An overview of the United States' toxics releases reporting program

The toxics releases inventory (TRI) is the first database ever created in the United States that combines information regarding releases of pollutants to air, water, land, and underground injection on a chemical-by-chemical and facility-by-facility basis. This presentation will describe the origins of the TRI, the concept of public access to environmental information in the United States, and the reporting requirements in terms of which chemicals, companies, and types of information are collected. It will discuss the data that have been reportes and the resources needed by government, the public, and industry to design and implement such a program.(AU)