TRI National Analysis

Pollution Prevention and Waste Management in the 2015 TRI National Analysis

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The Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) collects information from facilities on the quantities of toxic chemicals they recycle, combust for energy recovery, treat for destruction, and dispose of or otherwise release on- and off-site. These quantities, in aggregate, are collectively referred to as the quantity of production-related wasteHelpproduction-related wasteThe sum of all non-accidental chemical waste generated at a facility, prior to any form of on-site or off-site waste management. It is the sum of on-site environmental releases (minus quantities from non-routine, one-time events), on-site waste management (recycling, treatment, and combustion for energy recovery), and off-site transfers for disposal, treatment, recycling or energy recovery. managed.

Waste Management Hierarchy, showing the order of actions in order from most preferable (source reduction) to less preferable (disposal or other releases)

Looking at production-related waste managed over time helps track progress in reducing waste generation and moving toward preferred waste management practices. EPA encourages facilities to first eliminate waste at its source. For waste that is generated, the most preferred management method is recycling, followed by burning for energy recovery, treating, and, as a last resort, disposing of or otherwise releasing the waste into the environment. These waste management priorities are illustrated in the waste management hierarchy established by the Pollution Prevention Act (PPA) of 1990. The goal is that, when possible, facilities will shift over time from disposal or other releases toward the preferred techniques in the waste management hierarchy.

Sections in this chapter

Source Reduction/Pollution Prevention
Waste Management Trends
Waste Management by Chemical and Industry
Waste Management by Parent Company

This page was published in January 2017 and uses the 2015 TRI National Analysis dataset made public in TRI Explorer in October 2016.

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