| Now That You Know Richard Dahl Abstract
 The Toxics Release Inventory is a list of hazardous chemicals whose use must be accounted for in the form of annual emissions reports by using companies. The TRI is the EPA's means of supporting the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act of 1986, which was designed to inform the public about the manufacture and use of toxic chemicals. Since TRI reporting began in 1988, overall toxics releases in the United States have decreased by 44.1% ; the simple act of disclosure appears to be a powerful deterrent to the indiscriminate release of toxic chemicals. The EPA recently undertook a three-phase expansion of the TRI. First, the list has been increased to include approximately 600 chemicals. Second, reporting requirements are being extended to seven new industrial groups. Finally, reporting must now include a record of the quantities of chemicals entering the factories, being used, and being put out. All three phases face opposition. Some see the TRI as just another bureaucratic burden. It has been argued that raising the number of chemicals on the inventory serves only to present an exaggerated, unrealistic picture of the actual risks posed by such chemicals. There is also the risk of overwhelming the public with unnecessary data, resulting in apathy rather than activism. Also the chemical numbers sometimes sound worse than they actually are. Meanwhile, some companies are taking a proactive approach to involving the public in their reduction efforts, helping both the environment and the companies' public image. Plus, toxics accountability seems to really work. For example, since 1990, when Massachusetts companies were first required under that state's Toxics Use Reduction Act to account for toxic materials, use of TRI-listed chemicals has dropped by 16 million pounds, or 25%. So far, the TRI has survived challenges from opponents and is being emulated in other countries around the world.
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