From per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) production volumes to chemical import trends, a new Environmental Protection Agency web page provides insight into the type and amount of chemicals producers are reporting in the United States.
The EPA launched the Chemical Data Reporting (CDR) National Review on March 31, a web-based, interactive report with analysis of data submitted to the agency during the 2020 CDR reporting cycle.
Key data insights from the report include:
- Manufacturers reported more than 8,000 chemicals for the 2020 CDR reporting cycle
- Analysis of the reported CDR information by chemical groups shows that 180 PFAS were reported by 57 sites for a total production volume of about 678 million pounds.
- Of the 37 Risk Evaluation Chemicals under the Toxic Substances Control Act, 33 were reported in the 2020 reporting cycle, and 34 chemicals were reported in both the 2012 and 2016 reporting cycles.
- 254 sites reported information for 33 TSCA risk evaluation chemicals for a total production volume of about 38 billion pounds in the reporting cycle.
- The number of sites that manufactured and/or imported TSCA Risk Evaluation Chemicals has increased by 40%, while the manufactured and imported volumes have generally remained consistent over the past 10 years.
- About 54% of the chemical production was domestic and 46% were imports, representing a 10% increase in chemicals imports from 2016 to 2020.
- Manufacturers produced or imported more than 7.2 trillion pounds of chemicals at 5,238 sites in the U.S. for the 2020 CDR reporting cycle.
- More than a third (38%) of the 2020 CDR reporting sites are located in six states: Texas, Ohio, Pennsylvania, California, Georgia and Illinois.
Through the National Review site, the EPA is hoping to increase public awareness of chemicals being manufactured in communities and help the EPA and stakeholders evaluate and understand information including the types, quantities and uses of chemicals produced domestically or imported into the U.S, according to an EPA news release.
“Through the first 2020 CDR National Review, EPA is using new, creative ways to share information with the public, so that it can be easily understood and used by people to make important decisions in their communities,” said Assistant Administrator for the Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention Michal Freedhoff. “Using an innovative approach to make our work more accessible furthers EPA’s mission to advance the public’s right to know about chemicals being manufactured or imported into their communities."
