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EPA Ranks Utah As Number Two In Toxic Chemical Disposals

pioneer.utah.gov

Utah ranks second among all 50 states and six territories in total toxic chemical releases per square mile, according to new figures released by the Environmental Protection Agency.

The statistics regarding the releases are recorded in the Toxic Release Inventory, or TRI. According to the EPA, the TRI monitors the handling of toxic chemicals that put the environment and human health at risk. Industrial facilities are required to annually report how much toxic chemicals are released, recycled, or treated. The inventory was established by an act of Congress in 1986.

Utah currently has 185 such facilities that report to the TRI, with 88 of those involved in metal mining. Most toxic chemical releases in the state were handled through preferred ways, including recycling. 

Utah’s toxic chemical release totals were surpassed only by Alaska.