accounted
for 72% 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 these quantities were made up of either lead and lead compounds (35%)
or zinc and zinc compounds (23%).
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 Recourse 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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On-site Land Disposal Excluding Metal Mines
1,000
2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017
Year
¦ Ail Other Land Disposal ¦ RCRA Subtitle C Disposal ¦ Underground Injection
From 2007 to 2017:
Total on-site land disposal for all industries other than metal mining decreased by 13%.
In 2017:
Excluding releases reported by metal mines, the chemicals disposed of to land in the
largest quantities are: barium and barium compounds (18%), manganese and
manganese compounds (13%), and zinc and zinc compounds (11%).
While disposal to land has decreased in many sectors, the metal mining sector drives
overall land disposal trends. See the graphic Land Disposal bv Industry for more
information.
vvEPA
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Land Disposal by Chemical
This pie chart shows the chemicals disposed of to land on site in the greatest quantities during
2017.
On-Site Land Disposal by Chemical, 2017
2.71 billion pounds
\_Zinc:
23%
Note: In this chart, metals are combined with their metal compounds, although metals and compounds of the
same metal are usually listed separately on the TRI list (e.g. lead is listed separately from lead compounds).
The metal mining sector alone was responsible for 87% of the total quantities of zinc and 96%
of the total quantities of lead disposed of to land in 2017. 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.
vvEPA
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On-Site Land Disposal Excluding
Metal Mining, by Chemical
761 million pounds
Note: In this chart, metals are combined with their metal compounds, although metals and compounds of the
same metal are usually listed separately on the TRI list (e.g. lead is listed separately from lead compounds).
From 2007 to 2017:
Barium: Releases decreased 28%.
Manganese: Releases decreased 5%.
Zinc: Releases decreased 10%.
In 2017:
When the metal mining sector is excluded, a wider variety of chemicals contribute to
most of the land releases. Excluding metal mining, eight different chemicals comprised
68% of land releases, as opposed to three chemicals comprising a comparable 66% of
releases when mining is included.
vvEPA
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TRI National Analysis 2017
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March 2019
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 2017.
On-site Land Disposal by Sector, 2017
2.71 billion pounds
vvEPA
The metal mining sector accounted for most of the TRI chemicals disposed of to land in
2017, 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 2017
www.epa.aov/trinationalanalysis/
March 2019
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 2017 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
different 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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TRI National Analysis 2017
www.epa.aov/trinationalanalysis/
March 2019
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 manufacturing facilities, metal mines, electric
utilities, and hazardous waste treatment and disposal facilities.
vvEPA
Total Disposal or Other Releases of
Lead and Lead Compounds
1,250
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1,000
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O.
750
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o
i
250
0
i 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017
Year
On-Site Air Releases
i On-site Land Disposal
On-site Surface Water Discharges
Off-site Disposal or Other Releases
From 2007 to 2017:
Releases of lead and lead compounds rose and fell between 2007 and 2017, with an
overall increase of 94%.
The metal mining sector accounts for most of the lead and lead compounds disposed of
on site to land, driving the overall trend. For 2017, for example, metal mines reported
94% of total lead and lead compound releases.
From 2016 to 2017:
Total releases of lead and lead compounds increased by 47% (310 million pounds).
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oEPA
TRI National Analysis 2017
www.epa.aov/trinationalanalysis/
March 2019
This graph shows the trend in lead and lead compounds disposed of or otherwise released, but
excludes quantities reported by the metal mining sector.
V)
T3
C
3
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o
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
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Total Disposal or Other Releases of
Lead and Lead Compounds, Excluding Metal Mining
t
=1
M
2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017
Year
On-Site Air Releases ¦ On-site Surface Water Discharges
¦ On-site Land Disposal ¦ Off-site Disposal or Other Releases
From 2007 to 2017:
Metal mining accounts for the majority of lead and lead compounds disposed of to land.
Releases of lead and lead compounds have decreased by 13% (8.4 million pounds)
among the other sectors. The increase in 2015 was primarily due to one hazardous
waste management facility that reported releases of 24.9 million pounds of lead
compounds, compared to less than 0.5 million pounds for 2014 and 2016.
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oEPA
TRI National Analysis 2017
www.epa.aov/trinationalanalysis/
March 2019
Lead Air Releases Trend
This graph shows the trend in the pounds of lead and lead compounds released to air.
On-Site Air Releases of Lead
and Lead Compounds
1,250
1,000
§ 750
Q-
M
0
(/)
1 500
(0
l/>
3
O
250
2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017
Year
¦ Fugitive Air Emissions ¦ Stack Air Emissions
From 2007 to 2017:
Air releases of lead and lead compounds decreased by 66%. 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 2016 to 2017:
Air releases of lead and lead compounds decreased by 1%.
In 2017, 30% of air releases of lead were from the primary metals industry sector.
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TRI National Analysis 2017
www.epa.aov/trinationalanalysis/
March 2019
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
V)
T3
c
3
O
CL
M
o
to
T3
C
(0
to
3
O
2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017
Year
¦ Fugitive Air Emissions ¦ Stack Air Emissions
From 2007 to 2017:
Releases of mercury and mercury compounds to air decreased by 68%.
Electric utilities are driving the decline in mercury air emissions, with an 89% reduction
(83,000 pounds).
From 2016 to 2017:
Air releases of mercury and mercury compounds decreased by 9%.
The primary metals sector, which includes iron and steel manufacturers and smelting
operations, accounted for 34% of the air emissions of mercury and mercury compounds
reported to TRI for 2017.
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oEPA
TRI National Analysis 2017
www.epa.aov/trinationalanalysis/
March 2019
Dioxin and Dioxin-like Compound 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 2017.
Disposal or Other Releases, Dioxin
and Dioxin-like Compounds
120,000
80,000
w
E
ro
40,000
I
iiillll
2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017
Year
On-Site Air Releases
i On-site Land Disposal
i On-site Surface Water Discharges
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 2017:
Since 2010, dioxin releases increased by 102%.
o This increase in dioxin releases is largely driven by increased on-site land
disposal from a non-ferrous metal smelting and refining facility.
From 2016 to 2017:
Releases of dioxins decreased by 6%.
In 2017, most (52%) of the quantity released was disposed on site to land.
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v>EPA
TRI National Analysis 2017
www.epa.aov/trinationalanalysis/
March 2019
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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oEPA
TRI National Analysis 2017
www.epa.aov/trinationalanalysis/
March 2019
Releases of Dioxin and Dioxin-like Compounds
by Industry, 2017
Grams
Grams-TEQ
All Others:
Note: Percentages may not sum to 100% due to rounding.
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oEPA
TRI National Analysis 2017
www.epa.aov/trinationalanalysis/
March 2019
Various industry sectors may dispose of or otherwise release very different mixes
of dioxin congeners.
The chemical manufacturing industry accounted for 51% and the primary metals sector
for 42% of total grams of dioxins released.
However, when TEFs are applied, the primary metals sector accounted for 81% and the
chemical manufacturing sector for just 11% of the total grams-TEQ released.
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TRI National Analysis 2017
www.epa.aov/trinationalanalysis/
March 2019
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.
Air Releases of OSHA Carcinogens
1 ->n
100 _
-a
| 80
£
0 60
g
| 40
1
20
0
2007
1111111111
2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017
Year
1 Fugitive Air Emissions ¦ Stack Air Emissions
From 2007 to 2017:
Air releases of these carcinogens decreased by 37%.
The long-term decreases in air releases of OSHA carcinogens were driven mainly by
decreases in releases of styrene to air from the plastics and rubber and transportation
equipment industries.
In 2017, air releases of OSHA carcinogens consisted primarily of styrene (43% of the air
releases of all OSHA carcinogens), acetaldehyde (13%) and formaldehyde (8%).
vvEPA
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oEPA
TRI National Analysis 2017
www.epa.aov/trinationalanalysis/
March 2019
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 not as
part of its production-related waste managed. The following graph shows the annual quantities
of non-production-related waste reported to TRI.
Non-Production-Related Waste
2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017
Year
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.
For 2017, facilities reported 13 million pounds of one-time, non-production-related
releases of TRI chemicals.
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