MapCruzin.comA release is a discharge of a toxic chemical to the environment. On-site releases include emissions to the air, discharges to bodies of water, releases at the facility to land, as well as releases into underground injection wells. Releases are reported to TRI by media type. On-site releases are reported in Section 5 of Form R. Air Emissions. Releases to air are reported either as point source or fugitive emissions. Point source emissions, also referred to as stack emissions, occur through confined air streams, such as stacks, vents, ducts, or pipes. Fugitive emissions are all releases to air that are not released through a confined air stream. Fugitive emissions include equipment leaks, evaporative losses from surface impoundments and spills, and releases from building ventilation systems. Surface Water Discharges. Releases to water include discharges to streams, rivers, lakes, oceans, and other bodies of water. This includes releases from contained sources, such as industrial process outflow pipes or open trenches. Releases due to runoff, including stormwater runoff, are also reportable to TRI. Underground Injection. Underground injection is the subsurface emplacement of fluids through wells. TRI chemicals associated with manufacturing, the petroleum industry, mining, commercial and service industries, and federal and municipal government-related activities may be injected into Class I, II, III, IV, or V wells, if they do not endanger underground sources of drinking water (USDW), public health, or the environment. The different types of authorized injection activities are: � Class I industrial, municipal, and manufacturing wells inject fluids into deep, confined, and isolated formations below potable water supplies. � Class II oil- and gas-related wells re-inject produced fluids for disposal, enhanced recovery of oil, or hydrocarbon storage. � Class III wells are associated with the solution mining of minerals. � Class IV wells may inject hazardous or radioactive fluids directly or indirectly into USDW, only if the injection is part of an authorized CERCLA/RCRA clean-up operation. � Class V wells, which include all types of injection wells that do not fall under I-IV, may inject only if they do not endanger USDW, public health, or the environment. Class V wells are, generally, shallow drainage wells, such as floor drains connected to dry wells or drain fields. Beginning with the 1996 reporting year, facilities separately report amounts injected into Class I wells and into all other wells. On-site Land Releases. On-site releases to land occur within the boundaries of the reporting facility. Releases to land include disposal of toxic chemicals in landfills (in which wastes are buried), land treatment/application farming (in which a waste containing a listed chemical is applied to or incorporated into soil), surface impoundments (which are uncovered holding areas used to volatilize and/or settle waste materials), and other land disposal methods (such as waste piles) or releases to land (such as spills or leaks). Beginning with the 1996 reporting year, facilities separately report amounts released to RCRA subtitle C landfills from amounts released to other on-site landfills.Source: USEPA 1997 Toxics Release Inventory Public Data Release.
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