TURA & PBTs
| Organization(s) |
Massachusetts Dept. of Environmental Protection
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| Project Description |
On October 29, 1999, the U.S Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published a final rule under Section 313 of the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to Know Act (EPRCA) which lowers the Toxics Release Inventory reporting thresholds for Persistent, Bioaccumulative, Toxic chemicals (PBTs), and adds certain other PBT chemicals to the Toxics Release Inventory (TRI). TURA automatically adopts these lower reporting thresholds. The first TURA reports for PBTs at the lower thresholds were due July 1, 2001 (DEP allowed a 90-day extension.) DEP estimates that up to 100 new facilities may enter the TURA universe as a result of the new lower thresholds, and that up to 200 existing facilities may begin reporting PBT chemicals. EPA and DEP believe that the primary activity that will trigger reporting of PBT chemicals at the new lower thresholds is combustion (e.g., combustion of fuel oils 2,4,6; combustion of solid waste, cremation of remains), and the use of raw materials that contain listed chemicals as contaminants (e.g., use of sulfuric acid containing mercury). The PBTs most likely to be triggered by these activities include polycyclic aromatic compounds (threshold of 100 pounds), mercury and mercury compounds (threshold of 10 pounds), and dioxin and dioxin-like compounds (threshold of 0.1 grams). DEP recognizes that the PBT reporting requirements under TURA are new and that the EPA guidance documents may not address all the questions a facility may have for TURA reporting. Therefore, DEP allowed a 90-day extension beyond the July 1, 2001 deadline for filing Form Ss for PBT chemicals and non-PBT chemicals that are “tripped” into the 10,000-pound threshold due to reporting a PBT. In 2001, DEP worked with TUR planners and partner agencies to revise the TUR Plan Update Guidance to reflect the lower PBT thresholds. The TUR planning cycle began on January 1, 2002 with plan updates, summaries, and certifications due on July 1, 2002. This will be the first TUR planning to involve the lower thresholds required by the PBT changes. Additional information on PBT reporting, including Form R Reporting Packages and EPA guidance documents, is available at www.epa.gov/tri or by calling (800) 424-9346. Additional information on the MA TURA is available at www.state.ma.us/dep/bwp/dhm/tura/. |
| More Info |
www.state.ma.us/dep/bwp/dhm/tura |
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| Project Contact |
| Name |
Paul Walsh |
| Phone |
617-556-1011 |
| E-mail |
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| Project Keywords |
| Activity Keywords |
New publication, Policy/Legislative |
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| Source |
| Newsletter |
Northeast States Pollution Prevention News - Vol. 11 No. 2, Summer 2001 |
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