US industrial emissions of toxic chemicals increased by 117 million pounds, or 3%, from 2004 to 2005, according to EPA’s Toxic Release Inventory (TRI). Fifty-four million pounds, a 10% increase, of chemicals were released in spills and leaks, and there were 5 million additional pounds released into surface water, a 2% increase in that period. However, the new report contrasts with last year’s, which showed a 4% decline in chemical emissions. Chemical releases by smaller chemical dischargers – those reporting emission of less than 100,000 pounds – doubled from 2001 to 2005 while larger facilities reported a 9% drop in chemical discharges through the same time period. Overall, more than 23,000 facilities reported more than 4.34 billion pounds of chemicals. TRI accounts for nearly 650 different toxic chemicals.
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