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Hazardous Substance Reporting Requirements:

The purpose of requiring facilities to report hazardous materials that they generate, store and transport is to ensure proper response measures and equipment are readily available in the event of an emergency. Accidents involving chemicals or radioactive materials represent a significant threat to the environment, public health and safety, and community well-being. Without proper response measures and equipment there is a risk of injury, exposure, or death to both the responders and the public.

State Emergency Response Commissions (SERC) oversee the implementation of reporting requirements in each state.

Local Emergency Planning Committees (LEPC) work to understand chemical hazards in the community, develop emergency plans in case of an accidental release, and look for ways to prevent chemical accidents. LEPCs are made up of emergency management agencies, responders, industry and the public.

EPA's Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) is a database containing data on disposal or other releases of over 650 toxic chemicals from thousands of US facilities and information about how facilities manage those chemicals through recycling, energy recovery, and treatment. One of TRI's primary purposes is to inform communities about toxic chemical releases to the environment.

The Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA), also known as the EPA Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act (SARA) Title III, is intended to inform government agencies, local fire departments, and the public of hazardous materials storage within their community.

OSHA Hazard Communication Standard (HCS), also known as the Workers Right-to-Know Act requires employers to inform their employees of the chemical hazard that they may be exposed to in the workplace. The format required for chemical hazards in the workplace is the Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS).

Any person who stores, transports on-site, dispenses, uses or handles hazardous materials in excess of the amount listed in the International Fire Code, 2006 Edition, Chapter 1 and Chapter 27 is required to report chemicals and obtain a SFM hazardous materials permit.

Any facility required by U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regulations to prepare or maintain a Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS), including those who store extremely hazardous substances EPA List of Lists is required to report those chemicals.


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Last updated: July 10, 2015