September 15, 2008—To better inform communities about releases of toxic chemicals from industrial facilities in their area, the US Environmental Agency (EPA) has announced the availability of the Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) facility-level data for 2007. This is the 5th annual Electronic Facility Data Release (e-FDR) and displays the TRI data exactly as received by EPA from the facilities—one form for each chemical at a facility.
EPA explains that many stakeholders have requested that EPA share TRI data sooner and in the format received, without waiting for further analysis. The “raw” data just released are not grouped in any way nor are as easily searchable as the traditional Public Data Release (PDR), which also includes more quality checks, national trends, and analysis. EPA will still publish the complete 2007 PDR in early 2009.
TRI provides American communities with vital information on chemical releases including disposal of chemicals. In addition, TRI tracks releases of chemicals and industrial sectors specified by the Emergency Planning and Community Right to Know Act of 1986. The Pollution Prevention Act of 1990 also mandates that facilities report data on other waste management activities such as treatment, recycling, and energy recovery.
