Preface
I am pleased to present the sixteenth edition of the Taking Stock report, a flagship series of the Commission for Environmental Cooperation (CEC) dedicated to raising awareness about the pollutants reported by Canadian, Mexican and US industrial facilities to their respective pollutant release and transfer registers (PRTRs). In the spirit of the public’s right-to-know, Taking Stock and the CEC’s North American PRTR Initiative promote greater data access and understanding of the amounts and sources of pollutant releases and transfers across the region, with the objectives of informing decisions about pollution prevention, reducing the risk of contamination for vulnerable communities, and supporting environmental justice.
The CEC’s work to promote the development and comparability of PRTRs in the region stems from one of the earliest CEC Council resolutions, which aimed to broaden our understanding of the management of pollutants and their potential impacts on our shared environment and the health of our communities by fostering a strong participatory process and ensuring increased public access to information. It was in that spirit that the North American PRTR Initiative saw its launch in 1995. Nearly three decades later, this unique trilateral initiative provides a collaborative forum supporting the compilation, harmonization, sharing and interpretation of industrial pollutant data for the region and serves as a model for other countries and regions interested in developing their own PRTRs. The online tools, reports, and outreach activities help inform communities about pollutants in their neighborhoods and support efforts by governments and industry to improve environmental performance, track progress, and prioritize actions to reduce pollution and protect the health of communities.
This year’s report takes a closer look at the pollutants transferred off site by facilities for disposal, both within and across borders. It provides information about common industrial disposal practices and their risks, and sheds light on important data gaps that persist across the region – gaps that can impede the ability to assess and respond to extreme events, such as floods, that risk re-mobilizing pollutants from disposal sites and contaminated soils. The report also presents current and emerging alternatives to industrial waste disposal that favor sustainable production and a circular economy. Through such analyses, Taking Stock shows that PRTR data and information can be used to identify opportunities for increasing productivity while reducing waste, harmful pollutant releases, and the consumption of already scarce natural resources.
The ongoing evolution of PRTRs worldwide, with an increased emphasis on new and priority substances, is fundamental to understanding local and cross-border pollution and its impacts on the natural environment and human health, its relevance for climate change, and its inequitable impacts on disadvantaged communities. The concept of environmental justice, which is at heart of PRTRs, is central to our work under the North American PRTR Initiative; and only through the engagement of key stakeholders in the sharing of information and ideas about our common environment can we better establish and address our priorities and create a healthier and more sustainable society.
I wish to thank all of the people who have contributed to the evolution of this important initiative over the years, including Orlando Cabrera, Danielle Vallée, and the other members of the CEC’s Environmental Quality unit; and the representatives of non-governmental organizations, governments, industry, and civil society who, through their efforts to track and monitor pollutants and improve the environmental performance of industry, have helped advance our collective goal of understanding and addressing pollution across the region in support of a healthy environment. I look forward to our ongoing collaboration and welcome your suggestions on how we can continue to enhance the North American PRTR Initiative for the benefit of our shared environment.
Jorge Daniel Taillant
Executive Director