2004 TRI Public Data Release
EPA released the 2004 TRI Data on April 12, 2006. This page provides an overview of the 2004 TRI data and relevant TRI information (including analysis, tables, charts, maps, etc). To fully understand the TRI data, we recommend that you read all of the materials.
You will need Adobe Reader to view some of the files on this page. See EPA's PDF page to learn more.
- What is the Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) and what do the data show for 2005?
- What materials are available for the Public Data Release?
- How can I obtain the full data set for my state?
- What about facility data errors?
- Are online tools available?
- What other information should I consider when using TRI data to assess releases in my neighborhood?
What is the Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) and what do the data show for 2005?
The Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) is a database containing detailed information on nearly 650 chemicals and chemical categories that over 23,000 industrial and federal facilities manage through disposal or other releases, and waste management for recycling, energy recovery, or treatment.
This inventory was established under the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act of 1986 (EPCRA) and expanded by the Pollution Prevention Act of 1990.
For Reporting Year 2005, 23,461 facilities reported to EPA’s TRI Program. These facilities reported 4.34 billion pounds of on-site and off-site disposal or other releases of the almost 650 toxic chemicals. Over 88 percent of the total was disposed of or otherwise released on-site; almost 12 percent was sent off-site for disposal or other releases. For more information about the TRI program, see the What is the Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) Program fact sheet.
What materials are available for the Public Data Release (PDR)?
- 2004 PDR Brochure (April 2006): This seven-page printable version of the brochure provides a quick overview of TRI data, including a background document, charts, and data tables.
- 2004 Public Data Release eReport (PDF) (228 pp, 3.0MB, About PDF) provides a general overview of 2004 TRI data and information on trends. You can also get the report by calling (202) 564-9554 or emailing your request to TRIDOCS@epa.gov.
Read the report sections individually:
- Summary of Key Findings (PDF) (17 pp, 1.6MB, About PDF): This section provides a detailed look at the key findings of the 2004 TRI data.
- Data Tables and Charts (PDF) (PDF, 212pp, 1.0MB) (212 pp, 1.0MB, About PDF): This section provides a look at just the numbers for a select set of national data:
- Section A - Data Charts (PDF) (4 pp, 46KB, About PDF)
- Section B - Summary, 2004 (PDF) (32 pp, 380KB, About PDF)
- Section C - Top Facilities by Industry Sector, 2004: Total Disposal or Other Releases (PDF) (55 pp, 558KB, About PDF)
- Section D - Top Facilities by Industry Sector, 2004: Total Disposal or Other Releases, not including Class I Underground Injection Wells, RCRA Subtitle C Landfills and Other Landfills (PDF) (55 pp, 563KB, About PDF)
- Section E - Quantities of TRI Chemicals in Waste, 2004 (38 pp, 177KB, About PDF)
- Section F - Top Facilities by Industry Sector, 2004: Total TRI Production-related Waste (PDF) (28 pp, 296KB, About PDF)
- PDR Reports for past years
You can also get the report by calling (202) 564-9554 or emailing your request to TRIDOCS@epa.gov.
How can I obtain the full data set for my state?
- 2004 TRI State Data Files
- 2004 TRI State Fact Sheets: accessible in TRI Explorer, an interactive online display system.
What about facility data errors?
We check facilities' reports for data quality. When we find a potential error, we notify the facility. However, we cannot correct a reporting error in the TRI database until the facility sends us a certified revision or withdrawal. As you use TRI data, be aware that the database may reflect uncorrected facility reporting errors. Errata
Are online tools available?
- TRI Explorer -- This on-line tool generates reports based on facilities, chemicals, geographic areas, or industry type (NAICS code) at the county, state, and national level. It provides information for on- and off-site disposal or other releases, transfers off-site, and other waste management data (i.e., recycling, energy recovery, treatment, and quantities released).
- Envirofacts -- EPA created the Envirofacts Warehouse to provide the public with direct access to information contained in its databases on Air, Chemicals, Facility Information, Grants/Funding, Hazardous Waste, Risk Management Plans, Superfund, Toxic Releases, etc.
What other information should I consider when using TRI data to assess releases in my neighborhood?
Release estimates alone are not sufficient to determine exposure or to calculate potential risks to human health and the environment. TRI data, in conjunction with other information, such as the toxicity of the chemical, the release medium, and site-specific conditions, can be used as a starting point in evaluating exposures that may result from releases of toxic chemicals.
- Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS) -- The Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS) contains summaries of hazard assessments and EPA regulatory information on over 500 specific chemicals. It is a key source for descriptive and quantitative hazard/risk information, such as oral reference doses and inhalation reference concentrations for chronic, non-carcinogenic health effects; oral slope factors and unit risk for chronic exposure to carcinogens; EPA drinking water health advisories; and summaries of EPA regulatory actions. The system is useful in the risk assessment process.
- The National Library of Medicine (NLM) TOXNET System -- NLM's TOXNET System makes TRI data and health information accessible to concerned citizens and to businesses and organizations interested in environmental or public health issues. TOXNET offers state-of-the-art, user-friendly, on-line searching.
- Risk-Screening Environmental Indicators (RSEI) -- RSEI is a screening tool that compares toxic chemicals released to the environment from industrial sources. You can examine rankings and trends, and set priorities for further action. Information can be sorted in numerous ways such as by chemical, media, geographic areas, etc.
- Dioxin and Dioxin-Like Compounds TEQ Data -- Link provided by Chlorine Chemistry Council (CCC).
- ATSDR ToxFAQs(TM) -- ToxFAQs(TM), produced by The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) is a series of summaries about hazardous substances being developed by the ATSDR Division of Toxicology. Information for this series is excerpted from the ATSDR Toxicological Profiles and Public Health Statements. Each fact sheet serves as a quick and easy to understand guide. Answers are provided to the most frequently asked questions (FAQs) about exposure to hazardous substances found around hazardous waste sites and the effects of exposure on human health.
- New Jersey Hazardous Substances Fact Sheets -- Fact sheets for 1,234 individual hazardous chemicals that include information relating to acute and chronic health hazards, identification, workplace exposure limits, medical tests, handling and storage, definitions, emergency response information for fires, spills and first aid, and other information.