Origins of the Toxic Release Inventory
- December 4, 1984: methyl isocyanate gas leaked from Union Carbide Chemical plant Thousands died that night and thousands died later due to exposure
- 1985: Similar plant in West Virginia
- 1986: Emergency Planning and Community Right to Know Act mandated annual TRI reporting
Toxic Release Inventory
- A dataset published yearly by the EPA
- Lists the amounts of toxic chemicals released (into the air, water, or soil) and/or managed from U.S. industrial facilities
Checking out Toxic Releases in the Pioneer Valley
Analyzing Definitions
- What is a facility?
- What is a chemical?
- What is a release?
What social, political, and technical factors affect the quality of the data?
