Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) Program

Lead and Lead Compounds; Lowering of Reporting Thresholds

Rule Summary

In January 2001, EPA lowered the reporting thresholds for lead and lead compounds, which are subject to reporting under Section 313 of the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act of 1986 (EPCRA) and Section 6607 of the Pollution Prevention Act of 1990 (PPA).

Rule History

Persistent bioaccumulative toxic chemicals (PBTs) are of particular concern because they remain in the environment for significant periods of time and concentrate in the organisms exposed to them. EPA evaluated lead and lead compounds and concluded that they are PBT chemicals.

Lowering the reporting thresholds for lead and lead compounds ensures that the public has important information on the quantities of these chemicals released into the environment or otherwise managed as waste, that would not be reported under the 10,000 and 25,000 pound/year thresholds that apply to most other listed toxic chemicals. 

Additional Resources

Final Rule (PDF)(48 pp, 381 K, About PDF)
Proposed Rule (PDF)(22 pp, 295 K, About PDF)