NEW YORK (March 21, 2024) – Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency released its 2022 Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) National Analysis showing that environmental releases of toxic TRI chemicals from facilities covered by the program were 21% lower in 2022 compared to 2013. This includes a 26% decrease in air releases.
During these 10 years, releases from manufacturing facilities decreased by 9% while the value added to the U.S. economy from manufacturing increased by 14%. While overall releases increased by 1% from 2021 to 2022, there was a 6.5% increase in pollution prevention activities reported under the TRI program compared to 2021.
The report also shows that production-related waste managed from TRI facilities in New Jersey, New York, Puerto Rico, the US Virgin Islands, and eight Indian Nations has decreased by 24% since 2013.
During 2022, facilities in New Jersey, New York, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and eight Indian Nations (Region 2) managed 94% of their waste through preferred methods such as treatment, energy recovery, and recycling, while only 6% was released into the environment. Region 2 releases and disposal totaled 34.1 million pounds in 2022. Since 2013, air emissions have decreased by 40% and surface water discharges have decreased by 23%. In 2022, 11% of facilities in Region 2 implemented new pollution prevention activities–higher than the nationwide average of 8%–with the most common being changes to operating practices and training.
The 2022 TRI National Analysis summarizes environmental releases of TRI chemicals, and how facilities managed their waste. In 2022, facilities reported managing 88.5% of their TRI chemical waste through preferred practices such as recycling, energy recovery, and treatment, while releasing 11.5% of their TRI chemical waste into the environment.
EPA, states and Tribes receive TRI data from manufacturing, mining, hazardous waste management, and electric utilities. More than 21,000 facilities submitted reports on 522 of the 827 chemicals and chemical categories for which TRI reporting is required. The remaining 305 chemicals either were not manufactured, processed, or used by facilities required to report to TRI or were not manufactured, processed, or used in amounts large enough to trigger reporting.
View the 2022 TRI National Analysis, including local data.
EPA is holding a public webinar on Thursday, April 4, 2024, at 2 p.m. to provide an overview of the 2022 TRI National Analysis.
Register for the webinar.
The 2022 TRI National Analysis features visualizations and analytical tools to make data more useful and accessible to communities. Readers can view data by state, Tribe, metropolitan area, EPA region, and watershed using the “Where You Live” mapping tool. This tool also allows readers to view facility locations overlayed with demographic data to identify potential exposure to TRI chemical releases in communities, including overburdened communities.
Community groups, policymakers, and other stakeholders can use this information to understand which communities may be experiencing a disproportionate pollution burden and take action at the local level.
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