Pollution Prevention (P2) and TRI
Under the Pollution Prevention Act of 1990 (PPA), the Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) Program collects information to track industry progress in reducing waste generation and moving towards safer waste management alternatives. Many facilities provide descriptions of measures they have taken to prevent pollution and reduce the amount of toxic chemicals entering the environment. As a result, TRI serves as a tool for identifying effective environmental practices and highlighting pollution prevention successes.
Access TRI's P2 Data
- Use the TRI P2 Search Tool to get info by industry sector, chemical, geography or parent company, and compare environmental performance.
- Use the TRI Toxics Tracker to explore TRI information and quickly filter by industry sector, type of source reduction activity, and other variables.
- Use the P2 EJ Facility Mapping Tool to identify facilities reporting to EPA in or adjacent to underserved communities. Includes information from TRI, the Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program, and other EPA datasets.
Learn About TRI P2 Resources
- Browse P2 Analyses and Publications for information on P2 opportunities and the benefits of P2 implementation.
- Browse TRI's collection of P2 resources, including factsheets, videos, tips for reporting P2 activities to TRI, and how-to guidance for conducting analyses with the TRI P2 Search Tool.
Source Reduction Activities Reported to TRI
For 2020, a total of 1,188 facilities (6% of all TRI facilities) reported initiating 2,779 new source reduction activities. Good operating practices, process modifications, and spill and leak prevention were the activities reported most frequently. Click on the legend or graph to see examples of source reduction activities; reported codes are included in parentheses.
P2 Examples
Good Operating Practices
- A mineral grinding and treatment facility improved flush-out procedures during product changeovers to minimize the amount of certain glycol ethers processed as waste. (W13)
- A truck trailer manufacturer produced less scrap metal containing manganese and lead waste by auditing raw material sizes. (W19)
Process Modifications
- A basic organic chemical manufacturer stopped using cyclohexane in an intermediate process after finding it was not a necessary step in production. (W56)
- A kitchen cabinet manufacturing facility reduced its use of xylene by switching to high solid coatings which resulted in more film build on target parts and required less material. (W58)
Spill and Leak Prevention
- A plastics material and resin manufacturer implemented a new procedure to evacuate chlorine supply lines during shutdown, preventing potential chlorine leaks in process piping. (W32)
- A structural metal products manufacturer assigned dedicated day and night shift paint technicians to operate pumps effectively and prevent leaks. (W36)
Raw Material Modifications
- An agricultural chemical manufacturer began using a liquid raw material with fewer impurities which produced less zinc-containing filter cake waste, reducing the amount sent to landfill. (W41)
- A plastic products laminating facility eliminated methanol usage by using a modified resin to manufacture laminates. (W42)
Product Modifications
- A plastic products laminating facility reformulated a product to contain less methyl methacrylate as a raw material. (W81)
- A motor vehicle electric and electronic equipment manufacturer redesigned products to move away from lead solder and meet customer requirements for product integrity. (W82)
Inventory Control
- A steel investment foundry reduced its chromium waste by setting reorder limits based on production requirements to maintain the minimum amount of raw materials in inventory. (W21)
- An adhesive manufacturer expedited the rework of butyl acrylate and vinyl acetate raw materials nearing their expiration dates to avoid disposing of them as waste. (W29)
Cleaning and Degreasing
- A heavy duty truck manufacturer eliminated methanol as a cleaning product and replaced it with isopropyl alcohol wipes. (W61)
- A cheese manufacturer implemented longer production runs which reduced cleaning activities leading to less nitrate compound waste treated. (W71)
Surface Preparation and Finishing
- A kitchen cabinet and countertop manufacturer replaced hand spraying guns with more efficient equipment, resulting in less xylene-containing waste managed. (W72)
- A plastic product manufacturer purchased surface preparation and finishing materials with lower styrene content, replacing previous coating materials. (W73)