Section 1: Comparing TRI and Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Top Sectors Reporting TRI Air Emissions and GHG C0_2e

This figure shows the top sectors reporting air emissions to GHGRP and TRI in 2013. The primary greenhouse gas reported to the GHGRP is carbon dioxide (CO₂), which is released during fossil fuel combustion and various industrial processes. TRI reporting focuses on toxic chemicals and therefore covers different chemicals from GHGRP. Some TRI chemicals are a result of combustion of fuels for energy (as most GHG emissions are), but others are used in and released from additional processes ranging from metal mining to surface cleaning. Therefore, the top air emitting sectors in TRI are similar, but not identical to, the top emitting sectors covered by the GHGRP. While electric utilities are the primary reporters of air emissions to both programs, the chemical manufacturing industry reports more chemical air emissions to TRI than to the GHGRP. Analyzing toxic chemical releases reported to TRI and greenhouse gas emissions reported to the GHGRP together creates a more complete picture of emissions at the facility and sector levels.

Note that in addition to differences in the chemicals reported to TRI and GHGRP, there are numerous other program differences including reporting thresholds. For TRI, the reporting threshold for chemicals is 25,000 pounds manufactured or processed, or 10,000 pounds otherwise used per year, whereas for GHGRP, the reporting threshold is based on emissions and is generally 25,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent per year.

This page was published in January 2015 and uses the 2013 TRI National Analysis dataset made public in TRI Explorer in October 2014.