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Emergency Planning and Community Right-To-Know Act (EPCRA)

Definition

Workplace safety banners and signs from Safety Emporium can help create a culture of safety in your workplace.

The U.S. Emergency Planning and Community Right-To-Know Act (EPCRA) also known as the Community Right-To-Know Act or SARA, Title III provides for the collection and public release of information about the presence and release of hazardous or toxic chemicals in the nation's communities. The law requires industries to participate in emergency planning and to notify their communities of the existence of, and routine and accidental releases of, hazardous chemicals. The goal is to help citizens, officials, and community leaders to be better informed about toxic and hazardous materials in their communities.

Additional Info

To implement EPCRA, Congress required each state to appoint a State Emergency Response Commission (SERC). The SERC's were required to divide their states into Emergency Planning Districts and to name a Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC) for each district.

Broad representation by fire fighters, health officials, government and media representatives, community groups, industrial facilities, and emergency managers ensures that all necessary elements of the planning process are represented.

If you have a major chemical user or manufacturer in your community, plans to deal with emergency releases have already been developed. Consult your local or regional EPA office for more information.

A list of over 600 chemicals subject to EPCRA are listed in the Toxics Release Inventory (TRI), which is maintained by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

Books Available "The Complete Guide to Hazardous Waste Regulations: RCRA, TSCA, HTMA, EPCRA, and Superfund, 3rd Edition", hardcover, 560 pages, 1999. Estimated price $137.23. Info and/or order. MSDS Relevance EPCRA or TRI information is not equivalent to an MSDS, but does provide useful information for people concerned about the presence (or potential presence) of chemicals in their community or environment. The information found in these materials can supplement MSDS information, but is not a substitute for it. Further Reading EPCRA Requirements at the US EPA. The US EPA has a software suite CAMEO used widely to plan for and respond to chemical emergencies. The CAMEO system integrates a chemical database and a method to manage the data, an air dispersion model, and a mapping capability You can learn more about CAMEO or download it in Mac or Windows format. EPCRA overview at the Healthcare Environmental Resource Center. See CFR 42, Chapter 116 for the full text of the U.S. regulations establishing EPCRA. See also: SARA, Toxics Release Inventory. Additional definitions from Google and Onelook.

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Disclaimer: The information contained herein is believed to be true and accurate, however ILPI makes no guarantees concerning the veracity of any statement. Use of any information on this page is at the reader's own risk. ILPI strongly encourages the reader to consult the appropriate local, state and federal agencies concerning the matters discussed herein.