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Executive Summary
Industries across the United States pump billions of pounds of toxic chemicals into our air, land, and water each year, many of which can cause cancer and other severe health effects. The Environmental Protection Agency’s Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) program provides Americans with the best information about toxic chemicals released in their communities. Unfortunately, in December 2006 the Bush administration limited the public’s right-to-know about this pollution by giving some polluters a free pass on reporting their toxic emissions. The TRI program is a critical tool for citizens, public health officials, and policy-makers interested in identifying trends in toxic pollution at the local, state and national
levels. Each year, the country’s largest facilities from a range of industries report their air, water, and land releases of more than 600 toxic chemicals, providing valuable information about which chemicals are entering the environment and where. For some of these chemicals, scientists know little about their effects on public health and the environment. For many, however, scientists have linked exposure to harmful health effects ranging from chronic bronchitis to developmental problems to cancer.
Using the latest available TRI data, we examined releases of chemicals known or suspected to cause serious health problems and identified states and localities that are bearing the brunt of this pollution. Specifically, we looked at releases of substances recognized by the state of California to cause cancer, birth defects or reproductive problems; we also looked at releases of substances suspected by scientists to damage the neurological or respiratory systems.
Download the full report for the findings in the report and Florida specific data.
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