EPA Releases Updated 2022 Toxics Release Inventory Reporting Data
Released October 24, 2023
Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published updated Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) data about toxic chemical waste management, including releases, and pollution prevention activities that occurred during 2022 at more than 20,000 industrial and federal facilities across the country.
General Information on the 2022 Updated Data
The 2022 data were reported by facilities in covered industries such as metal mining, electric power generation, chemical manufacturing and hazardous waste treatment that manufactured, processed or otherwise used substances on the TRI chemical list above threshold quantities during 2022. The dataset published today updates the preliminary 2022 data released in August 2023. It includes revised and late submissions from facilities received by EPA as of October 18, 2023.
Among the updated online TRI tools, communities can use EPA’s TRI Toxics Tracker to map the locations of TRI-reporting facilities and find out about their chemical releases, other chemical waste management practices, and pollution prevention activities (see example graphic below).
EPA's full analysis of the 2022 data will be published early next year in the 2022 TRI National Analysis and will examine aspects of the data including trends in releases, waste management reporting by industry sectors, and how facilities are working to reduce pollution.
Information from Contract Sterilization Facilities from the 2022 Updated Data
This is the first year that TRI data include reporting of ethylene oxide (EtO), a chemical that has been on the TRI chemical list since 1986, from 29 contract sterilization facilities that previously had not been subject to TRI reporting requirements. These facilities release EtO or otherwise manage the chemical as waste. In December 2021, EPA issued a decision extending TRI reporting requirements to these sterilization facilities that were likely to exceed the 10,000 pounds per year “otherwise used” TRI reporting threshold for ethylene oxide.
As of October 3, 2023, EPA has received TRI reporting forms for EtO from 26 of the 29 contract sterilization facilities. Of the remaining three facilities, one claimed to be below reporting thresholds and not required to report EtO. EPA is following up with the other two facilities. The 26 contract sterilization facilities reported managing over 6 million pounds of production-related waste of EtO in 2022, of which 9,133 pounds were released on site into the air.
PFAS-Related Information from the 2022 Updated Data
This is the third year that TRI data include reporting on per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) added to the TRI list of chemicals under requirements established by the 2020 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). The updated data indicate that during 2022 facilities managed over 1,177,039 pounds of production-related waste of PFAS and 50 facilities collectively submitted 132 TRI reporting forms for 44 discrete PFAS. EPA recently finalized a rule to eliminate the applicability of the de minimis exemption for PFAS – which allows reporting on PFAS to be avoided under certain circumstances. EPA anticipates additional reporting on the quantities of PFAS released or otherwise managed as waste to begin to be made after this rule goes into effect.