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 Industry Profile Dashboard to explore TRI information for a particular industry, including the food, automotive and pharmaceutical manufacturing sectors.
- Download Excel files of all TRI P2 data
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 2019, a total of 1,325 facilities (6% of all TRI facilities) reported initiating 3,285 new source reduction activities. Good operating practices, process modifications, and spill and leak prevention were the activities reported most frequently. Click on the legend to see examples of source reduction activities; reported codes are included in parentheses.
P2 Examples
Good Operating Practices
- A circuit board manufacturing facility developed criteria to extend useful bath life, reducing nitric acid waste generated from bath dumps and decants. (W13)
- A coating manufacturer implemented production scheduling rules to minimize changeovers between products and cleaning of equipment, reducing usage of xylenes. (W14)
Return to Source Reduction Activities Graph or Top of Page
Process Modifications
- An organic chemical manufacturer increased batch cycle time of a reaction, increasing yield and reducing quantities of unreacted raw o-xylene materials that would otherwise be managed as waste. (W50)
- A reconstituted wood product manufacturer installed a sieve to remove impurities from raw material, reducing the generation of off-spec product resulting in less zinc compound waste. (W52)
Return to Source Reduction Activities Graph or Top of Page
Spill and Leak Prevention
- A chemical manufacturing facility replaced equipment identified during the Leak Detection and Repair (LDAR) program as contributing to leaks and fugitive emissions of methanol. (W39)
- A petroleum terminal installed a truck rack vapor recovery system to recover internal floating roof landing emissions of volatile compounds, including benzene, cyclohexane, and polycyclic aromatic compounds. (W35)
Return to Source Reduction Activities Graph or Top of Page
Inventory Control
- A paint and coating manufacturing facility performed testing on outdated material to re-qualify material for use, thereby reducing xylene waste. (W22)
- A soap and detergent manufacturing facility performed routine inventory checks to ensure materials containing ammonia or certain glycol ethers are used within shelf-life including returning materials to vendors prior to expiration and improving labeling of materials before, during, and after transfer steps. (W29)
Return to Source Reduction Activities Graph or Top of Page
Product Modifications
- A rubber hose manufacturer changed to phthalate-free plasticizers in some rubber compounds. (W82)
- A motor vehicle parts manufacturer modified products to reduce process tank drag out, thereby reducing nitric acid waste. (W89)
Return to Source Reduction Activities Graph or Top of Page
Cleaning and Degreasing
- A chemical manufacturer installed enclosed sampling systems to reduce the need to rinse sample bottles, reducing acetaldehyde waste. (W64)
- A motor vehicle parts manufacturer updated their zinc rinse system with automated equipment, improving overall effectiveness of the system. (W66)
Return to Source Reduction Activities Graph or Top of Page
Raw Material Modifications
- A paint manufacturer exchanged a solid material containing zinc compounds to a material in liquid form, improving efficiency of the chemical delivery into the product formulation. (W43)
- A camper manufacturer substituted caulks containing tetrachloroethylene with tetrachloroethylene-free caulks. (W42)
Return to Source Reduction Activities Graph or Top of Page
Surface Preparation and Finishing
- A wood kitchen cabinet manufacturer developed a water-based stain to replace a stain containing n-butyl alcohol. (W73)
- A paper mill installed a new saturator that applies coating more efficiently, to help reduce waste of chemicals including formaldehyde and methanol. (W74)
Return to Source Reduction Activities Graph or Top of Page