HSLS Pitt Public Health Liaison
HSLS Research & Instruction Librarian
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. |