Tracking Pollutant Releases and Transfers in North America (North American PRTR Project)

Commission for Environmental Cooperation

Commission for Environmental Cooperation

Orlando Cabrera Rivera, Program ManagerOctober 30, 2012

Tracking Pollutant Releases and Transfers in North America (North American PRTR Project)

Objectives:

Increase access to information, awareness and understanding of the sources and handling of pollutants of common concern across North America

Improve the comparability of PRTRs in North America

Support decision-making at all levels (communities, industry, governments) relative to pollution prevention and reduction

Approach:

Integrated online North American PRTR dataset and tools

Taking Stock report with analyses addressing North American health and environmental issues

Outreach and development of relationships with stakeholders

Tri-lateral collaboration on comparability and consistency: data reporting, collection, and QA

Taking Stock - Report and Website

CEC Council Actions on PRTR

1995• Called for the creation of a North American Pollutant Release Inventory

1996• Announced plans to publish in 1997 the first annual North American Pollutant Release Inventory

(NAPRI)

1997 • Published the 1st Taking Stock report (1993 data for US and Canada), and called for developing

an implementation plan to enhance the comparability of North American PRTRs

1999 • Announced support for continued development and improvement of the North American PRTR

system, with a goal of mandatory reporting for all nations.

2000 • Agreed to continue efforts to promote PRTRs, including public access to and use of PRTR

data, domestically, regionally and internationally;

2002 • Adopted the Action Plan to Enhance the Comparability of North American PRTRs

Promoting Regional Cooperation

• what is reported

• who must report

• reporting guidance, including: definitions, nomenclature

• data estimation techniques

• data dissemination and user support

• information on releases from non-point sources

NAPRTR Project - Milestones

2003

• Publication of 7th Annual Taking Stock Report featuring Mexican PRTR data for the cement industry (year 2000 data)

2004• Taking Stock 2001: A Special Report on Toxic Chemicals and Children's Health in

North America

2005• First update - Action Plan to Enhance the Comparability of PRTR in North America

2007• Taking Stock 2004: First publication featuring Mexican data under mandatory PRTR

2009

• Publication of Taking Stock 2005, and Taking Stock Online, first tri-lateral integrated North American PRTR database

2011

• 13th edition of Taking Stock report, and enhanced Taking Stock Online (Cross-border transfers search, summary charts, mapping)

2012

• Taking Stock Online data update 2004-2009 (March)/Action Plan Update/ Analysis for Taking Stock report (changes over time, 2005-2010)

PRTR reporting facilities

• Canada’s NPRI

• US TRI

• Mexico’s RETC

North American Watersheds and Facilities Reporting Releases to Water

Reporting PRTR Facilities, 2009 and Population Density

Reporting PRTR Facilities and Land Cover

Three countries. One environment.

© Commission for Environmental Cooperation / 2010