Transcript Ideas for Special Taking Stock Feature Analyses

Ideas for Special Taking Stock
Feature Analyses
Tracking releases over time of pollutants of
special concern (carcinogens, developmental
and reproductive toxicants, PBTs, metals)
Rationale:
– Over the years, the data show consistent releases of many
pollutants that fall into one or more of these categories (re: TS
2005 – 2002-2005 releases of k/s carcinogens and
develop/reproductive toxicants – e.g., benzene, mercury, lead
and others)
– Many of these pollutants are subject to reporting under all three
PRTRs because they are considered to be of special concern –
for instance, their reporting thresholds are lower
– Among the combined hundreds of listed substances on all
three lists, these groupings could be a first step towards
prioritizing for decision-making relative to pollution prevention
and reduction
 This would not be a « trends » analysis because that is a
complex task, requiring good baseline data and an
understanding of what is behind the year-to-year changes.
Comparability of releases and transfers from an
industrial sector common to all three countries
(e.g., pulp and paper mills; metal mines)
Rationale:
– Many common pollutants among Canadian and US facilities (re:
TS 2006 analysis
• Fewer of these pollutants common to Mexican pulp and paper mills
reporting (different substance lists)
– For metal mines, land disposal (among other practices) for
mining waste raises concerns (re: TS 2006 – surface disposal of
millions of kg of lead and mercury in the mid/southwest states
• New data will be available in Canada for this sector; many facilities
also in Mexico
 Could also look at either of these resource-intensive sectors
from the lens of transnational companies operating across
borders
 Could analyze data reporting within one of these sectors, vs
what could potentially be reported were it not for existing
thresholds (a « pilot » gap analysis of PRTR coverage).
Examples of industry pollution prevention
successes – and the relationship to PRTR data
Rationale:
– PRTR data (anecdotal reporting information) reveal that US and
Canadian facilities are replacing toxic inputs to comply with
European environmental legislation (e.g., REACH, ROHs)
– We could conduct a survey of P2 efforts and the reasons behind
them – including assessing to what extent PRTR data are used
in this respect
– It can be very difficult to do a trends analysis – however, many
voluntary industry initiatives are multi-year and as a result, some
baseline data are established in order to be able to track P2 –
these could explored.
Other ideas?