Ecosystem Targets and Supporting Indicators

Industrial Chemical Discharges (TRI Data)

This indicator compiles the total amount of discharges of toxic chemicals manufactured and used at industrial facilities that are released into the Sound either by air or by water.

View Implementation Actions for Industrial Chemical Discharges (TRI Data)

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Toxic Contaminant Releases for the LIS watershed (Pounds)
	Land	Water	Air
2003	112,770	739,253	6,716,583
2004	61,009	515,554	5,690,616
2005	36,368	482,909	5,350,229
2006	20,636	577,391	4,403,562
2007	59,806	492,194	4,152,785
2008	24,120	256,309	3,390,400
2009	21,313	313,503	2,883,511
2010	84,077	304,534	2,007,511
2011	37,994	247,560	1,484,784
2012	10,926	227,271	1,450,395
2013	2,370	213,297	1,797,488
2014	1,992	117,000	2,258,951
2015	2,895	77,930	1,425,618
2016	731	69,174	1,317,462
2017	984	35,633	1,116,797
2018	1,578	38,581	1,274,515
2019	937	27,366	1,071,130
2020	707	16,593	1,022,968
2021	8,883	19,535	1,094,231

WHAT ARE INDUSTRIAL CHEMICAL DISCHARGES?

The passage of the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act of 1986 helped to create EPA’s Toxics Release Inventory program so Americans now have a greater awareness of how chemicals are being managed in their communities. Today, nearly 22,000 facilities report annually on the use and quantities of more than 760 chemicals they release to the environment or otherwise manage as waste to the Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) program. EPA, states, and tribes receive TRI data from facilities in industry sectors such as manufacturing, mining, electric utilities, and commercial hazardous waste management. The Pollution Prevention Act also requires facilities to submit information on pollution prevention and other waste management activities of TRI chemicals.

WHAT DOES THIS INDICATE?

The decline in industrial chemical discharges indicates progress in reducing the release of contaminants into Long Island Sound’s watershed.

STATUS

Toxic releases in the Sound’s watershed have declined by more than 85 percent since 2003, and more than 90 percent since the late 1980s. This is consistent with trends in toxic releases throughout the country. Facilities releasing industrial chemicals have been improved with better emissions-reducing technology.  There has also been an increase in the national awareness of the harmful effects of toxic releases. Air emissions account for the majority of on-site releases.