The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently finalized a settlement with Cargill, Inc., a Minnesota-based company with a facility in Vermont that produces animal feed, for alleged violations of the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA)'s Toxic Release Inventory (TRI) Program.
Cargill agreed to pay a penalty of $40,294 for allegedly failing to timely file TRI reports for zinc and manganese compounds processed at its plant in Swanton, VT.
"To inform the public and protect communities, EPA requires companies and organizations that manufacture, process, or otherwise use certain chemicals to report this information publicly every year," says EPA New England Acting Regional Administrator Deborah Szaro.
"This reporting is an important part of ensuring that local communities have access to information about the presence of chemicals in their area."
Under federal TRI regulations, companies that use certain listed chemicals must report their chemical usage each year to EPA.
This information serves as the basis for the Toxic Release Inventory, which is a collection of data that can be reviewed by communities, government, and industry.
Because the information is available to the public, companies have an incentive to reduce harmful chemical use and improve their environmental performance.
TRI reporting informs surrounding communities about a facility's toxic chemicals that could potentially harm public health and the environment.
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