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EPA Issues Annual Report on Chemicals Released to Land, Air and Water in Puerto Rico Data Shows Downward Trend

Release Date: 02/04/2014
Contact Information: John Martin, (212) 637-3662, [email protected]

(New York, N.Y.) The annual U.S. Environmental Protection Agency report on the amount of toxic chemicals released to the land, air and water by industrial facilities in Puerto Rico in 2012 showed an overall decrease over the previous year’s data. The Toxics Release Inventory report issued today by the EPA covers 108 Puerto Rico facilities that are required to report their releases to the Agency. Total releases to land, air and water by these facilities decreased from about 3.9 million pounds in 2011 to about 3.6 million pounds in 2012. The largest contributing factor in this decrease was a 31% reduction in air pollution emitted by the PREPA South Coast facility because it shifted from burning oil to natural gas.

“The Toxics Release Inventory allows the public and policymakers to better understand the pollutants released into our air, water and land each year," said EPA Regional Administrator Judith A. Enck. "This powerful tool helps people better understand pollution problems in their communities and take action to protect their health and the environment."

Since 1988, Toxic Release Inventory data has been provided to the public annually to help people learn more about the chemicals present in their local environment and gauge environmental trends over time. The inventory contains the most comprehensive information about chemicals released into the environment reported annually by certain industries and federal facilities. Most of these facilities have permits issued under federal regulations that set strict limits on the amount of chemicals that they are allowed to release into the air, water or land. Many are required to install and maintain pollution controls.

Facilities must report their toxic chemical releases by July 1 of each year. The EPA made a preliminary set of data for 2012 available on July 26, 2013. Nationally, over 20,000 facilities reported on approximately 682 chemicals and chemical categories for calendar year 2012.

For program overview and to view the data, visit: http://epa.gov/tri/

To view Puerto Rico’s TRI fact sheet, visit: http://epa.gov/triexplorer/statefactsheet.htm

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