The Air We Breathe: Toxics Release Inventory (TRI)
About the Toxics Release Inventory
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The Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) program is a federally mandated program for certain types of facilities and government installations. A more complete description of the program and the data that is captured can be found at the EPA site, What is the Toxics Release Inventory?. TRI-listed chemicals can be found at this site as well. Why do we have the TRI? In 1984, a Union Carbide chemical release in Bhopal, India in 1984 killed over a thousand immediately and almost 4,000 total. This led to public concern about toxic chemical storage, releases and emergency response, especially as the same chemical leaked in a community in West Virginia. As a result, the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA) was passed in as part of the 1986 Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act. The TRI is contained with EPCRA. View the US EPA Timeline of Toxics Release Inventory Milestones slideshow to view the evolution of this program. Note that small companies such as dry cleaners are not covered under TRI requirements. Additional information about the program can be found at: What is the Toxics Release Inventory?. TRI data includes:
Data on accidental (and deliberate but not regulated) releases to air, water, and land are available under the "Releases & Spills Data" tab. |
Sources of TRI Data
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TRI Data & Tools (US EPA)The Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) Program tracks the industrial management of toxic chemicals that may pose a threat to human health and the environment. The data facilities submit to EPA are available here in multiple ways.
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TRI Listed Chemicals (US EPA)In general chemicals covered by the TRI Program are those that cause one or more of the following:
* Cancer or other chronic human health effects
* Significant adverse acute human health effects
* Significant adverse environmental effects -
TRI EZ Search (US EPA)The Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) EZ Search retrieves data from the TRI database in Envirofacts.
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TRI Explorer: Release Reports (US EPA)Includes data from 1988 to most current.
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TRI Customized Search (US EPA)The Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) Customized Search retrieves data from the TRI database in Envirofacts.
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TRI Form R Search (US EPA)TRI Form R Search allows access to facility release information as submitted for each chemical on a Form R to the EPA. You may narrow your search by filtering through Reporting Year, Facility Selection, and Geography Search.
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TRI SearchTRI Search allows access to basic facility information, all forms submitted to EPA since 1987, aggregate chemical release data for all years reported, and relative risk information. The results display any facility that has reported from 1987 to present, even though the facility may or may not have submitted TRI data in the most recent reporting year. The last year of data displayed represents the last year TRI data was reported.
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TRI Form R and A Download (US EPA)TRI Form R & A Download facilitates access and download of all TRI Form R and A data. Data may be viewed in an HTML table or downloaded as a CSV file. This tool consists of two steps: Data Selection and Output Selection. First, select data of interest to focus your search (e.g., reporting year, chemical name, zip code, etc). Second, select outputs to be displayed in the result report (e.g., facility name, Air Total Release, etc) or select all data elements to be displayed.
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TRI Pollution Prevention (P2) Search (US EPA)Use the TRI Pollution Prevention Search to learn how facilities have reduced releases of toxic chemicals to the environment and compare how different facilities have managed their toxic chemical waste.
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TRI Covered Industry Sectors (US EPA)NAICS Codes and Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) Reporting:
The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) is a framework by which economic units that have similar production processes are classified into the same industry by a numerical designation, the most detailed of which is six digits. -
TRI Data Element Search (US EPA)This search tool provides information on database data element (column), tables and subject areas that are used in the Customized Search and the EZ Search.
Mapping TRI Data
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ToxMap (US National Library of Medicine)This resource lets you look at TRI and Superfund sites while mapping by income, population density, race, etc. You can view only one demographic variable at a time.
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TRI Where You LiveThis section of the National Analysis looks at disposal and other releases of Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) chemicals that occurred at various geographic levels throughout the United States during 2017.
