Transcript Emergency Planning and Community Right to Know Act (EPCRA)

Michelle Merrington
Kelsey Bardsley
What is EPCRA?
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Gives the public the right to know and
receive information on chemical spills or
accidental releases
Prevents another major incident like in
Bhopal, India
Emergency Planning
Emergency Release Notification
Community Right-to- Know Reporting
Requirements
Toxic Chemical Release Inventory
Bhopal, India - 1984
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About 40 tons of
Methyl Isocyanate
(MIC) poured out of
a tank and spread
into the air of a city
of nearly 900,000
3,800 dead
Approximately
11,000 with injuries
Emergency planning
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Prepares a community
in case a chemical
release were to happen
The State Emergency
Response Commission
(SERC) makes sure the
Local Emergency
Planning Committee
(LEPC) is doing annual
run through of their
Emergency Response
Plan.
Emergency release notification
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If a facility releases a
reportable quantity (RQ)
of a substance they must
immediately report it to
the LEPC who informs
the SERC
The SERC then informs
the entire state
The facility is also
required to provide a
follow-up report.
If not reported, it is a
criminal penalty of up to
$25,000 and up to 2
years prison sentence.
Community Right-to- Know
Reporting Requirements
Needs to be reported if equal or greater
than the following requirements designed
by the EPA
 10,000 pounds (4,500 kg) for hazardous
chemicals
 lesser of 500 pounds (230 kg) or the
threshold planning quantity (TPQ) for
extremely hazardous substances. ‘
 Provides information to the community
about mixtures and chemicals present at
a facility in their community
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Toxic Chemical Release Inventory
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Facilities are
required to
take inventory
of their toxic
chemicals and
report what’s
going on
Extras
Also called Sara Title III
 Passed by Reagan in 1986
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Bibliography
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http://www.ecy.wa.gov/epcra/whatis.htm
http://www.epa.gov/oem/content/lawsregs/epcraover.htm
http://www.epa.gov/osweroe1/content/epcra/
http://india.targetgenx.com/files/2007/10/bpl.jpg