1. Tracking Pollutant Releases and Transfers in
North America (North American PRTR Project)
Commission for Environmental Cooperation
Orlando Cabrera Rivera,
Program Manager
October 30, 2012
Commission for Environmental Cooperation

2. Tracking Pollutant Releases and Transfers in North
America (North American PRTR Project)
Objectives:
Increase access to information, awareness and understanding of the
sources and handling of pollutants of common concern across North
America
Improve the comparability of PRTRs in North America
Support decision-making at all levels
(communities, industry, governments) relative to pollution prevention
and reduction
Approach:
 Integrated online North American PRTR dataset and tools
Taking Stock report with analyses addressing North American health
and environmental issues
Outreach and development of relationships with stakeholders
Tri-lateral collaboration on comparability and consistency: data
reporting, collection, and QA

3. Taking Stock - Report and Website

4. CEC Council Actions on PRTR
• Called for the creation of a North American Pollutant Release Inventory
1995
• Announced plans to publish in 1997 the first annual North American Pollutant Release Inventory
1996 (NAPRI)
• Published the 1st Taking Stock report (1993 data for US and Canada), and called for developing
1997 an implementation plan to enhance the comparability of North American PRTRs
• Announced support for continued development and improvement of the North American PRTR
1999 system, with a goal of mandatory reporting for all nations.
• Agreed to continue efforts to promote PRTRs, including public access to and use of PRTR
2000 data, domestically, regionally and internationally;
• Adopted the Action Plan to Enhance the Comparability of North American PRTRs
2002

5. Promoting Regional
Cooperation
• what is reported
• who must report
• reporting guidance,
including: definitions,
nomenclature
• data estimation techniques
• data dissemination and
user support
• information on releases
from non-point sources

6. NAPRTR Project - Milestones
• Publication of 7th Annual Taking Stock Report featuring Mexican PRTR data for the
2003 cement industry (year 2000 data)
• Taking Stock 2001: A Special Report on Toxic Chemicals and Children's Health in
2004 North America
• First update - Action Plan to Enhance the Comparability of PRTR in North America
2005
• Taking Stock 2004: First publication featuring Mexican data under mandatory PRTR
2007
• Publication of Taking Stock 2005, and Taking Stock Online, first tri-lateral
2009 integrated North American PRTR database
• 13th edition of Taking Stock report, and enhanced Taking Stock Online (Cross-
2011 border transfers search, summary charts, mapping)
• Taking Stock Online data update 2004-2009 (March)/Action Plan Update/ Analysis
2012 for Taking Stock report (changes over time, 2005-2010)

7. PRTR reporting facilities
• Canada’s NPRI
• US TRI
• Mexico’s RETC

8. North American Watersheds and Facilities Reporting Releases to Water

9. Reporting PRTR Facilities, 2009 and Population Density

10. Reporting PRTR Facilities and Land Cover

11. Three countries. One environment.
© Commission for Environmental Cooperation / 2010