Industries Involved in Production Processes
In 2022, the metal mining, coal mining, electric utilities, hazardous waste management, and other sectors, along with manufacturing sectors, collectively accounted for a portion of the total waste managed, with manufacturing sectors accounting for a significant 88% of the 28.6 billion pounds of waste managed that year [1].
A map, provided for your perusal, shows the locations of the manufacturing facilities that reported to the Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) in 2022, with sizes indicating their releases. However, it does not show the locations of facilities in the sectors of metal mining, coal mining, electric utilities, hazardous waste management, and others [2].
Details on a facility's TRI reporting can be found by clicking on a manufacturing facility on the map. But for facilities in sectors other than manufacturing, such details cannot be found by clicking on a facility on the map [7].
TRI chemical waste management in sectors outside manufacturing (excluding chemical manufacturing, primary metals manufacturing, metal mining, coal mining, electric utilities, and hazardous waste management) involves systematic processes similar to those in regulated industries, but tailored to the specific waste types and regulatory frameworks applicable to each sector [8].
Key management practices include the identification and classification of chemical waste, segregation and labelling, safe storage, documentation and tracking, and disposal or recycling via certified contractors or facilities authorized to handle specific chemical wastes [8]. These practices ensure compliance with regulations like the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) and support accurate TRI reporting on chemical releases and waste management activities [3].
Facilities such as sewage treatment plants, oil and gas operations, wood preservation, metal fabrication shops, military bases, pulp and paper mills, and hospitals also report using inventories like the National Pollutant Release Inventory (NPRI) in Canada, which parallels TRI by requiring reporting of chemical use, releases, and waste disposal where thresholds are met [5].
The EPA's recent data (2024 TRI preliminary dataset) covers over 21,000 facilities nationally, including a range of non-manufacturing sectors, which manage chemical wastes according to these principles [1]. While the TRI dataset itself does not summarize all sector-specific practices, it confirms widespread application of standard hazardous waste management practices outside the excluded sectors.
In summary, chemical waste management outside of the excluded manufacturing and mining sectors relies on established hazardous waste handling procedures—waste characterization, containment, recordkeeping, and proper disposal—to fulfill TRI reporting and compliance requirements. Technologies and software solutions such as Chemishield are also used to streamline and ensure compliance in complex waste handling environments, including petrochemical and related sectors [3].
The article will provide more detailed information about the primary metals manufacturing sector, the chemical manufacturing sector, and the metal mining sector later. It is important to note that electric utilities and hazardous waste management were TRI-covered sectors not included in the manufacturing sector in 2022 [4]. Additionally, other sectors, besides metal mining, coal mining, electric utilities, and hazardous waste management, were also TRI-covered but not categorized under manufacturing in 2022 [6].
In 2024, facilities from various sectors outside manufacturing, such as sewage treatment plants, oil and gas operations, and hospitals, reported their chemical waste management activities to inventories like the National Pollutant Release Inventory (NPRI) [5]. Furthermore, while the financing of waste management in these sectors may differ from traditional manufacturing, it is crucial for such facilities to comply with regulations like the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) to ensure proper waste management and accurate finance reporting [3].
