Metadata Record
  
1. TITLE: Accidental Release Information Program (ARIP) Database
  
2. IDENTIFICATION NUMBER: There is no EPA publication number because this is a
database. 
  
3. ABSTRACT:  The ARIP database collects information on accidental releases of hazardous
chemicals at fixed facilities.
  
The ARIP questionnaire consists of 23 questions about the facility, the circumstances and causes
of the incident, and the accidental release prevention practices and technologies in place prior to,
and added or changed as a result of, the event. The questionnaire focuses on several areas of 
accident prevention including hazard assessments, training, emergency response, public
notification procedures, mitigation techniques, and prevention equipment and controls.
  
The ARIP data are collected by the EPA Regional offices through the ARIP questionnaire.  The
information is forwarded to the EPA headquarters for inclusion in the ARIP database.
  
4. PURPOSE: ARIP involves collecting questionnaire information from facilities that have had
significant releases of hazardous substances, developing a national accidental release database,
analyzing the collected information, and disseminating the results of the analysis to those
involved in chemical accident prevention activities. ARIP also helps to focus industry's attention
on the causes of accidental releases and the means to prevent them.
  
5. ORIGINATOR:
US EPA
Chemical Emergency Preparedness and Prevention Office
Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response
Mail Code 5104A
  
6. ACCESS CONSTRAINTS: You will need about 9 megabytes of harddisk space to store the
unzipped ARIP database file. Download the arip.zip file and pkunzip.exe file to harddisk. In
windows, under file manager select  RUN  (or, in DOS, change to the directory containing the
unziped files, and type in "pkunzip arip", without the "" marks). Under file manager type 
"pkunzip arip", without the "" marks. This will unzip the arip.zip file. It will create three files:
the arip98.dbf, question.wp, and datadicx.wp. 

The arip99.dbf file contains the ARIP database. It can be viewed and searched using any of the
database software such as dBase IV, FoxPro, Access, etc. 
The question.wp file contains a copy of the ARIP questionnaire with which the information in
the database was collected.
The datadicx.wp file contains a copy of the data dictionary which explains the name of the data
fields in the database and the codes for some of the responses which are not directly based on the
multiple choice answers from the questionnaire.


7. PUBLICATION DATE: The current version was updated in July, 2000

8. AVAILABILITY - 
     A. DISTRIBUTOR:: Chemical Emergency Preparedness and Prevention Office

     B. ORDER PROCESS: Can download directly from the Internet.

     C. TECHNICAL PREREQUISITES: Software that can read dbf files (e.g., dBase IV,       
          FoxPro, Access.)
      
     D. AUTOMATED LINKAGE: N/A
  
 9. COVERAGE: The ARIP database contains information on incidents that occurred at fixed  
     facilities in the United States.
 
10. TIME PERIOD OF COVERAGE: This database contains incidents from 1986 to 1999.

11. POINT OF CONTACT FOR FURTHER INFORMATION:
    Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Hotline
    U.S. EPA (5104)
    401 M St., SW
    Washington, DC 20460

    800-424-9346
    703-412-9810 (in Washington Metropolitan area)
  
12. CATALOGUING SOURCE:
    David Chung
    Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response
    Chemical Emergency Preparedness and Prevention Office (5104A)
    Tel. (202) 564-8942

13. DATE OF CREATION: July 2000

14. ELEMENTS FOR INFORMATION SYSTEMS -
    AGENCY PROGRAM: N/A
    SOURCES OF DATA: N/A

15. AGENCY SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION: