National Analysis by TRI
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The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has released the 2022 Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) National Analysis, a comprehensive report that examines trends in toxic chemical releases, waste management, and pollution prevention activities reported by thousands of industrial and federal facilities across the nation.
The TRI National Analysis provides detailed information on chemical releases to air, water, and land, tracking how these quantities change over time. It looks at waste management practices, emphasising the preferred management techniques such as recycling, energy recovery, and treatment. Pollution prevention (P2) activities are also highlighted, representing efforts to reduce toxic chemical generation and releases at the source.
Sector profiles for Chemical, Primary Metals, All Manufacturing, Electric Utilities, and Metal Mining are included in the report, offering insights into specific industries' environmental performance. The analysis also provides information on the waste managed by chemical, sector, and parent company, enabling a comprehensive understanding of waste management practices across various industries.
One of the key findings of the 2022 TRI National Analysis is the ongoing reduction in chemical releases alongside economic growth. Between 2014 and 2023, overall releases of TRI-listed chemicals fell by 21%, air releases decreased by 32%, and preferred waste management practices covered 90% of TRI chemical waste in 2023. These trends suggest continued improvements in environmental performance reflected in the 2022 analysis as well.
The TRI National Analysis also includes profiles of specific sectors (such as automotive manufacturing) and updates on emerging chemicals of concern like PFAS, which are increasingly tracked and managed.
Users can access the National Analysis dashboard to view, filter, and download TRI data. The dashboard allows exploration by EPA Region, watershed, and tribal communities, making it easier for individuals to view TRI data where they live. The analysis also provides a report summary for users to explore, as well as a FAQ document, archives, information on what is TRI, factors to consider when using TRI data, and a TRI Program homepage.
In addition, the TRI Mapped feature allows for the mapping of cross-border transfers, enabling users to visualise the movement of toxic chemicals across regions. Furthermore, a webinar recording is available for those who missed the live event with highlights from the 2022 report.
In summary, the 2022 TRI National Analysis focuses on monitoring toxic chemical releases, advancing better waste management, and promoting pollution prevention across U.S. industries, revealing ongoing reductions in harmful releases alongside robust economic activity. By providing a wealth of data and tools for analysis, the report aims to foster transparency, support informed decision-making, and drive continuous improvement in environmental performance.
- The detailed information provided by the TRI National Analysis includes tracking of toxic chemical releases into air, water, and land, as well as waste management practices focusing on recycling, energy recovery, and treatment.
- The ongoing reduction in chemical releases, seen in the 2022 TRI National Analysis, has resulted in a drop of 21% in overall releases of TRI-listed chemicals, a decline of 32% in air releases, and coverage of 90% of TRI chemical waste by preferred waste management techniques in 2023.
- The TRI National Analysis insights extend to specific industries such as automotive manufacturing and emerging chemicals of concern like PFAS, highlighting their increasing tracking and management.
- The significant decrease in toxic chemical releases revealed by the analysis is closely associated with the country's economic growth, suggesting continued improvement in environmental performance.
- For individuals interested in exploring TRI data, the National Analysis dashboard offers filtering and downloading options, making it possible to view information related to one's own EPA Region, watershed, and tribal communities.
- To add value, the report also includes a webinar recording for those who couldn't attend the live event, providing highlights from the 2022 report, and a TRI Mapped feature, allowing users to visualize the movement of toxic chemicals across regions. Furthermore, this analysis contributes to the broader health-and-wellness, medical-conditions, environmental-science, and science communities by promoting transparency, informed decision-making, and driving continuous improvement in environmental performance, thus positively impacting the overall health and wellness of the environment and communities.