EPA Finalizes Rule to Require Enhanced PFAS Reporting to the Toxics Release Inventory
WASHINGTON (Oct. 20, 2023) – Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) finalized a rule that improves reporting on per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) to the Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) by eliminating an exemption that allowed facilities to avoid reporting information on PFAS when those chemicals were used in small concentrations. Often referred to as “forever chemicals,” PFAS are used at low concentrations in many products, and as a result of removing this reporting exemption, covered industry sectors such as manufacturing, metal mining, and chemical manufacturing, as well as federal facilities that make or use any of the 189 TRI-listed PFAS, will no longer be able to avoid disclosing the quantities of PFAS they manage or release into the environment.
The rule reflects the Biden-Harris Administration’s commitment to address the impacts of these forever chemicals, and advances EPA’s PFAS Strategic Roadmap to confront the human health and environmental risks of PFAS.
TRI data is reported to EPA annually by facilities in industry sectors such as manufacturing, metal mining, electric power generation, chemical manufacturing and hazardous waste treatment, as well as federal facilities that manufacture, process, or otherwise use notable quantities of TRI-listed chemicals. The data include quantities of chemicals that were released into the environment or otherwise managed as waste. Information collected through TRI allows communities to learn how facilities in their area are managing listed chemicals. The data collected also help support informed decision-making by companies, government agencies, non-governmental organizations, and the public. Among the updated online TRI tools, communities can use EPA’s TRI Toxics Tracker to map the locations of TRI-reporting facilities and find out about their chemical releases, other chemical waste management practices, and pollution prevention activities.
The 2020 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) initially added 172 PFAS to the list of chemicals covered by TRI for the 2021 reporting year and provided a framework to automatically add other PFAS in future years. The NDAA also required facilities to report on those chemicals if they manufacture, process or otherwise use more than 100 pounds of the substance, which is lower than the reporting threshold for most other TRI-listed chemicals. However, the previous Administration codified the NDAA provisions in a manner that did not address the availability of the de-minimis exemption or other burden reduction provisions to the reporting requirement that allowed facilities that report to TRI to disregard and avoid reporting on minimal concentrations of PFAS chemicals.
The public can view supporting materials in the docket once the rule publishes in the Federal Register.
Learn more about the final rule.
NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. It has not been verified for its accuracy or completeness.
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- DNR Responds To EPA’s Designation Of PFOA And PFOS As Hazardous Substances - Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources - Apr 19th, 2024
- Evers Won’t Rule Out Court Challenge to Force Release of PFAS Funds - Danielle Kaeding - Apr 16th, 2024
- Gov. Evers Vetoes PFAS Bill, Calls Special Meeting of Budget Committee - Baylor Spears - Apr 10th, 2024
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