Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) Program
Major TRI Milestones
Learn how the Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) program originated and how it has changed over the years.
1980s
December 3, 1984 - Methyl isocyanate (MIC) gas leaks from the Union Carbide India Limited (UCIL) plant in Bhopal, India. Approximately 3,800 people died and several thousand other individuals experienced permanent or partial disabilities.
October 17, 1986 - President Ronald Reagan signs into law the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act of 1986 (EPCRA), which was commonly known as SARA Title III. Section 313 of EPCRA established the Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) Program. The goal of TRI national database is to empower citizens, through information, to hold companies and local governments accountable in terms of how toxic chemicals are managed.
February 16, 1988 - This final rule contains the first version of the Toxic Release Inventory form that requires, under EPCRA section 313, owners and operators of certain industries that manufacture, import, process or otherwise use certain toxic chemicals to report annually releases of those chemicals to each environmental medium. 53 Federal Register 4500 (PDF) (54 pp, 7.1 MB, About PDF).
October 17, 1986 - President Ronald Reagan signs into law the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act of 1986 (EPCRA), which was commonly known as SARA Title III. Section 313 of EPCRA established the Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) Program. The goal of TRI national database is to empower citizens, through information, to hold companies and local governments accountable in terms of how toxic chemicals are managed.
February 16, 1988 - This final rule contains the first version of the Toxic Release Inventory form that requires, under EPCRA section 313, owners and operators of certain industries that manufacture, import, process or otherwise use certain toxic chemicals to report annually releases of those chemicals to each environmental medium. 53 Federal Register 4500 (PDF) (54 pp, 7.1 MB, About PDF).
1990s
November 1990 - Congress passes the Pollution Prevention Act (PPA). Among its requirements was a mandate to expand TRI to include additional information on toxic chemicals in waste and on source reduction methods.
Beginning in 1991 - Covered facilities were required to report quantities of TRI chemicals recycled, combusted for energy recovery, and treated on- and off-site. TRI’s coverage of facilities was limited to the manufacturing sector (SIC codes 20-39), required to report under EPCRA section 313.
February, 1991 - EPA establishes the 33/50 Program (PDF) (44 pp, 609K, About PDF). This program was EPA’s first voluntary initiative aimed at reducing the releases and transfers of toxic chemicals. The name is derived from the program’s goals: a 33% reduction by 1992 and a 50% reduction by 1995. It operated for 5 years.
Fall 1991 - EPA considers pursuing a three-phase approach to broaden the scope of TRI: phase 1: chemical expansion, phase 2: facility expansion and phase 3: chemical use reporting.
August 3, 1993 - President Clinton signs Executive Order 12856 pledging the Federal Government to protect the environment by preventing pollution at the source. This executive order applies Federal Right-to-Know laws, including TRI reporting requirements to all Federal facilities beginning in 1994.For 1993, TRI reporting is required for 316 chemicals and 20 chemical categories.
November 30, 1994- TRI Phase 1: Chemical Expansion
The Phase 1 Expansion included two major actions. The first action occurred in 1993 with the addition of certain Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) chemicals and certain hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) to EPCRA section 313. On November 30, 1994, a Chemical Expansion Final Rule (59 FR61431) was promulgated, expanding TRI by 286 new chemicals and categories.This expansion of the chemical list raised the number of chemicals and chemical categories reported to TRI to over 600.
August 8, 1995 - President Clinton sends a memorandum to the EPA administrator, directing EPA to expedite TRI expansion efforts. The memorandum went on to direct EPA to develop "an expedited, open, and transparent process for consideration of reporting under EPCRA on information on the use of toxic chemicals at facilities, including information on mass balance, materials accounting, or other chemical use data".
October 18, 1995 - EPA held a 2-day public meeting to receive public comments on whether to expand the reporting requirements of the Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) to include chemical use data. The meeting is intended to explore issues related to the possible collection of chemical use-related data, such as materials accounting, under the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act or other appropriate Federal statutes. – August 11, 1995, 60 Federal Register 47174
August 8, 1995 - President Clinton, Vice President Gore and Administrator Browner traveled to Baltimore to announce the signing of Executive Order 12969 – on Federal Acquisition and Community-Right-to Know. This executive order requires government contractors whose facilities are covered under EPCRA section 313 to continue to file TRI reporting for the life of their contracts-EPA issued Guidance Implementing Executive Order 12969; Federal Acquisition on September 29, 1995 - 60 Federal Register 50737
August 7 and 14, 1996 - EPA held two public meetings to discuss the Agency's proposal and options to add industry groups to the list of industry groups subject to reporting requirements under section 313 of EPCRA. The first meeting was held in San Francisco, CA on August 7, 1996. The second meeting took place in Washington, DC on August 14, 1996. June 27, 1996, 61 Federal Register 33619
May 1, 1997 - TRI Phase 2: Facility/industry expansion
EPA undertook a detailed examination of other, non-manufacturing industries to determine which may be significant generators of toxic chemical releases and wastes. As a result of its assessments, EPA promulgated the Industry Expansion Final Rule (62 Federal Register 23834) which added seven new industry sectors.EPA estimated that about 6,600 additional facilities would submit more than 37,000 additional Form R reports because of the addition of these industry groups.
May 16, 1997 - When EPA finalized the Industry Expansion Rule
The Vice President announced that the EPA would initiate an intensive stakeholder process to comprehensively evaluate the current reporting forms (Form R and Form A) and reporting practices relating to the TRI Program. The goals of this process were to improve the type of right-to-know information available to communities and to help streamline right-to-know reporting to ease the paperwork burden for businesses affected by the requirements. EPA used the Toxics Data Reporting Committee (TDR) of the National Advisory Council for Environmental Policy and Technology (NACEPT) and additional public stakeholder meetings to obtain input from interested parties on these issues.TRI Stakeholder Dialogue 1997-1999
7 Public Meetings on TRI - Notices, Meeting Summaries and Transcripts
NACEPT Toxics Data Reporting Meeting Summaries and Final 1998 TDR Report
October 1, 1997 - TRI Phase 3 Chemical Use Reporting Following three public meetings, extensive public dialogue, and publication of several issue papers, EPA issued an Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPR) - 61 Federal Register 51321-51330. The purpose of the ANPR was to describe the Agency’s plan to further evaluate these issues-phase 3.TRI Phase 3 factsheet
TRI Phase 3 issue paper #1 - Chemical Use Expansion
TRI Phase 3 issue paper #2 - Expansion of the Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) to gather chemical
use information
TRI Phase 3 issue paper #3 - Expansion of the EPA Community Right-to-Know Program to increase the information available to the public on chemical use
April 1998 - EPA held five public meetings to solicit comments from stakeholders regarding the issues outlined above. These meetings were held in Washington, DC; San Francisco, CA; Chicago, IL; Dallas, TX; and New York, NY. Announcement: February 3, 1998 - 63 Federal Register 5517-5518 and May 26, 1998 - 63 Federal Register 28509-28510
Beginning in 1991 - Covered facilities were required to report quantities of TRI chemicals recycled, combusted for energy recovery, and treated on- and off-site. TRI’s coverage of facilities was limited to the manufacturing sector (SIC codes 20-39), required to report under EPCRA section 313.
February, 1991 - EPA establishes the 33/50 Program (PDF) (44 pp, 609K, About PDF). This program was EPA’s first voluntary initiative aimed at reducing the releases and transfers of toxic chemicals. The name is derived from the program’s goals: a 33% reduction by 1992 and a 50% reduction by 1995. It operated for 5 years.
Fall 1991 - EPA considers pursuing a three-phase approach to broaden the scope of TRI: phase 1: chemical expansion, phase 2: facility expansion and phase 3: chemical use reporting.
August 3, 1993 - President Clinton signs Executive Order 12856 pledging the Federal Government to protect the environment by preventing pollution at the source. This executive order applies Federal Right-to-Know laws, including TRI reporting requirements to all Federal facilities beginning in 1994.
November 30, 1994- TRI Phase 1: Chemical Expansion
The Phase 1 Expansion included two major actions. The first action occurred in 1993 with the addition of certain Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) chemicals and certain hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) to EPCRA section 313. On November 30, 1994, a Chemical Expansion Final Rule (59 FR61431) was promulgated, expanding TRI by 286 new chemicals and categories.
August 8, 1995 - President Clinton sends a memorandum to the EPA administrator, directing EPA to expedite TRI expansion efforts. The memorandum went on to direct EPA to develop "an expedited, open, and transparent process for consideration of reporting under EPCRA on information on the use of toxic chemicals at facilities, including information on mass balance, materials accounting, or other chemical use data".
October 18, 1995 - EPA held a 2-day public meeting to receive public comments on whether to expand the reporting requirements of the Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) to include chemical use data. The meeting is intended to explore issues related to the possible collection of chemical use-related data, such as materials accounting, under the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act or other appropriate Federal statutes. – August 11, 1995, 60 Federal Register 47174
August 8, 1995 - President Clinton, Vice President Gore and Administrator Browner traveled to Baltimore to announce the signing of Executive Order 12969 – on Federal Acquisition and Community-Right-to Know. This executive order requires government contractors whose facilities are covered under EPCRA section 313 to continue to file TRI reporting for the life of their contracts-
August 7 and 14, 1996 - EPA held two public meetings to discuss the Agency's proposal and options to add industry groups to the list of industry groups subject to reporting requirements under section 313 of EPCRA. The first meeting was held in San Francisco, CA on August 7, 1996. The second meeting took place in Washington, DC on August 14, 1996. June 27, 1996, 61 Federal Register 33619
May 1, 1997 - TRI Phase 2: Facility/industry expansion
EPA undertook a detailed examination of other, non-manufacturing industries to determine which may be significant generators of toxic chemical releases and wastes. As a result of its assessments, EPA promulgated the Industry Expansion Final Rule (62 Federal Register 23834) which added seven new industry sectors.
May 16, 1997 - When EPA finalized the Industry Expansion Rule
The Vice President announced that the EPA would initiate an intensive stakeholder process to comprehensively evaluate the current reporting forms (Form R and Form A) and reporting practices relating to the TRI Program. The goals of this process were to improve the type of right-to-know information available to communities and to help streamline right-to-know reporting to ease the paperwork burden for businesses affected by the requirements. EPA used the Toxics Data Reporting Committee (TDR) of the National Advisory Council for Environmental Policy and Technology (NACEPT) and additional public stakeholder meetings to obtain input from interested parties on these issues.
October 1, 1997 - TRI Phase 3 Chemical Use Reporting Following three public meetings, extensive public dialogue, and publication of several issue papers, EPA issued an Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPR) - 61 Federal Register 51321-51330. The purpose of the ANPR was to describe the Agency’s plan to further evaluate these issues-phase 3.
April 1998 - EPA held five public meetings to solicit comments from stakeholders regarding the issues outlined above. These meetings were held in Washington, DC; San Francisco, CA; Chicago, IL; Dallas, TX; and New York, NY. Announcement: February 3, 1998 - 63 Federal Register 5517-5518 and May 26, 1998 - 63 Federal Register 28509-28510
April 1, 1998 - As a part of EPA's 1994 regulatory review, the reporting requirements under section 8(d) of the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) were reviewed for burden reduction opportunities. As a result of this review, EPA revised its TSCA section 8(d) health and safety data reporting rule that requires chemical manufacturers (including importers) and processors of listed substances and listed mixtures to report unpublished health and safety studies. 63 Federal Register 15765-15774
April 22, 1998 - Deletion of Certain TRI Chemicals and Categories. EPA consented to delete dimethyldichlorosilane, methyltrichlorosilane, and trimethylchlorosilane (hereinafter collectively ''chlorosilanes'') from the TRI chemical list. 63 Federal Register 19838-19839
May 1, 1998 - EPA held a public meeting regarding the Agency's proposal to add dioxins and dioxin-like compounds to the list of chemicals. Announcement: April 6, 1998 63 Federal Register 16754-16755
May 19, 1998 - EPA announced Executive Order 13084 which was signed on May 14, 1998 to ensure Consultation and Coordination with Indian Tribal Governments 63 Federal Register 27655-27657
June 15, 1998 - Under the Federal Advisory Committee Act, EPA provided notice of a 2-day meeting of the Toxics Data Reporting (TDR) Committee of the National Advisory Council for Environmental Policy and Technology (NACEPT). This was the sixth meeting of the Toxics Data Reporting (TDR) Committee, whose mission is to provide advice to EPA regarding the Agency's Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) Program. 63 Federal Register 32655-32656
January 26, 1999 - EPA announced it was holding three public meetings to obtain public comment on two specific draft documents developed as part of the Agency's Persistent Bioaccumulative Toxic (PBT) Pollutant strategy. The first meeting on EPA's PBT pollutant strategy took place in Washington, DC on February 16, 1999. The second meeting on EPA's PBT pollutant strategy took place in Chicago, IL on February 23, 1999. The third meeting on EPA's PBT pollutant strategy took place in San Francisco, CA on March 5, 1999. 64 Federal Register 3941-3942
November 1999 - The Toxic Release Inventory (TRI) Project of the Forum on State and Tribal Toxics Action (FOSTTA) conducted an assessment on how states use the Toxic Release Inventory annually.
- 1999 State TRI Program Assessment (PDF) (12 pp, 206K, About PDF)
- 1999 State TRI Program Assessment Data Report (PDF) (47 pp, 206K, About PDF)
2000s
April 26, 2000 - Executive Order 13148, “Greening the Government Through Leadership in Environmental Management,” was signed by President Clinton on April 21, 2000. This Executive Order supersedes EO 12856, originally signed August 3, 1993. Executive Order (EO) 13148 requires federal agencies to comply with the provisions of EPCRA and the PPA of 1990.
June 27, 2000 - EPA deleted phosphoric acid from the list of chemicals subject to reporting requirements under section 313 of the EPCRA and section 6607 of the PPA of 1990 in response to the United States District Court for the District of Columbia ruling that phosphoric acid does not meet EPCRA section 313(d)(2)(C) listing criterion. 65 Federal Register 39552-39556
January 17, 2001 - EPA lowered the reporting thresholds for lead and lead compounds which are subject to reporting under section 313 of EPCRA and section 6607 of PPA of 1990. 66 Federal Register 4499-4547
May 11, 2001 - EPA granted a petition to delete both chromite ore mined in the Transvaal Region of South Africa and the unreacted ore component of the chromite ore processing residue (COPR) from the reporting requirements under section 313 of the EPCRA and section 6607 of the PPA. 66 Federal Register 24066-24073
October 15, 2002 - Phase 1 National Stakeholder Dialogue - EPA held an on-line public dialogue for 60-days from October 16, 2002 to December 17, 2002 as part of a Phase 1 National Stakeholder Dialogue on the Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) Program. 67 Federal Register 63656-63657For Phase 1, EPA made available three papers which describe
aspects of the TRI Program and raise issues for stakeholder input.
2002 On-line Dialogue - Phase 1
November 5, 2003 - Phase 2 National Stakeholder Dialogue - EPA held an on-line public dialogue on options for reducing the burden on the regulated industry associated with the Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) program. This dialogue served as Phase 2 of the national Stakeholder Dialogue that the EPA has been conducting with the public on various TRI issues; Phase 1 was launched in October 2002. 68 Federal Register 62579-625822003 TRI Stakeholder Dialogue- Phase 2
February 4, 2004 - TRI posted a stakeholder dialogue paper during Phase 2 with 5 specific options for burden reduction to initiate Phase II of the TRI Stakeholder Dialogue. EPA also requested comment on any other burden reduction not specifically discussed in the paper as well as asking for comment on ways to improve the Toxics Release Inventory -Made Easy (TRI-ME)software. The comment period closed on February 4, 2004.
October 19, 2004 - TRI held a public meeting to discuss comments received on burden reduction.Overall Burden Reduction Strategy (PDF) (7 pp, 30K, About
PDF)
TRI Reporting Forms Modifications: Burden Reduction Rule (PDF) (18 pp, 62K, About
PDF)
Options and Public Comment Summary (PDF) (8 pp, 35K, About
PDF)
Analytic Methods and Preliminary Results (PDF) (12 pp, 40K, About
PDF)
October 19, 2004 Meeting Summary (PDF) (10 pp, 75K, About
PDF)
July 12, 2005 - Toxics Release Inventory Reporting Forms Modification Rule
This rule improved the reporting efficiency and effectiveness, reduced burden, and promoted data reliability and consistency across Agency programs of certain Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) reporting requirements. 70 Federal Register 39931-39949
October 4, 2004 - TRI Burden Reduction Proposed Rule - 70 Federal Register 57822
December 22, 2006 - Toxics Release Inventory Burden Reduction Final Rule
EPA revised the Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) reporting requirements to reduce burden while continuing to provide valuable information to the public, and promote recycling and treatment as alternatives to disposal and other releases. TRI reporting is required by section 313 of EPCRA and section 6607 of the PPA. 71 Federal Register 76932-76945
January 24, 2007- President George W. Bush signed Executive Order (E.O.) 13423
“Strengthening Federal Environmental, Energy, and Transportation Management”, the instructions for Implementing E.O. 13423 (PDF) (51 pp, 416K, About PDF) were released on March 29, 2007. This document defines agency requirements for implementing E.O. 13423 and broad strategies for achieving these requirements.
May 10, 2007 - Dioxin and Dioxin-like Compounds Final Rule
EPA promulgated revisions to the reporting requirements for the dioxin and dioxin-like compounds category. The current EPCRA section 313 regulations require facilities to report dioxin and dioxin-like compounds in units of total grams for the entire category, and provide a single generic distribution of the individual dioxin and dioxin-like compounds at the facility. 72 FR 26544-26554
April 21, 2009 - TRI Form A Eligibility Implementing the 2009 Omnibus Appropriations Act
This final rule modifies Form A eligibility provided for at 40 C.F.R. section 372.27 (Alternate thresholds and certifications). For PBT chemicals, the final rule eliminates Form A eligibility for those chemicals listed at 40 C.F.R. section 372.28. For non-PBT chemicals, the final rule reinstates the 500-pound annual reporting amount (the total of releases and other waste management) and 1,000,000 pounds manufactured, processed or otherwise used Form A eligibility threshold in effect prior to January 22, 2007. This includes releases and waste management activities (Section 8.1 through and including Section 8.7) which are counted against the 500 pound threshold criterion.
June 27, 2000 - EPA deleted phosphoric acid from the list of chemicals subject to reporting requirements under section 313 of the EPCRA and section 6607 of the PPA of 1990 in response to the United States District Court for the District of Columbia ruling that phosphoric acid does not meet EPCRA section 313(d)(2)(C) listing criterion. 65 Federal Register 39552-39556
January 17, 2001 - EPA lowered the reporting thresholds for lead and lead compounds which are subject to reporting under section 313 of EPCRA and section 6607 of PPA of 1990. 66 Federal Register 4499-4547
May 11, 2001 - EPA granted a petition to delete both chromite ore mined in the Transvaal Region of South Africa and the unreacted ore component of the chromite ore processing residue (COPR) from the reporting requirements under section 313 of the EPCRA and section 6607 of the PPA. 66 Federal Register 24066-24073
October 15, 2002 - Phase 1 National Stakeholder Dialogue - EPA held an on-line public dialogue for 60-days from October 16, 2002 to December 17, 2002 as part of a Phase 1 National Stakeholder Dialogue on the Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) Program. 67 Federal Register 63656-63657
- The first paper is entitled TRI Data Collection, Processing and Management, and addresses the TRI data process beginning with submission of the forms and ending at the data "freeze."
- The second paper, TRI Data Release discusses TRI data products, the process for analyzing and releasing the TRI data, and uses of the data.
- The third paper is TRI Compliance Assistance Activities, which describes the compliance assistance EPA provides.
November 5, 2003 - Phase 2 National Stakeholder Dialogue - EPA held an on-line public dialogue on options for reducing the burden on the regulated industry associated with the Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) program. This dialogue served as Phase 2 of the national Stakeholder Dialogue that the EPA has been conducting with the public on various TRI issues; Phase 1 was launched in October 2002. 68 Federal Register 62579-62582
February 4, 2004 - TRI posted a stakeholder dialogue paper during Phase 2 with 5 specific options for burden reduction to initiate Phase II of the TRI Stakeholder Dialogue. EPA also requested comment on any other burden reduction not specifically discussed in the paper as well as asking for comment on ways to improve the Toxics Release Inventory -Made Easy (TRI-ME)software. The comment period closed on February 4, 2004.
October 19, 2004 - TRI held a public meeting to discuss comments received on burden reduction.
July 12, 2005 - Toxics Release Inventory Reporting Forms Modification Rule
This rule improved the reporting efficiency and effectiveness, reduced burden, and promoted data reliability and consistency across Agency programs of certain Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) reporting requirements. 70 Federal Register 39931-39949
October 4, 2004 - TRI Burden Reduction Proposed Rule - 70 Federal Register 57822
December 22, 2006 - Toxics Release Inventory Burden Reduction Final Rule
EPA revised the Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) reporting requirements to reduce burden while continuing to provide valuable information to the public, and promote recycling and treatment as alternatives to disposal and other releases. TRI reporting is required by section 313 of EPCRA and section 6607 of the PPA. 71 Federal Register 76932-76945
January 24, 2007- President George W. Bush signed Executive Order (E.O.) 13423
“Strengthening Federal Environmental, Energy, and Transportation Management”, the instructions for Implementing E.O. 13423 (PDF) (51 pp, 416K, About PDF) were released on March 29, 2007. This document defines agency requirements for implementing E.O. 13423 and broad strategies for achieving these requirements.
May 10, 2007 - Dioxin and Dioxin-like Compounds Final Rule
EPA promulgated revisions to the reporting requirements for the dioxin and dioxin-like compounds category. The current EPCRA section 313 regulations require facilities to report dioxin and dioxin-like compounds in units of total grams for the entire category, and provide a single generic distribution of the individual dioxin and dioxin-like compounds at the facility. 72 FR 26544-26554
April 21, 2009 - TRI Form A Eligibility Implementing the 2009 Omnibus Appropriations Act
This final rule modifies Form A eligibility provided for at 40 C.F.R. section 372.27 (Alternate thresholds and certifications). For PBT chemicals, the final rule eliminates Form A eligibility for those chemicals listed at 40 C.F.R. section 372.28. For non-PBT chemicals, the final rule reinstates the 500-pound annual reporting amount (the total of releases and other waste management) and 1,000,000 pounds manufactured, processed or otherwise used Form A eligibility threshold in effect prior to January 22, 2007. This includes releases and waste management activities (Section 8.1 through and including Section 8.7) which are counted against the 500 pound threshold criterion.