Chemicals in Your Community - hsdl.org

United StatesEnvironmental ProtectionAgency

Office of Solid Waste andEmergency Response 5104EPA 550-K-99-001December 1999

Chemicals in YourCommunity

Part 1

Preface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3

Dealing with Chemicals: It's Everybody's Job . . . . . . . . .7

How Do I Build a Picture of Chemical Use in My Community? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13

Hazard vs. Risk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21

Part 2

Stakeholders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29

Local Emergency Planning Committees (LEPCs) . . . . . . . . . .31

Citizens . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .33

Fire Departments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .35

Public Institutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .37

Land Use Planners . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .41

Industry and Small Businesses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .43

States . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .47

The Federal Role . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .49

For More Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .51

Contents

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Part 1

Chemicals in Your Community

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Chemicals are an importantpart of the modern world.

They make our water safe todrink, provide fuel for our cars,increase the production from ourfarms, and are often key parts ofproducts we use every day.Many of the properties of chemi-cals that make them valuable tous, however, such as their abilityto kill dangerous organisms inwater and pests on crops, pose ahazard to us and the environ-ment if the chemicals are used ordisposed of improperly.

EPA is committed to providing youwith as much information as possibleabout chemicals at your local businesses,and other facilities, so that you can workwith local government agencies, citizengroups, and business to ensure that thechemicals in your community are usedsafely. You can also ensure that facilitiesand emergency responders are preparedto respond appropriately to accidents.

Preface


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This pamphlet:

• Summarizes the information you canobtain under EPCRA and CAA;

• Tells you where to find it;

• Tells you about other information youmay also find helpful; and

• Indicates how you can use these vari-ous sources of information to build asnapshot of chemicals stored andreleased in your community.

It also discusses how specific groups,such as fire departments, health care pro-fessionals, State and local agencies, citi-zens, and industry can use the informationto improve the safety of our communities.

You and your family and neighbors are thepeople most at risk if chemicals in yourcommunity are being used unsafely orreleased into the environment. You are in the best position to work with localagencies to ensure that you, your neigh-bors, local agencies, and responders areprepared to handle any accidents that dohappen.

Two laws, the Emergency Planning andCommunity Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA)and the Clean Air Act’s (CAA) chemicalaccident prevention provisions (also calledthe risk management program), werespecifically designed to provide you withinformation on chemicals at individualfacilities, their uses, and releases. Manyother EPA programs also have data avail-able, as do States, local governments,trade associations, public interest groups,and individual facilities. Much of thisinformation is easily available on theInternet; other information is availablefrom State and local agencies who receiveannual reports from facilities.

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The Emergency Planning andCommunity Right-to-Know

Act (EPCRA) and the Clean AirAct (CAA) both require facilitiesto report on hazardous chemicalsthey store or handle, and bothprovide for public access tothese reports. These laws helpbuild better relationships amonggovernment at all levels, businessand community leaders, environ-mental and other public-interestorganizations, and individual citi-zens.

The laws recognize that citizens arefull partners in preparing for emergenciesand managing chemical risks. Each ofthese groups and individuals has animportant role in making the programwork:

• Local communities and State govern-ments are responsible for understand-ing risks posed by chemicals at thelocal level, managing those risks,reducing those risks, and dealing with


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Dealing with Chemicals:

It's Everybody's Job

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explaining the hazardsinvolved in using chemi-cals, by opening communi-cation channels with com-munity groups, and byconsidering changes intheir practices to reduceany potential risks tohuman health or the envi-ronment.

• The Federal governmentprovides national leader-ship and assistance toStates and communities toensure they have the toolsand expertise necessary toreceive, assimilate, andanalyze all data, and totake appropriate measuresto reduce the risk of acci-dents and chemical emis-sions. EPA helps facilitiescomply with the laws'requirements; it ensuresthe public has access toinformation on chemicalstorage and releases aswell as other informationto protect the nation's air,

water, and soil from pollu-tion. EPA works withindustry to encourage vol-untary reductions in theuse and release of haz-ardous chemicals wherev-er possible.


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emergencies. Developingemergency planning andchemical risk managementat the levels of govern-ment closest to the com-munity helps to ensure thebroadest possible publicrepresentation in the deci-sion-making process.

The Local EmergencyPlanning Committee (LEPC)develops and reviews thecommunity chemical emer-gency response plan andreceives annual inventoryreports. The StateEmergency ResponseCommission (SERC)reviews local emergencyresponse plans andreceives annual inventoryreports. LEPC and SERCcontact names and phonenumbers are available atwww.rtk.net/lepc.

• Citizens, health profes-sionals, public-interestand labor organizations,the media, and otherswork with government andindustry to use the infor-mation for planning andresponding to emergenciesin the community.

• Facilities that use haz-ardous chemicals areresponsible for operatingsafely, using the mostappropriate techniquesand technologies; gather-ing information on thechemicals they use, store,and release into the envi-ronment and providing itto government agenciesand local communities;and helping set up proce-dures to handle chemicalemergencies. Some indus-try groups and individualcompanies have gonebeyond the letter of thelaw and have reached outto their communities by

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What Information is Available? EPCRA and the Clean Air Act's RiskManagement Program provide an arrayof complementary information:

Emergency Release Notification.Companies must immediately reportaccidental releases of certain chemicalsto the SERC and LEPC and file follow-upreports. Minimum reportable quantitiesvary from one pound to 10,000 pounds.More than 1,000 chemicals are coveredby this requirement. You can find outthe name and quantity of the chemical;the duration of the release; whether therelease was to air, water, or land; thepotential health impacts; and who tocontact for more information.

Annual Chemical Inventories.Companies must file annual chemicalinventory reports on hazardous chemi-cals they store on site above certainquantities, usually 10,000 pounds;chemicals may be reported by hazardtype or by name. The reports tellwhere the chemical is located in thefacility, how much is stored, and who tocontact in an emergency. This informa-tion will allow you to map these facili-ties and see where heavy concentra-tions of chemicals are located. You canget copies of these reports from yourLEPC or SERC.

Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDSs).Companies must submit copies of theMSDSs or list of chemicals to the SERC,LEPC, and local fire department. MSDSsare available for more than 500,000products that could create physicalhazards or adverse health effects andinclude the chemical identity, compo-nents of chemical mixtures, the physi-cal properties (e.g., boiling point), haz-ards (e.g., flammability, corrosivity, toxi-city), and health hazards. The SERC orLEPC can tell you which MSDSs facili-ties have; and, they or the facility canprovide you with a copy of the MSDS.MSDSs do not have a standard formatand can sometimes be confusing. On-line databases, which often have multi-ple versions of MSDSs for individualchemicals, can help you find an MSDSthat is well organized and easy to read.

Toxics Release Inventory (TRI). Certainfacilities file annual reports on allreleases of about 650 chemicals. Thedata include estimates of the quantitiesof chemicals released to air, water, andland and otherwise managed as waste.TRI data are available on-line. You cansearch for specific facilities or searchfor all facilities in a town, county, orState.

Risk Management Plans (RMPs).Certain companies file chemical acci-dent prevention plans that include asummary describing the facility and itsprocesses; the worst-case and othermore likely accident scenarios; the facil-ity's accident prevention practices; itsemergency response program; a recenthistory of serious chemical accidents (ifany); and planned improvements tosafety design or operations. You alsowill learn why accidents have happenedand find out what companies have doneto prevent recurrences.You can getRMPs from EPA's Envirofacts databasein a system called RMP*Info.

Community Emergency Response Plan.The LEPC has developed a communityemergency response plan for chemicalaccidents. You can review the plan,which addresses facilities with certainquantities of 356 extremely hazardoussubstances (acutely toxic chemicals).Your LEPC can provide information onwhich local facilities have beeninvolved in the planning process.

What's Available on the Internet?

Profiles of the extremely hazardous sub-stances:www.epa.gov/ceppo/ep_chda.htm#ehs

ERNS online (release reports by Stateby year): www.epa.gov/ernsacct/pdf/index.html

Access to the on-line copies of MSDSsmaintained by a number of universities:www.hazard.com

TRI and RMP data through Envirofacts:www.epa.gov/enviro. (Also available inEnvirofacts, data on facilities that have:

• Permits to release substances towater, in the Permit ComplianceSystem database.

• Permits to release hazardous pollu-tants to air, in the air release data-base.

• Permits to store and treat hazardouswastes, in the RCRA database.)

TRI data also are available atwww.epa.gov/tri, www.rtk.net, and atwww.scorecard.org, which maps thelocation of facilities in a county or city.

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If you have Internet access, the easiestway to begin is to search RMP*Info andthe TRI database for your city and county.Use these to develop a list of facilities andchemicals in your area. Ask your SERC orLEPC to provide information from theirrecords on other facilities in the communi-ty that have filed reports.

Annual chemical inventories (availablefrom the SERC and LEPC) are likely to bethe most comprehensive source becausethey cover the largest number of chemi-cals. But remember that some facilitiescovered by other environmental regula-tions may not be required to file theseinventories. The threshold for reportingchemicals also varies among the regula-tions and not all companies are requiredto report information under every environ-mental regulation. Some facilities mayreport acutely toxic chemicals to helpLEPCs prepare local emergency responseplans, but are not required to file RiskManagement Plans. In some cases, chemi-cals will be reported under TRI, but notunder any of the other rules because TRIis based on the total quantity used duringthe year, not the quantity on site at anyone time.


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How Do I Build a Picture of

Chemical Use in My Community?

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LandView

Another way to build yourcomprehensive list of all thefacilities that use or store haz-ardous chemicals in your com-munity is to download yourcounty information from theLandView web site: www.census.gov/geo/www/tiger/landview.html. LandViewis a geographic reference, likean atlas. It displays:

•A detailed network of roads, rivers,and railroads based on Census files.

•Jurisdictional and statistical bound-aries — a set of generalized boundaryfiles for States, congressional districts,metropolitan areas, Native American

Indian Areas, Alaska Native lands,counties.

•EPA-regulated sites, a subset of thefacilities, sites, and monitoring sta-tions represented in five EPA databas-es including sites with air and waterpermits, sites handling hazardouswastes, Superfund sites, and TRI facili-ties.

•Selected demographic and economicinformation from the 1990 Census, and

•Key geographic features of theUnited States provided by the UnitedStates Geological Survey and otherFederal agencies.

LandView will give you a map whichyou can then fill in with data fromother sources.

You may be surprised atthe variety of businesses thatuse and store hazardouschemicals. While everyonegenerally knows that chemicalmanufacturers and refinerieshave chemicals on site, manypeople don't realize that food

processors and food distribu-tion centers may have largequantities of ammonia in theirrefrigeration systems. Yourlocal drinking water systemand sewage treatment plantalso store toxic chemicals thatare used to kill dangerous bac-

teria in the water. Many industrial andcommercial sites also use and sell chemi-cals.

What's Missing?

1. Trade Secrets and Confidential BusinessInformation. Under the community right-to-know law, facilities are not required todisclose the identity of a chemical on aToxic Release Inventory or an annualinventory report if it is a trade secret, butthey must indicate what type of chemicalit is. The risk management programallows facilities to withhold from their RiskManagement Plans any information thatwould reveal confidential business infor-mation. In practice, less than one percentof the facilities that have filed any of thesereports have claimed information as confi-dential or trade secret. If a facility in yourcommunity has made such a claim, youmay ask EPA to determine whether theclaim is legitimate.

2. Facilities Not Required to Report. Somefacilities that handle hazardous chemicalsare not required to report informationunder community right-to-know laws. EPArecently exempted virtually all gas stations

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from EPCRA reportingbecause the public and emer-gency responders are awareof the location of these facili-ties and of the hazards ofgasoline. Likewise, facilitiesthat handle relatively smallquantities of acutely toxicchemicals and up to 10,000pounds of other hazardouschemicals are not required toreport. Many agriculturalchemicals are not subject toreporting under these rules,as well.

3. Transportation. Chemicalstransported through yourcommunity by rail, barge, ortruck are not reported toEPA. You may assume thatany of the chemicals you findat facilities in your localityare moving through yourcommunity via railroad linesor major highways. But,chemicals also may be trans-ported through your commu-nity on the way to someother location. Some LEPCs

have surveyed traffic onmajor roads and rail lines todetermine which chemicalsare being transported andwho is transporting them.Most vehicles that carry haz-ardous materials must bemarked with placards thatidentify the hazard class andgive a number that identifiesthe specific chemical.

4. Non-Filers. Although envi-ronmental laws impose sub-stantial penalties for facilitiesthat fail to report, some com-panies may be unaware oftheir reporting obligations.When you develop a list offacilities in your communitythat have reported underthese rules, you should checkwhether other, similar facili-ties exist in your community.Work with those facilities andyour LEPC to determinewhether they should also bereporting.

Data LimitationsYou should know that:

The TRI annual release reports are based on estimates, not actual measure-ments. They also represent annual emissions; you cannot tell from the datawhether the chemicals were released in large amounts over a short period oftime or in small amounts every day. Information on the rate of release is need-ed to determine effects on human health and the environment.

The release estimates do not show the extent of human exposure. Many thingscan happen to a chemical when it is released; these natural processes (e.g.,wind) make it difficult to determine the extent of actual exposure.

The initial reports on releases to LEPCs, SERCs, and EPA are often made whilethe release is occurring. The data from those reports, such as in EPA’sEmergency Release Notification System (ERNS), may not accurately reflect thequantity released, the chemicals released, or the impacts.

The quantities on site reported under EPCRA 312 and TRI are given in broadranges; it is not possible to tell the actual quantity.

All the requirements limit the number of facilities covered, usually by includingonly certain chemicals and setting thresholds below which reporting is notrequired. TRI also covers facilities in only certain industrial sectors with morethan nine employees. Other facilities may handle the same chemicals or mayhandle other chemicals that could pose hazards.

The offsite consequence analysis data in the RMP are usually based on conserva-tive assumptions about the accident scenario and weather conditions and onconservative modeling; the distances reported are likely to overestimate thearea potentially affected.

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Information Sources

Type of Information

Facilities in city, county, State

Name and address of facilityContact names

Parent Company

Quantities of chemicals on site

Chemicals and quantities in processes

Annual releases to the environment

Accidental or significant releases

Physical properties of chemicalsHealth and safety hazardsExposure limits

Offsite consequence analysis

Prevention practicesHazard controls

Wastes generated/recycled

Where Can I Get It?

LEPC, SERC, Toxic Release Inventory(TRI) and RMP*Info (located in EPAEnvirofacts at www.epa.gov/enviro)

LEPC, SERC, EPA TRI and RMP*Info

TRI and RMP*Info

LEPC, SERC, TRI database

RMP*Info

TRI

ERNS and RMP*Info

LEPC, SERC, on-line MSDS databases

RMPs

RMP*Info

TRI

What Do These Data Mean?

The presence of hazardous chemicalsdoes not necessarily mean that the com-munity is at risk. These chemicals can be,and usually are, handled safely. Many ofthe substances covered by EPCRA pose lit-tle risk to the community because, even ifspilled, they will not migrate beyond thefacility; they may, however, pose risks toworkers at the facility. (Other right-to-know regulations provide information toworkers on workplace hazards.) Somechemicals are hazardous only if you areexposed to them over a long period oftime. Most of the chemicals are dangerousonly if people are exposed to them abovecertain concentrations. For some of thechemicals EPA has set standards detailinghow much of the chemical can be releasedsafely to the air or water per hour or day.The Occupational Safety and HealthAdministration (OSHA) has set permissibleexposure levels for workers for manychemicals that are generally included onMSDSs.

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To evaluate the dangers these chemi-cals may create for your community it isuseful to understand the differencebetween hazard and risk.

Hazards in chemical properties gener-ally cannot be changed. Chlorine is toxicwhen inhaled or ingested; propane is flam-mable. There is little that you can do withthese chemicals to change their toxicity orflammability. Similarly, if you live in anearthquake zone or an area affected byhurricanes, earthquakes and hurricanesare hazards. When a facility conducts ahazard review or process hazards analysis,it will identify hazards and determinewhether the potential exposure to the haz-ard can be reduced in any way (e.g., bylimiting the quantity of chlorine stored onsite).

Risk usually is evaluated based on sev-eral variables, including the likelihood of arelease occurring, the inherent hazards ofthe chemicals combined with the quantityreleased, and the potential impact of therelease on the public and the environment.For example, if a release during loadingoccurs frequently, but the quantity ofchemical released is typically small and


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Hazard vs. Risk

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at a facility that is a consider-able distance from anyoneelse, it might not merit anysteps to reduce the likelihood.

How Can Risk Be Reduced?

Communities and facilitiescan work together to reducerisk. Many companies havealready cut back on routineemissions, reduced the quanti-ties of chemicals stored, orswitched to less hazardouschemicals. In all cases,improved operations, such asbetter employee training,operating procedures, andpreventive equipment mainte-nance, can reduce risks andimprove the efficiency of thebusiness. EPA and OSHA haveimposed such safe practicesrequirements on facilities thathandle the most hazardouschemicals. Through RMP*Info,companies and communitiescan compare the quantities

stored, hazard controls, detec-tion systems, and mitigationsystems used for one facilitywith those reported by similarfacilities elsewhere. Thesedata may provide ideas onhow to improve safety.

Facilities handling chemi-cals that could pose risks tothe public have a general dutyto identify the hazards of theiroperations, design and oper-ate safe plants, and be pre-pared to mitigate any releasesthat occur. The communitycan use the data availableunder the right-to-know lawsas a way to spark dialoguewith facilities to find outwhich risks need to bereduced and how to do it.

does not generally migrate off-site, the overall risk to thepublic is low. If the likelihoodof a catastrophic releaseoccurring is extremely low,but the number of people whocould be affected if itoccurred is large, the overallrisk may still be low becauseof the low probability that arelease will occur. On theother hand, if a release occursrelatively frequently and alarge number of people couldbe affected, the overall risk tothe public is high.

Can We Really Assess Risk?

EPA, under the right-to-know and accident preventionregulations, does not requirefacilities to assess risk. Inmost cases, the data that areneeded to estimate risk levelsquantitatively do not exist.Even when such data areavailable, it is difficult to

assign a numerical value torisk. Generally, facilities andemergency planners estimaterisk - in qualitative terms - ashigh, medium, and low. Mostpotential worst-case releasesare considered to be low risk,but that does not mean theycould not happen; it simplymeans that they are unlikelyto occur. Smaller releasesmay be more likely, but mayhave little effect on the sur-rounding community and,therefore, still would be con-sidered low risk.

The challenge for the com-munity and for facilities is todecide which risks need to bereduced and where time andresources can best be spent.For example, a serious releasemay be very unlikely, but if itcould affect schools or hospi-tals if it happened, a commu-nity might decide to work withthe facility to reduce the risk.If the same release occurred

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Besides basic facility information (name, location, contacts), RMP*Info pro-vides information on chemicals, processes, prevention practices, and acci-dents. You can review the following information in RMP*Info when you callup a facility’s RMP.

Facility Information

Executive summary

Read a description of the facility—what it does and the chemicals it uses.The summary describes the worst-case and alternative release scenarios, thegeneral approach to preventing accidents, the five-year accident history, andsteps being taken to reduce risks.

Parent company name.

Find out if a facility is owned by a larger corporation. You can searchRMP*Info by the parent company name to look at RMPs from other facilitiesowned by the same company.

Chemical Information

Process chemicals

Find out which chemicals the facility has, the quantity of each chemical, thegeneral hazard of the chemical (flammable or toxic), and number of coveredprocesses. One chemical may appear in more than one process. If you wantto review RMPs for similar facilities with the same chemical, search RMP*Infoby chemical and NAICS code (which identifies the industrial sector).

Accident history

Find details of serious accidental releases in the past five years. You canlearn when the accident occurred, what type of release it was (gas, liquid,fire), what impacts it had (deaths, injuries, property damage), what causedthe accident, and what the facility has done to prevent a recurrence.

Prevention Program

Provides a list of covered processes, the NAICS code (which identifies thetype of activity, such as petrochemical manufacturing), and the program level.If you want to review RMPs for similar facilities in your state or nationwide,search RMP*Info by the NAICS code.

Major hazards identified

Find out which major hazards are associated with a process. You can com-pare the list to the hazards identified by other facilities in the same NAICScode using the same chemical (search RMP*Info by NAICS code and chemi-cal).

Process controls in use

Find out what kinds of process controls (safety measures) the facility uses toreduce the risk of an accident. You can compare the controls to those identi-fied by other facilities in the same NAICS code using the same chemical(search RMP*Info by NAICS code and chemical).

Mitigation systems in use

Find out what kinds of mitigation systems (e.g., dikes, scrubbers) the facilityuses to limit the quantity of the chemical accidentally released that reachesthe community. You can compare the systems to those identified by otherfacilities in the same NAICS code using the same chemical (search RMP*Infoby NAICS code and chemical).

Detection systems

Find out what kinds of systems the facility uses to detect releases early sothey can respond quickly and limit the risk to you and your community. Youcan compare the systems to those identified by other facilities in the sameNAICS code using the same chemical (search RMP*Info by NAICS code andchemical).

Emergency Response Program

Find out whether the facility has an emergency response plan and which localresponse agency the facility coordinates with to ensure a rapid and saferesponse if an accident occurs.

WhatÕs in RMP*Info


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Part 2

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Part 2: Stakeholders


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Right-to-know laws have forged a clos-er relationship among citizens, health pro-fessionals, industry, public-interest organi-zations, and the local, State, and Federalgovernment agencies responsible foremergency planning and response, publichealth, and environmental protection.

Under the provisions of EPCRA and theCAA, all of these groups, organizations,and individuals have vital roles to play inmaking the laws work for the benefit ofeveryone. The laws require facilities toprovide information on the presence ofhazardous chemicals in communitiesdirectly to the people who are most affect-ed, both in terms of exposure to potentialrisks and the effects of those risks on pub-lic health and safety, the environment,jobs, the local economy, property values,and other factors.

These "stakeholders" include peoplewho are best able to do something aboutassessing and managing risks throughinspections, enforcement of local codes,reviews of facility performance and, whenappropriate, political and economic pres-sures.

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This relationship betweenthe data and communityaction can best occur at thelocal level, through the workof the LEPC and other localgroups. For example, if a localfirm has reported the pres-ence of extremely hazardoussubstances at its facility, sev-eral accidents, substantialquantities of chemicals, andcontinuing releases of toxicchemicals, a community hasthe data it needs to seekappropriate corrective action.In short, the laws open thedoor to community-baseddecision-making on chemicalhazards for citizens and com-munities throughout thenation.

EPA and States implementand enforce a number of envi-ronmental laws to protect youand the environment, butthese laws set minimum stan-dards. Many industries, stim-ulated by right-to-know lawsand public pressure, have

gone beyond these standardsto create a higher level of safe-ty and performance. You canwork with your local facilitiesto ensure that not only arethey complying with State andFederal laws, but that they arealso moving beyond them toprotect your community.

This section describeshow each of the key groupsand organizations—as well asindividual citizens can use theinformation available underthese laws to fulfill thepromise of community right-to-know laws: a safer, healthi-er environment for you andyour family.

Local Emergency Planning

Committees (LEPCs)

LEPCs are crucial to the success ofcommunity right to know and can play avital role in helping you understand chemi-cal information and other environmentaldata.

LEPCs include local elected officials;law enforcement, civil defense, firefighting,first aid, health, and local environmentaland transportation agency employees;hospital staff; broadcast and print mediajournalists; community activists; andindustry representatives.

The LEPCs developed a communityresponse plan to prepare for and respondto chemical emergencies, focusing on 356extremely hazardous substances. Theplans are reviewed annually, exercised,and updated. Because LEPC members rep-resent the community, they are familiarwith factors that affect public safety, theenvironment, and the local economy andcan help you understand the chemical haz-ards and risks present in your community.

The LEPC also receives emergencyrelease notifications and the annual haz-ardous chemical inventory informationsubmitted by local facilities. They willmake this information available to you

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Citizens


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upon written request. Facilities coveredby the CAA risk management program alsocoordinate their on-site emergencyresponse plans with the LEPCs. If there ismore information that you want on partic-ular chemicals or facilities, the LEPC canrequest it on your behalf and can serve asa forum for discussions with communitygroups, the public, and facilities.

What's In An Emergency Plan?An emergency plan includes:

Identity and location of hazardous materials;

Procedures for immediate response to a chemical accident;

Public notification and evacuation or shelter-in-place procedures;

Industry contact names; and

Timetables for testing and updating the plan.

Community right-to-know laws and reg-ulations were written specifically with you,the citizen, in mind. They are based on theprinciple that the more you and yourneighbors know about hazardous chemi-cals in your community, the better pre-pared your community will be to managethese potential hazards and to improvepublic safety and health as well as envi-ronmental quality. By volunteering to workwith your LEPC and engaging in a dialoguewith local industry, you can play a majorrole in making the laws work.

The laws require industry and othersto give you information on potential chem-ical hazards and inventories, on releasesof toxic chemicals into the environment,on accident scenarios, and on preventionpractices. There are several ways you canbecome involved in obtaining and usingthis information to enhance the quality oflife in your community:

• Attend LEPC meetings and make sureall appropriate groups are members.Volunteer to serve on the LEPC as acitizen representative.

• Make sure that the LEPC has obtainedall the information it needs from local

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Fire Departments


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Fire departments are essential mem-bers of their LEPCs not only because theyare often the first to respond, but alsobecause fire departments have importantexpertise regarding chemical hazards andemergency planning. Any responders whowill be involved in hazardous materialsresponse will have specific training to han-dle such emergencies.

Fire departments receive the sameinformation about annual hazardous chem-ical inventories and MSDSs as LEPCs do.Having access to this information helps afire department responding to a chemicalemergency know which chemicals, as wellas their quantities and locations, to expectat the scene. A fire department can requestadditional, more specific information aboutchemical inventories at a plant, and it canalso request an on-site inspection.

Fire departments may find the emer-gency release notifications filed with theLEPC and the five-year accident historiesreported in the RMP useful in identifyingfacilities in the area that are having acci-dents even if those accidents have not yetrequired a response from fire fighters.Talking to the facilities about these smalleraccidents may help identify steps that can

facilities to prepare a com-prehensive emergencyresponse plan.

• Review and comment onthe emergency responseplan, and ask questionsabout how procedures setout in the plan affect you,your family, or your placeof business.

• Ask for information fromyour LEPC or SERC aboutchemical hazards, invento-ries, and releases in yourcommunity. Make sureboth the SERC and LEPChave established proce-dures to make the informa-tion reported underEPCRA readily available tothe public. Ask your LEPCwhat facilities are doing toreduce chemical hazards.

• Use the national databas-es available from EPA atwww.epa.gov/enviro toobtain information onchemicals in your commu-

nity. This web site con-tains links to other govern-ment and non-governmentweb sites that may be ofinterest. Many facilitiesmay also have web sitesthat provide informationon safety policies andpractices.

• Call or visit facilities inyour community and ask ifthey have complied withthe reporting, emissions,and prevention require-ments of State and Federalenvironmental laws.

These laws give you theopportunity to become direct-ly involved in the decisionsthat affect your safety andhealth. Your knowledge of andparticipation in these pro-grams can help ensure thatthey accomplish their goals inyour community.

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CAMEOªThe National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and EPA developed acomputer software program called CAMEO™ to help firefighters meet their informa-tion management needs. CAMEO contains information about commonly transportedchemicals; an air dispersion model to evaluate accident release scenarios and evacu-ation options; and several easily adaptable databases and computer mapping pro-grams. Information on CAMEO can be obtained from www.epa.gov/ceppo/.


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Hospitals, schools, and State and localgovernments can be vital to the success ofany emergency response action.Ambulance crews and emergency roompersonnel must know how to transportand treat victims of exposure to hazardouschemicals. Schools and public buildingsshould plan for emergencies. The informa-tion available under EPCRA and the CAAcan help these institutions prepare foremergencies and identify opportunities forrisk reduction. Here are some ways publicinstitutions can participate in emergencyplanning and hazardous chemical riskreduction:

• Join the LEPC, or at least learn whorepresents public institutions on thecommittee and stay in contact withthat person.

• Inform the LEPC of sensitive facilitieswithin the community (hospitals,schools, and nursing homes) thatshould be included in the emergencyresponse plan. Know how they will benotified in the event of an accident andbe prepared to respond. Become famil-iar with plans for responding to firesand other emergencies involving haz-ardous chemicals.

be taken to prevent more serious accidentslater.

Facilities subject to the RMP rule mustcoordinate their emergency response plansand activities with the local fire depart-ment or LEPCs. Fire departments maywant to use the opportunity to review facil-ity plans and equipment, discuss jointexercises, and consider whether the facili-ty can provide additional training or sup-port equipment when needed. Fire depart-ments may also want to review RMP infor-mation on detection and mitigation sys-tems at local facilities to determine howthese may facilitate a response.

Public Institutions

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Health ProfessionalsDoctors, nurses, and other trained medical professionals who

serve in government health departments, hospitals, and private prac-tice should have a particular interest in the information availableunder EPCRA and the CAA. Combining their medical knowledge withthe specific information about chemicals obtained from the reportscan make them an important source of information about risks to thepublic health in their communities. Here are some of the ways theseprofessionals can participate:

• Volunteer to be a health professional representative on the LEPC.

• Participate in programs to train medical personnel to deal with emergenciesinvolving chemical hazards (health professionals should contact their State trainingofficer through their LEPC or SERC for more information on training programs).

• Screen information submitted to LEPCs to determine if any acute or chronic healtheffects may be associated with hazardous substances in their communities. Healthprofessionals may want to use this information to develop a list of hazardous sub-stances in the community and ensure that they or the hospitals and medical centershave copies of MSDSs for every chemical or have the web addresses to locate infor-mation on these chemicals quickly in case of an emergency. MSDSs and other dataavailable from EPA and other agencies provide emergency treatment data.

• Talk with representatives of local facilities to determine whether other chemicalhazards are created by the chemicals that are present. For example, chemicalscould react during a release to form other dangerous substances.


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• Work with the LEPC to build an infor-mation base about hazardous chemi-cals in the community. Be sure thathospitals and other medical personnelare familiar with chemical hazards thatexist in the community, with the stepsto take to treat people exposed, andwith the actions needed to avoid cont-amination.

• Use the information base to identify"hot spots," or potential problem areasthat warrant further investigation todetermine if they represent unaccept-able risks to the public health or theenvironment. Use this information towork with industry on voluntary pro-grams to reduce the amounts andrisks of hazardous chemicals used orreleased in the community.

Public institutions may also be subjectto the reporting requirements underEPCRA and the CAA if they have the cov-ered substances above the thresholds foreach requirement. Water treatment andwastewater treatment plants are particu-larly likely to be subject to the rules.

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One of the best ways to reduce risk tothe public from hazardous chemicals is tolocate the chemicals at a considerable dis-tance from areas where the public lives,shops, and plays. The information collect-ed under community right-to-know lawsprovides land use planners, school boards,property developers, and businesses withdata they can use to make informed deci-sions about where to locate new industrialfacilities and where to allow developmentclose to existing facilities that handle haz-ardous chemicals.

Land use planning agencies and othersinvolved in planning decisions shouldwork with the LEPC to develop maps thatlocate facilities with chemical inventories.The more likely scenarios (alternative scenarios) reported in the RMPs may beuseful to planners. If facilities have report-ed that these releases could travel a halfmile from the site before dispersing, plan-ners may want to refrain from allowingnew residential development, nursinghomes, day care centers, or hospitals with-in that area; school boards may want toensure that new schools are not located inareas within the zones of alternativerelease scenarios.

Land Use Planners

The community and planners should question any new businessseeking to locate in the community about their anticipated chemicaluse. Many types of facilities use hazardous chemicals: food distribu-tors and cold storage facilities may have ammonia refrigeration sys-tems; some retailers store flammable gases. All of these can be han-dled safely, but placing them close to homes, schools, or hospitalsmay increase the risk unnecessarily. In some cases, risks areincreased by locating facilities with hazardous chemicals close to eachother; for example, allowing storage of explosive flammable gases nextto a facility that stores chlorine for water treatment could increase therisk of a chlorine release. Planners can work with facilities to ensurethat storage at a site is not dangerously close to chemicals at adjacentsites.

Anticipated Chemical Use

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Hazardous substances are not foundonly at large chemical plants and refiner-ies. They are also used routinely by othermanufacturers, by food processors anddistributors, most of whom have refrigera-tion systems, by water treatment andsewage treatment plants, and by manysmall operations such as garages and drycleaners. Even if these chemicals are han-dled and used safely, they may be of con-cern if stored or used improperly, or dur-ing an emergency such as a fire.

Facilities and the public should reviewenvironmental data to determine whichchemicals are being used in the immediatearea. Even if a business does not handleany chemicals, it should be aware of anynearby facilities that are handling haz-ardous chemicals. A release of thesechemicals could affect the business'sworkers, customers, and property. Talkingwith the facility and with the LEPC canensure that should an emergency occur,the business will know what to do to pro-tect workers and customers.

The RMP data can help both the publicand industry assess its practices. You canlook at RMPs from other facilities in thesame sector with similar numbers of

Industry and Small

Businesses

New industrial facilities will not havefiled information under these laws, but thedata from similar facilities can be used todevelop estimates of how large a bufferzone is needed to protect the public.Planners should ask the new facility aboutthe chemicals and quantities it expects tohave on site. They and the facility ownercan work with the LEPC to develop esti-mates of what a reasonable buffer wouldbe. They can also look at RMPs submittedby facilities using similar types and quanti-ties of these chemicals to determine whatdistances the chemicals may travel. RMPdata can also help both the communityand the facility determine what types ofsafety measures should be installed tohelp reduce the risk.


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employees and determine the typicalquantity of chemicals used and commonprocess controls, detection and mitigationsystems used, and training approaches.Reviewing the prevention program datamay provide ideas for additional steps thatcould be implemented. Reviewing acci-dent histories may indicate potential prob-lem areas that should be considered.

Safer operations are not only good forthe public, they are also more cost-effec-tive and efficient for businesses.Preventing accidents eliminates workerinjuries, as well as costly down-time andclean-ups. Reducing routine emissionscuts hazardous wastes that require treat-ment and special care.

Responsible Care¨

Besides complying with the law, some chemical manufacturers, distributors, andother industries have developed codes of practice that address accident preven-tion and community involvement. The Chemical Manufacturers Association hasadopted Responsible Care®, a set of management codes that address safety prac-tices, product stewardship, and community involvement. The NationalAssociation of Chemical Distributors has adopted the Responsible DistributionProcessSM, which covers the same issues for the shipping and handling of chemi-cals. These programs require trade association members to reach out to the pub-lic and involve the community as a partner in managing chemical risks and plan-ning for chemical emergencies. You should talk with your local facilities to see ifthey have adopted these codes or have similar programs. More information onthese codes is available online at www.cmahq.com and www.nacd.com.

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State agencies serve anumber of roles in collectingchemical information andimplementing environmentalrules. In some States, all infor-mation will be collected bythe same State agency; inother States, different agen-cies may have the lead forchemical inventories, TRI, andRMP data. All of the agenciesshould, however, be membersof the State EmergencyResponse Commission, orSERC, and, therefore, if youare seeking information acrossall of the right-to-know rules,your SERC is a good startingpoint. It will either provide theinformation to you directly ortell which other State agencyhas the data and how to con-tact the right person. Besidesproviding you with informa-tion submitted to it, the SERCcan:

• Ask for further informationfrom facilities about a par-ticular chemical or facility.

• Help you identify othersources of environmentaldata.

• Help you interpret thedata or identify expertswho can assist you inunderstanding chemicalrisks and risk reductionmethods.

Data available under theright-to-know laws can also beuseful to State agencies, suchas the State and regionalwater authorities and air per-mitting authorities. The RMPdata can help water agenciesidentify patterns of chemicaluse and practices amongwater treatment and wastewater treatment plants nation-ally; with that information,they can help local waterauthorities improve theirknowledge of chemical stor-age and handling.


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States

Indian TribesBecause of the sovereignty of manyIndian tribes, Federally recognized tribesmay act as States, with the same respon-sibilities as States.

Tribes may negotiate agreements withStates in which they are located so thatthe State assumes some or all of theresponsibilities imposed by law.

Tribes that function as Tribal EmergencyResponse Commissions (TERCs) receiveall reports on hazardous or toxic chemi-cals, and citizens should go to the TERCfor information. If, however, the tribehas entered into an agreement with aState, the agreement will designate whowill receive reports and answer ques-tions.

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The Federal Role


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States and local communities have theprimary governmental responsibility tomake community right-to-know programswork. The Federal government, however,also has important contributions to make.The Federal government's major responsi-bilities include:

• Providing guidance, technical assis-tance, and training to States, communi-ties, and industry;

• Enforcing the laws to ensure compli-ance;

• Maintaining a national databases forTRI reports and making the data acces-sible to citizens;

• Ensuring that LEPCs have the informa-tion they need to take appropriatesteps to reduce the risks in their com-munities; and

• Collecting and distributing RMP data toStates, LEPCs, and the public.

The Federal government also has avariety of responsibilities to regulate cer-tain toxic and hazardous substances underother Federal environmental and occupa-tional health and safety laws.

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For a list of names, addresses, and telephonenumbers for SERCs and LEPCs, check theRight-to-Know Net web site at

http://www.rtk.net/lepc/

For EPA regional EPCRA contacts, check

http://www.epa.gov/ceppo/sta-loc.htm

For RMP regional and State contacts, check

http://www.epa.gov/ceppo/

For access to EPA's on-line databases, check

http://www.epa.gov/enviro

State TRI program officials and EPA RegionalTRI contacts can be found at

http://www.epa.gov/tri/statecon.htm.

TRI data releases can be ordered from theNational Service Center for EnvironmentalPublications (NSCEP) at:

Box 42419Cincinnati, OH 45242-2419(800) 490-9198Fax: (513) 489-8695 or 8692

Online orders: http://www.epa.gov/ncepihom/.

For general information about EPCRA andCAA RMP, call the EPCRA Hotline at (800) 424-9346.


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For More Information

United StatesEnvironmental ProtectionAgency

Office of Solid Waste andEmergency Response 5104EPA 550-K-99-001December 1999

Chemicals in YourCommunity

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