2013 TRI National Analysis—Chemical Release Data
 |
The EPA tracks chemical waste disposal and other releases to keep the public informed and to help them “identify priorities and opportunities for government and communities to work with industry to reduce toxic chemical disposal or other releases and potential associated risks.” These chemicals may be released at the producing facility via on-site disposal or discharge to air, water, or land, or they may be shipped off-site for release or disposal.
In total, for 2013 TRI facilities reported that 4.14 billion pounds of toxic chemicals were released and disposed of from both on- and off-site facilities. From 2012 to 2013, the amount of TRI chemicals released or disposed of actually increased 15%, something the EPA says is “mainly due to increases in on-site land disposal by the metal mining sector.” Also during that period, an increase of 1% (or about 11 million pounds) in air releases was found to be caused by chemical manufacturing and electric utilities, both of which also experienced increased production at the same time.
Over the long term, however, from 2003 to 2013, the quantity of TRI chemicals disposed of or released is down 7%, an amount the EPA attributes to decreases in air emissions from electric utilities over that time span, which were brought about by the shift away from coal and the installation of control technologies at coal-fired power plants. The EPA also notes that the number of facilities reporting to the TRI dropped 12% during the same time period, although since 2011 the total of 21,500 facilities has remained steady.
Forget expensive calls to lawyers and consultants. With Enviro.BLR.com, you get instant access, 24/7. Try it out today and get the 2015 EHS Salary Guide, absolutely free. Download Now.
Specifically, air emissions reported to the TRI have declined 53% since 2003, which amounts to 836 million pounds of chemical emissions avoided. However, the EPA notes: “As air emissions have accounted for a declining share of the total releases (down from 36% in 2003 to 18% in 2013), the portion of releases that are disposed on land has increased (up from 48% in 2003 to 67% in 2013).”
Looking at where TRI facilities reported release or disposal of TRI chemicals, the following were tallied for 2013:
- 66% to land on-site,
- 19% to air on-site,
- 10% disposal off-site, and
- 5% to water on-site.
In 2013 the top seven industry sectors reporting release and disposal of toxic chemicals were:
- Metal mining (47%),
- Electric utilities (13%),
- Chemicals (12%),
- Primary metals (8%),
- Paper (5%),
- Hazardous waste management (4%), and
- Food/beverage, tobacco (3%).
Everything You Need for Environmental Compliance
Enviro.BLR.com puts everything you need at your fingertips, including practical RCRA, CAA, CWA, hazardous waste regulatory analysis and activity, news, and compliance tools. Try it at no cost or risk and get a FREE report.
Together, these industry sectors were responsible for 92% of total TRI disposal or releases, and more than two-thirds of this total came from the top three: metal mining, electric utilities, and chemicals.
Although all of these sectors except metal mining decreased total releases from 2003 to 2013, three increased releases from 2012 to 2013. These are:
- Metal mining increased by 519 million pounds (+36% from 2012),
- Electric utilities increased by 29 million pounds (+6%), and
- Chemicals increased by 5 million pounds (+1%).
Regarding the huge increase in releases from metal mining, the EPA notes, “Since 2010, on-site releases to land by metal mining facilities have fluctuated significantly. Metal mines have cited changes in production and changes in the composition of waste rock as the primary reasons for this variability.”
On the positive side, five industry sectors saw decreases in releases of TRI chemicals for the 3-year period 2010 to 2013 including:
- Printing and publishing (39%),
- Electrical equipment (33%),
- Miscellaneous manufacturing (25%),
- Electric utilities (22%), and
- Chemical wholesalers (18%).
To account for these decreases, the EPA says that source reduction activities are to thank, although they vary considerably among industries. “For example, many chemical wholesalers reported inventory control (e.g., instituting clearinghouses to exchange materials that otherwise would be discarded), while electrical equipment manufacturers frequently reported modifications to their raw materials and processes, often associated with the elimination of lead solder.”