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Toxic Release Inventory data available for 2006

Release Date: 02/21/2008
Contact Information: Cathy Milbourn, EPA Washington, D.C.; 202 564-4355; Barbara Conklin, EPA Denver; 303 312-6619

Information about chemical releases to air, water and land accessible online


      (Denver, Colo. -- February 21, 2008) Information on the 2006 reporting year is now available as part of the Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) database. Today marks the earliest release of the data in the 20-year history of the program. Improvements in electronic reporting and data processing have made this possible. Nation-wide chemical releases into the environment are down by two percent from 2005.

    “Citizens have information about hundreds of chemicals at their finger tips, and we’re getting that information to them faster than ever with improvements made in electronic reporting, data processing, and analysis,” said EPA’s Chief Information Officer, Molly O’Neill. “Making the public aware of this inventory of releases is a powerful tool for reducing pollution. From 2001 to 2006 we have seen a 24 percent decrease in total releases.”

    The TRI is an on-line electronic database, housing information about chemical releases at facilities across the country. TRI tracks and contains detailed information on releases of nearly 650 chemicals and chemical categories from about 23,000 industrial and federal facilities. The Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act of 1986 established the TRI program. In 1990, The Pollution Prevention Act expanded the program by including data on toxic chemicals released, as well as treated, recycled, and burned for energy recovery.

    For over 20 years, EPA has been providing information to the public about chemical releases into the air, water and land at facilities nation-wide. This information is getting to the public earlier and faster than ever and is accessible by geographic location, industry sector, and individual chemicals.