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TRI Releases 2015 National Analysis

This year's Toxics Release Inventory shows significant reductions in releases of toxic chemicals into the air from 2005 to 2015. During this timeframe, air releases of toxic chemicals from U.S. industrial facilities covered by the TRI Program decreased by 56% (851 million pounds). Additionally, in 2015, of the nearly 26 billion pounds of total chemical waste managed at TRI-covered industrial facilities (excluding metal mines), approximately 92% was not released into the environment due to the use of preferred waste management practices such as recycling, energy recovery, and treatment.

TRI is a publically available database maintained by EPA's TRI Program that tracks the management of certain toxic chemicals that may pose a threat to human health and the environment. This information is submitted by U.S. facilities in industry sectors such as manufacturing, metal mining, electric utilities, and commercial hazardous waste management. Under the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to_know Act (EPCRA), facilities must report their toxic chemical releases for the prior calendar year to EPA by July 1 of each year. The Pollution Prevention Act (PPA) also requires facilities to submit information on pollution prevention and other waste management activities of TRI chemicals. Nearly 22,000 facilities submitted TRI data for calendar year 2015.

 


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