EPA: Bulk of Toxic Chemical Waste Recycled

About 84 percent of toxic chemical waste in 2013 was recycled or otherwise not released into the environment, according to a report from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

The agency said based on its annual Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) report that about 22 billion pounds of toxic chemical waste was managed through preferred practices such as recycling, according to a news release.

Of the 4 billion pounds that were disposed of or in other ways released into the environment, 66 percent went to land, 19 percent to air, 5 percent to water and 10 percent was transferred to other facilities.

Compared with the previous year the amount of toxic chemicals managed as waste by industrial facilities in the United States increased by 4 percent.

“I'm pleased to see that TRI data show such a commitment to release reductions and pollution prevention on the part of many industrial facilities,” said EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy.