The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has expanded the Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) by automatically adding seven per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) to the list of chemicals that require annual reporting. Facilities in certain industry sectors and federal facilities that manufacture, process, or use these chemicals above certain quantities must now report data on their environmental releases and waste management to the EPA.
The TRI program helps provide transparency, informing communities how local facilities manage chemicals that pose potential health risks. The TRI data is available online and supports informed decision-making by various stakeholders, aligning with the Biden-Harris Administration’s commitment to environmental justice and accountability.
EPA's PFAS Strategic Roadmap Enhances Safeguards
The inclusion of these seven PFAS chemicals aligns with the EPA's PFAS Strategic Roadmap to address the persistent environmental and health risks associated with PFAS, often referred to as "forever chemicals" due to their longevity in the environment.
Michal Freedhoff, Assistant Administrator for the Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention, affirms that adding these chemicals to the TRI will "further our efforts to better understand and protect people from these chemicals” and emphasizes the role of public empowerment in pollution prevention.
Specifics on the New PFAS Additions and Reporting Requirements
Based on the Fiscal Year 2020 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which mandates the annual addition of PFAS to the TRI upon certain EPA actions, the list now covers almost 200 PFAS.
For TRI Reporting Year 2024, with forms due by 1 July 2025, the seven additional PFAS are:
- Ammonium perfluorohexanoate; CASRN 21615-47-4
- Lithium bis[(trifluoromethyl)sulfonyl] azanide; CASRN 90076-65-6
- Perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA); CASRN 307-24-4
- Perfluoropropanoic acid (PFPrA); CASRN 422-64-0
- Sodium perfluorohexanoate; CASRN 2923-26-4
- 1,1,1-Trifluoro-N-[(trifluoromethyl)sulfonyl] methanesulfonamide; CASRN 82113-65-3
- Betaines, dimethyl(.gamma.-.omega.-perfluoro-.gamma.-hydro-C8-18-alkyl); CASRN 2816091-53-7
These substances, along with the previously listed PFAS, were also designated as chemicals of special concern in October 2023, removing exemptions from reporting for small concentrations.
Facilities need to track their activities involving these PFAS starting 1 January 2024, and complete their reporting by the 2025 deadline.
More information about the update to the TRI can be found here.
The expansion of the TRI to include new PFAS chemicals marks a significant step by the EPA to ensure greater safety, transparency, and stewardship in chemical management. It also highlights the ongoing initiative to protect environmental and public health by closely monitoring and controlling the release of potentially harmful substances.
