Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) Program

TRI Data Uses

$Cover of the \"TRI in Action\" report$

View the full report, TRI in Action (PDF)

What can you do with TRI?

For more than 20 years, individuals and organizations have been relying on the Toxics Release Inventory as a powerful tool for environmental protection. Have you been wondering what you can do with TRI data?

Discussion Forum: share your thoughts about using TRI Data

Our 2013 report, TRI in Action (PDF), includes examples of how people have been putting TRI to work.

We encourage you to view the full report and also tell us about your experiences using TRI in our new discussion forum. You can also see some examples highlighted in the table below.

You can also view the 2003 report, How are the Toxics Release Inventory Data Used? (PDF)

TRI User Type	How TRI Can Be Used	Examples
Citizen/Community	Conduct analyses and risk assessments; identify potential public health concerns	Pollution Vanishing in the Sunshine? (2011) Great Lakes Still Under Siege from Toxic Pollution (2007)
Government	Prioritize environmental targets; evaluate effectiveness of environmental policies	Eugene Toxics Right to Know Program (1999-2011) U.S. Army Sustainability Report (PDF) (2009)
Academic	Research public exposure to toxic materials; assess environmental justice concerns	Coming Clean: Information Disclosure and Environmental Performance (2011) Air Pollution Around Schools Linked to Poorer Student Health and Academic Performance (2011)
Industry	Track progress toward corporate sustainability goals; identify opportunities for cost savings	Green Engineering and Sustainability for the Pharmaceutical Industry (PDF) (2008) Oil and Chemical Plants in Regions Hit by Hurricanes (2007)
Media	Monitor trends in toxic chemical releases in communities nationwide; investigate corporate environmental performance	America's 10 Most Toxic Cities (2011) Who are the Biggest Polluters in South Florida? (2011)
Advocacy	Influence improvements in environmental performance; campaign for more comprehensive environmental policies	The "Green" Hypocrisy: American's Corporate Environment Champions Pollute the World (2009) Airborne Toxic Pollution and Health (2007)

Please note that the links in the table go to non-EPA websites. The TRI data uses referenced in the linked materials are provided as examples; EPA is not endorsing the individuals, groups, and organizations who have used TRI data or their products.