Forms and Publications

Toxic Chemical Report

A summary of information contained in the Toxic Chemical Report Forms

2008 TRI reports may be submitted by using CDX Internet reporting through USEPA or hardcopy, diskette, or CD.

Congress adopted Title III as part of the Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act of 1986 (SARA). Title III is known as the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act of 1986 (EPCRA). EPCRA establishes programs to provide the public with important information on the hazardous chemicals in their communities, as well as providing emergency planning and notification requirements which help protect the public in the event of a release of hazardous chemicals.

Section 313 of EPCRA requires annual reports to be filed by certain companies which release any of over 600 listed toxic chemicals and compounds to the environment. This reporting covers routine releases that occur as a result of normal business operations within a calendar year, and non-routine or accidental releases.

In 1987, the Illinois General Assembly amended the Illinois Environmental Protection Act to provide for a coordinated state implementation of Section 313. This amendment also established an orderly procedure for the public to access this information. Under the Act, the Illinois EPA is charged with the administration of Section 313 which requires industry to report annually to the U.S. EPA and state governments via the toxic chemical release form (Form R).

Form R includes all routine and non-routine releases of toxic chemicals to the air, water and land, as well as transfers of wastes to off-site treatment, storage and disposal facilities. The information reported is not necessarily derived from actual monitoring or measurements, but may be estimated from published emission factors, material balance calculations, or engineering calculations.

Form R information reported to the Illinois EPA is entered into a computer data base known as the Illinois Toxic Chemical Inventory (TCI), as required by the Illinois Environmental Protection Act.