Dive Brief:
- According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), most of the toxic chemical waste generated in the U.S. was not released into the environment.
- Approximately 84% of toxic chemical waste in 2013 was recycled, according to the report.
- The annual Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) report shows that around 22 billion pounds of toxic chemical waste was recycled or managed via preferred practices.
Dive Insight:
Four billion pounds of toxins were discarded using alternate methods, or were released into the environment; 66% went to land, 19% was released into the air, and 5% was disclosed of in water. About 10% was transported to other facilities.
Most toxic waste releases follow regulatory requirements intended to reduce harm to humans and the environment. Compared with figures from 2012, the volume of toxic chemicals managed as waste from industrial facilities increased by 4% in the U.S.
