EPA adds mining to toxic release inventory reporting

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) requires owners/operators of certain facilities to file annual Toxic Release Inventory (TRI) reports, also known as Form R. These 40 CFR 372 regulations were promulgated under Section 313 of the Emergency Planning and Community Right-toKnow Act (EPCRA), or SARA Title III.

Facilities that must file TRI reports are those that have 10 or more full-time employees or equivalent (20,000 employee-hours worked a year including contract labor), are classified by Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) codes 20 through 39, and manufacture, process or import 11.3 t/a (25,000 lbs) or more of toxic chemicals or use 4.5 t/ a (10,000 lb/year) or more of toxic chemicals.

EPA added seven additional industries to the list of industry SIC codes required to file TRI reports. These included metal (except SIC 1011, iron ore mining) and coal mining. These additions are part of EPCRA Phase II (62 FR 238333-23892). …