Mapping Cross-Border Transfers

Facilities must report on the TRI chemicals in wastes they transfer off site for further management at other facilities, including the name and address of the receiving facility and how the waste is managed. This interactive map shows states with TRI facilities that shipped waste containing TRI chemicals outside of the U.S. Click on a state for more information on these cross-border transfers. Explore the data in more depth in the full TRI National Analysis Dashboard.

• Transfers of TRI chemical waste to Mexico and Canada accounted for 84% of all cross-border transfers by weight for 2022.
  • Almost all TRI chemical waste transfers (99%) to Mexico were for recycling, primarily of metals and metal compounds. Zinc made up 77% of all transfers to Mexico by weight.
  • Most transfers to Canada were from northeastern and midwestern states. About two-thirds of the TRI chemicals sent to Canada were transferred for recycling. Transfers to Canada were mostly metals (e.g., copper, nickel) and chemicals commonly used as solvents (e.g., acetonitrile, methanol).
• The North American Commission for Environmental Cooperation (CEC) is an international collaboration between the U.S., Canada, and Mexico focused on environmental issues of common interest. Among other activities, the CEC develops Taking Stock reports that combine data from TRI and the equivalent programs in Mexico and Canada. The most recent Taking Stock report includes a feature on cross-border transfers, supported by a cross-border transfers tool.

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This page was published in March 2024 and uses the 2022 TRI National Analysis dataset made public in TRI Explorer in October 2023.