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EPA Offering TRI Workshop in Denver

Release Date: 2/10/2000
Contact Information:
303/313-6447,

Release Date: 2/10/2000
Contact Information:
303/312-6026,

Release Date: 2/10/2000
Contact Information:
303/312-6603

DENVER–Each year industries and federal facilities in Colorado make news when they report on the amounts of toxic pollution they released into the environment during the previous year. This information is compiled by the States and EPA into what is known as the Toxics Release Inventory (TRI), which is made available to the public annually.

The TRI report is required by the Emergency Planning and Community Right-To-Know Act (EPCRA). Businesses that manufacture or process more than 25,000 pounds or use at least 10,000 pounds of certain toxic chemicals must file annual reports on their releases of these pollutants. The reports are submitted to EPA and the state where the facility is located. The data helps government agencies and communities monitor amounts and types of pollutants released into the environment, identify a facility that violates its chemical release permit and gauge a company’s pollution-prevention progress and waste-management activities.

The Agency recently published a new TRI regulation, known as the “Persistent Bioaccumulative Toxics (PBT) Rule.” It adds more PBT pollutants to the reporting list and requires companies to report on certain toxic PBT pollutants at lower levels than was previously required. Toxic chemicals that persist or remain in the environment and amass in animals and humans are of particular concern. Even low levels of exposure to PBT chemicals have serious health and environmental effects. The Agency believes tightening the reporting requirement will help ensure the public has important information about the amounts of these chemicals being released into their communities.

Facilities covered by EPCRA must submit their annual release figures for 1999 to EPA and the State by July 1, 2000. The new PBT Rule makes it necessary for many facilities to reassess their toxic chemical use and to develop procedures based on the new PBT reporting thresholds to ensure accurate disclosure of their environmental releases. Businesses failing to properly report their releases face costly penalties.

To help businesses and Federal facilities to meet the new PBT reporting conditions and to explain the overall TRI reporting requirements, EPA is offering three separate FREE one-day workshops in Denver. Two workshops are aimed at the several manufacturing sectors, including several that reported for the first time in 1999, and federal government facilities. The other workshop targets the metal mining, coal mining, and electricity generating industries that will submit TRI reports for only the second time during 2000.

Participants will learn:
T about TRI chemicals and specifically the PBT chemicals.
T how to calculate manufacturing, processing and use thresholds.
T EPCRA and TRI rules, definitions and exemptions.
T methods of calculation and estimation of releases to the environment.
T how to complete EPA’s Form R.
T about pollution prevention and source waste reduction.
T about the TRI database and related reporting software.

The following set of one-day workshops are limited to Manufacturing facilities (SIC Codes 2000-3999), Federal facilities, Petroleum Bulk Storage facilities (SIC Code 5171), Chemical Distributors (SIC Code 5169), Solvent Recovery facilities (SIC Code 7389) & Subtitle C TSD facilities (SIC Code 4953). Industry representatives need only attend one of the seminars.

• Wednesday, February 23, 2000, from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
• Wednesday, April 12, 2000, from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

The following workshop is limited to Metal Mines (SIC Code 10 except 1011, 1081, and 1094), Coal Mines (SIC Code 12 except 1241), and Electricity Generating facilities (SIC Codes 4911 & 4939).

• Thursday, February 24, 2000, from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

EPA will hold each of the workshops at its Conference Center, located in Downtown Denver at 999 18th Street, in the second floor promenade. The Conference Center’s phone number is: 303/312-7078. Space is limited and participants must register for a workshop in advance. Those attending the workshop should bring a calculator, pen and paper to the session. Transportation and lodging are the participants’ responsibility. For more details or to register, call Joyel Dhieux at 303/312-6447 or Jack Salter at 303/312-6026 or call toll free at 800/227-8917 (ext. 6447 or 6026).