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Toxics
Toxics Releases In Your Community
United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA)
REGION 9, TOXICS SECTION
CONTACT: LYNDA DESCHAMBAULT
GOTOBUTTON BM_1_
DESCHAMBAULT.LYNDA@EPA.GOV
Correlation to State Science Standards:
Grade 9-12
Chemistry #4, #5
Biology #6
Investigation and Experimentation #1
Correlation to State Social Studies Standards:
Grade 10-12
#10.13
#11.10
#12.14
PROJECT DESCRIPTION:
The USEPA required certain companies to report toxic releases
of certain chemicals and to make that information available to the public.The
Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) is an internet accessible database that
records annual chemical releases into the air, water and land. Get involved
and find out who is releasing chemicals in your community. This is a
great way to look to information in your community for exploring Public
Right to Know Laws and Environmental Sciences.
IS THIS AN IMPORTANT PROJECT TO DO?
The Toxics Release Inventory is only as valuable as the number
of people who use the information. It's as important as ever to raise
awareness of the availability of TRI. Individuals and organizations
using TRI knit together concerned citizens with top corporate and government
decision makers. The Toxics Release Inventory (TRI), also known as Community
Right to Know Law, is a valuable source of information about toxic chemicals
that are being used, manufactured, transported or released into the
environment. Businesses that are subject to the law must report on their
releases to the environment of over 650 toxic chemicals and chemical
categories. The public can access this information and find out what
pollutants are being released by specific facilities and the human health
risks of exposure to those pollutants.
WHAT IS A SIMPLE PROJECT WE CAN DO?
Investigate toxic chemical releases in your own community.
Follow these step by step instructions to get you started.
TAKING ACTION:
Find other students or contact your schools environmental
club and find a teacher to work with you. They may be able to help you
get more information, research the chemicals being used, or contact
and meet with local facilities. Use TRI for all your independent school
projects! Look for trends in your community, talk to local polluters...
get involved!
In addition, the National Science Teachers Association, has a full
curriculum for grades 9-12. (http://www.epa.gov/region09/toxic/tri/education/curriculum.html).
Ask your teacher to involve your classmates and consider using this
excellent program a community based context for studying chemistry,
biology, and environmental sciences.
WHERE CAN WE GET MORE INFORMATION?
The TRI information is available through other organizations
and other websites. Try these websites for more information on toxics
releases in your community:
GOTOBUTTON BM_2_ http://www.epa.gov/surf
http://www.epa.gov/enviro
GOTOBUTTON BM_3_ http://www.rtk.net/
GOTOBUTTON BM_4_ http://www.scorecard.org
For more information on TRI to to our website at: http://www.epa.gov/opptintr/tri/access.htm
The TRI-US Service provides general information about TRI and assistance
in acquiring and using any of the TRI products, including assistance
in searching the CD-ROM or TOXNET database. TRI specialists can also
provide referrals to other TRI resources, such as libraries in your
area that offer TRI and contacts in state TRI programs. To contact TRI-US,
call (202) 260-1531 or write: TRI-US, U.S. EPA, 401 M St. S.W., Washington,
DC 20460. Requests for information and materials may also be faxed to
(202) 401-2347. You may also contact TRI-US by email: tri.us@epamail.epa.gov
You may also contact the Region 9 office in California:
LYNDA DESCHAMBAULT
GOTOBUTTON BM_5_
DESCHAMBAULT.LYNDA@EPA.GOV
Identifying Toxic Releases in a Region
1. Got to the following website address:
GOTOBUTTON BM_6_ http://www.epa.gov/enviro/html/tris/tris_query.html
NOTE: This website address is case sensitive. So don't use capital letters!
2. Scroll down to the section Titled 'Geography Search' Under the
Section 'City' type in the name of the city you are interested in. EXAMPLE:
'Richmond' Next, under the Section 'State' type in the name of the state
you are interested in EXAMPLE: 'CA' Scroll down to the bottom of the
page to 'Search Values' and select 'Use TRI facility information only
to perform facility search' by clicking on the circle the the left of
it. Then at the very bottom of the page, select the 'search' button.
3. Scroll down the page using the arrows on the right side of the
computer screen to see a list of all TRI reporting facilities in the
city and state that you have selected. EXAMPLE: Richmond, California.
4. Now, you may click on any one of the 'TRI Facility ID' to get a
detailed description of what TRI Chemical has been reported at that
particular facility. EXAMPLE: Select '94804BRDLB32NDA' for BioRad
Labs, to view their full TRI report. You can scroll down the page for
complete information on releases, individual chemicals and to review
trends over a period of years.
Other Searching Options:
You have the option of using any of the listed search criteria elements
that you wish to search by. NOTE: you have the option of only
ONE search element or several at a time.
EXAMPLES:
- If you want to find out if a facility in your neighborhood is a
TRI reporter, you may select a specific facility name such as 'BioRad
Labs' AND select the city of 'Richmond' AND select the state of 'CA',
and you will get data for that specific facility in Richmond, CA
- If you want to find out information on a specific chemical in your
neighborhood, you may select Chemical Name Containing 'Xylene' AND
select the city of 'Richmond', AND select the state of 'CA', and you
will get data for the facilities that release xylene in the city of
Richmond, CA.
Try your own ideas, get creative, share your ideas!
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