BOSTON - EPA's most recent Toxic Release Inventory (TRI) data is now accessible for the reporting year of 2014. In Rhode Island, the reporting data show that overall delivers of pollutants to the environment increased since the previous reporting year (2013).
TRI information is a key part of EPA's efforts to provide greater access to environmental information and get information to the public as quickly as possible. TRI reporting provides Americans with vital information about their communities by publishing information on toxic chemical disposals and delivers into the air, land and water, as well as information on waste management and pollution prevention activities in neighborhoods across the country.
"Data from the Toxic Release Inventory is an important tool for citizens to know what chemicals are being used in their communities, and what companies are doing to prevent pollution," said Curt Spalding, regional administrator of EPA's New England office. "This year is the 30th Anniversary of TRI, and we are proud that E.P.A. continues to make this information easily accessible through online tools, maps and reports."
During 2014, the latest year for which data are available, approximately 16.5 million pounds of chemicals were released in the 6 New England states, a reduction of about 2,192,318 pounds (decreased by 11.7 percent). In Rhode Island, 91 facilities reported in 2014 approximately 383,794 pounds (an increase of 81,310 pounds, or 26.9 percent). Approximately 40.7 percent of delivers in Rhode Island were emitted to the air during 2014.
Each year, E.P.A. makes publicly accessible TRI data reported by industries throughout the U.S. regarding chemical delivers to air, water and land by power plants, manufacturers and other facilities which employ 10 or more workers, and which exceed thresholds for chemicals. Reporting includes information on chemicals released at a company's facility, as well as those transported to disposal facilities off site. TRI data do not reflect the relative toxicity of the chemicals emitted or potential exposure to people living in a community with reported releases.
Reporting under TRI does not indicate illegal discharges of pollutants to the environment. E.P.A. works closely with states to provide regulatory oversight of facilities that generate pollution to the nation's air, land and water. Effective review and permitting programs work to ensure that the public and the environment are not subjected to unhealthful levels of pollution, even as agencies work to further reduce emissions of chemicals to the environment. Enforcement efforts by E.P.A. and states ensure that facilities that violate their environmental permits are subject to penalties and corrective action. Yearly delivers by individual facilities can vary due to factors such as power outages, production variability, lulls in the business cycle, etc., that do not reflect a facility's pollution prevention program(s).
The top 10 chemicals released to the environment on- and off-site during 2014 in Rhode Island were:
Rank Chemical Total On- and Off-site Disposal or Other Delivers
2014 (2013)
one (1) METHANOL 50,129
two (12) BARIUM COMPOUNDS 42,778
three (25) NITRIC ACID 32,340
four (4) NITRATE COMPOUNDS 29,796
five (2) COPPER COMPOUNDS 28,325
six (3) TOLUENE 22,722
seven (5) ZINC COMPOUNDS 16,042
eight (7) CERTAIN GLYCOL ETHERS 15,488
nine (8) N-BUTYL ALCOHOL 15,441
ten (11) COPPER 14,399
The 10 facilities that reported the biggest quantity of on- and off-site environmental Delivers in Rhode Island under TRI for 2014 were:
Rank Facility Total On- and Off-site Disposal or Other Delivers
2014 (2013) Location
one (3) PROVIDENCE METALLIZING Colorado INC., PAWTUCKET 59,502
two (2) NEWPORT BIODIESEL INC., NEWPORT 46,963
three (8) OSRAM SYLVANIA INC., CENTRAL FALLS 42,778
four (1) CHEMART, LINCOLN 38,132
five (5) GENERAL CABLE INDUSTRIES LLC, LINCOLN 20,112
six (4) EXXONMOBIL OIL CORP., EAST PROVIDENCE 19,511
seven (6) TACO INC - CRANSTON, CRANSTON 15,486
eight (7) SENESCO MAIN YARD, NORTH KINGSTOWN 15,441
nine (12) MONARCH METAL FINISHING Colorado INC, PROVIDENCE 10,497
ten (15) NEW ENGLAND UNION Colorado INC, WEST WARWICK 9,771
TRI data are submitted annually to EPA, states, and tribes by facilities in industry sectors such as manufacturing, metal mining, electric utilities, and commercial hazardous waste. Under the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA), facilities must report their toxic chemical Delivers for the prior year to E.P.A. by July one of each year. The Pollution Prevention Act of 1990 also requires facilities to submit information on pollution prevention and other waste management activities related to TRI chemicals.
This year, the TRI report is accessible on its own dedicated website, giving users easier access to key information, including analyses and interactive maps showing data at a state, county, city, and zip code level. Other new features of this year's analysis include integrated demographic information, profiles of federal facilities and the automotive manufacturing sector, and a discussion forum where users can share feedback about the report.
E.P.A. will hold training workshops to assist facility managers to understand and comply with TRI reporting requirements during the spring of 2016 in each of the 6 New England states.
More information:
- Generate a TRI Fact Sheet for Vermont (http://www.epa.gov/triexplorer/statefactsheet.htm)
- 2014 TRI National Analysis www.epa.gov/trinationalanalysis
- Information on facility efforts to reduce toxic chemical Delivers www.epa.gov/tri/p2
- Details of TRI Training workshops in New England will be posted at http://www.epa.gov/aboutepa/epa-region-1-new-england
