The links below are intended to serve as a guide to information available
under right-to-know laws. They include resources on the health effects
of chemicals and related information.
EPA Toxic Release Inventory
Toxic
Release Inventory System (TRIS)
The EPA requires manufacturers to report releases of more than 600 designated
toxic chemicals to the environment. A searchable database can be accessed
by selecting the "TRIS Queries" link on the TRIS home page.
TRI
Explorer
Access to pollution release reports by county, state or national totals
or by releases from individual facilities. This page is the easiest
place to start a search. Click on the general information button for
links to information sources in local communities.
TRI and Health
Page
Offers suggestions about what to do if you discover toxic chemicals are
being released into your community.
Other TRI Links
Environmental
Defense Scorecard Pollution Locator
Plots pollution releases on local, state and national maps with concise
explanations.
Right-to-Know
Net
Easy to use search engine finds information by geographic area, facility,
industry, parent company or off-site waste transfers.
The
Environmental Systems Research Institute
This site provides a user-friendly way to search for Toxic Release Inventory
information – pinpointing contaminant releases on street maps so
users can see how close they live to pollution sources.
High Production Volume Chemicals
EPA
Report on Chemical Hazard Data
Lists high production volume chemicals with information on whether health
effects testing has been done.
Specifics
on Chemicals and Testing Status
Health Effects of Toxic Chemicals
ATSDR- Centers for
Disease Control, Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry.
Fact sheets on toxic chemicals.
National Library
of Medicine Fact sheets including the Hazardous Substance Database.
A cluster of databases on toxicology, hazardous chemicals, and related
subjects with detailed technical information.
New
Jersey Right-to-Know Program
New Jersey and Massachusetts have adopted some of the most far-reaching
community right-to-know laws in the country, requiring more extensive
disclosures of toxic releases than the federal government demands. This
site includes NJ release information, as well as easy to understand
fact sheets on toxic chemicals.
EPA's Integrated
Risk Information System (IRIS)
Click on substance file list, search by chemical name or choose from
the list.
EPA’s
Persistent, Bioaccumulative and Toxic fact sheets
Explains the toxic effects of the priority chemicals considered most
hazardous to long-term health.
National
Institute for Environmental Health Sciences, Environmental Health Perspectives
Explains the toxicity of Benzene in simple terms and discusses how people
are exposed.
EPA’s
Dioxin Reassessment
Highlights
Environmental Defense
Scorecard
One of the most comprehensive and user-friendly sites for information
on pollution releases and toxic chemicals.
Specific
information on health effects of chemicals
Natural
Resources Defense Council
A broad range of information on toxic chemicals and health.
Pesticides
United
States Geological Service Pesticide Use Map
Click on a pesticide to see areas of greatest use, or search by geographic
location.
National Pesticide
Telecommunications Network
Operated jointly by Oregon State University and the EPA. Search chemicals
by category.
EXTOXNET:
The Extension Toxicology Network
A Pesticide Information Project of Cooperative Extension Offices of
Cornell University, Michigan State University, Oregon State University,
and the University of California at Davis.
Fruit
Salad Roulette, Daily Fare
Information on pesticide residues in food from the Environmental Working
Group.
Water
EPA Office of
Groundwater and Drinking Water
Allows searches for contaminants in individual water system.
EPA
Office of Groundwater and Drinking Water Fact Sheets
Contaminant fact sheets explain potential health problems.
Drinking
Water Contaminants
EPA site lists the major water contaminants and potential health effects.
National Drinking
Water Contaminant Occurrence Database
Database of drinking water contaminants.
Interactive
Database Search:
EPA Fish Advisories
Shows which states have issued warnings to limit or avoid consumption
of certain types of fish, or fish caught in specific lakes or rivers
because of chemical contamination.
Air
EPA’s
Index to Airborne Toxic Chemicals
Health effects notebooks of hazardous chemicals. Search by name or select
chemicals from a list.
1996 National
Air Toxics Assessment
This site generates maps of counties with the highest emissions and
includes tables listing air contaminant releases.
National Air
Quality and Emissions Trends Report, 1998
Smog report analyzes trends by geographic region and assesses whether
air quality is improving or deteriorating.
Medical & Science Information
National
Institutes of Medicine, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences
Environmental Diseases from A to Z
Simplified explanations of diseases that may be caused by environmental
exposures.
National Institute
of Environmental Health Sciences, Environmental Health Perspectives
Peer-reviewed journal published by NIEHS. Excellent source of news and
discussion of research on chemicals and human health. Browse Environews
by topic, or search for specific subjects. Also provides abstracts of
scientific articles.
National
Toxicology Project, The 9th Report on Carcinogens
Lists chemicals classified as known, probable or suspected human carcinogens,
with details on studies that back up the NTP's conclusions.
World
Health Organization, International Agency for Research on Cancer, IARC
International database of cancer causing substances.
National
Library of Medicine, PubMed
Searches for peer-reviewed articles from medical journals.
Canadian
Medical Journal - Endocrine Disruption and Potential Human Health Implications
Explains the role of endocrine disrupting chemicals in human health.
Cancer
Web – Online Medical Dictionary
Quick access to definitions of medical terms.
Toxic Waste
EPA
Superfund Site Information
Gateway to information on specific toxic waste sites.
Money & Politics
Center for Responsive
Politics
Non-partisan, non-profit research group based in Washington, D.C. tracks
money in politics, and its effect on elections and public policy.
Center for
Public Integrity
Investigations and analyses focus on government accountability and ethics.
CPI's
Toxic Deception
Includes a table of the top 50 recipients of campaign contributions
from the chemical industry.
Corp
Watch
Guide to finding information about individual corporations. Provides
links to a variety of government, corporate, academic and public interest
group sites.
National
Institute on Money in State Politics
Tracks campaign contributions and spending at the state level
Public Interest Groups
Environmental Working Group
An extensive selection of well-researched reports, articles, and databases.
Ohio Citizen Action
Provides reports on Ohio releases of chemicals that can cause cancer,
birth defects, or reproductive harm. Includes a history of right-to-know
laws, and a section on "Farming Without Chemicals."
Center for Responsive
Politics
Non-partisan, non-profit research group based in Washington, D.C. tracks
money in politics, and its effect on elections and public policy.
Coming Clean
A new collaborative campaign for safer chemicals and healthier communities
which began as a joint effort by the Center for Environment Health and
Justice, the Environmental Health Fund, the Environmental Working Group
and Women's Voices for the Earth.
Greenpeace
An independent campaigning organization that uses non-violent direct
action and creative communication to expose global environmental problems
and to promote solutions that are essential to a green and peaceful
future.
Center for
Public Integrity
Investigations and analyses focus on government accountability and ethics.
Center for Science
in the Public Interest
An excellent source of information on food, nutrition and chemical additives.
CSPI's
Chemical Cuisine offers details on the safety of chemical food additives
Health Care Without
Harm
Seeks to transform the health care industry so that it is no longer
a source of environmental harm by eliminating pollution in health care
practices. This site contains details on the use of PVC, phthalates
and mercury in medical facilities.
Rachel's Environment
and Health News
Weekly newsletter provides excellent coverage of current issues in environmental
health.
Texas
Center for Policy Studies
Comprehensive report on Pesticides in Schools explains how to find out
whether your child’s school system is using dangerous chemicals
and gives advice on what to do.
Washington Toxics
Coalition
Seattle group provides lists of alternatives to synthetic chemical use.
Natural
Resources Defense Council
Reports on alternatives to use of toxic chemicals, including,
toxic pet products and safer alternatives.
Fragranced
Products Information Network
In-depth information on potential health effects of perfumes and other
fragrances
US Public Interest
Research Group
Advocates reductions in the use of toxic chemicals in manufacuring processes.
Trust
Us, Don't Track Us
An investigation of the Chemical Industry's Responsible Care Program.
A U.S. PIRG investigation.
Boston Physicians
for Social Responsibility and Clean Water Action
Children's Health Environmental
Coalition
Mothers and
Others: recommendations for economically sustainable consumer choices.
Industry
American
Chemistry Council
Based in Arlington, VA, the ACC represents the chemical industry on
public policy issues, coordinates the industry's research and testing
programs, and administers the industry's environmental, health, and
safety performance improvement initiative, known as Responsible Care.
