Lawyer Sanders says that 4 billion pounds of toxic wastes were not properly manages according to EPA’s most recent TRI report.

U.S. EPA’s annual Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) report discloses that approximately 22 billion pounds— or 84 percent— of the 26 billion pounds of toxic chemical waste were properly managed.

However, 4 billion pounds of toxic chemical waste were disposed of or otherwise released to the environment, 66 percent went to land, 19 percent to air, 5 percent to water, and 10 percent was transferred to other facilities.

TRI data is submitted annually to EPA, states, and tribes by facilities in industry sectors such as manufacturing, metal mining, electric utilities, and commercial hazardous waste. Under the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA), facilities must report their toxic chemical releases for the prior year to EPA by July 1 of each year.

The Pollution Prevention Act of 1990 also requires facilities to submit information on pollution prevention and other waste management activities related to TRI chemicals.

To access the 2013 TRI National Analysis report, including long-term trends and localized analyses, visit www.epa.gov/tri/nationalanalysis.