Item - 2014.HL32.6

The ChemTRAC program was developed to improve the understanding of institutional, commercial and industrial sources of pollution in Toronto, encourage pollution prevention to protect health, and support a green local economy.

The program has three key elements: 1) the Environmental Reporting and Disclosure Bylaw (Municipal Code Chapter 428) that requires businesses to report on their use and release of 25 priority substances if they meet certain thresholds in a given year; 2) a public disclosure system to inform the public about facilities in their neighbourhoods; and 3) supports for businesses to reduce their use and release of the priority substances.

The implementation of the Bylaw was phased in over three years. This is the first report to include information from facilities in all industrial and commercial sectors subject to the bylaw.  In 2013, 745 facilities reported to ChemTRAC for the prior business year. In total, approximately 71,000 tonnes of priority substances were reported as manufactured, processed or used in 2012.  Of this, about 10 percent (8,000 tonnes) were released to the environment, mostly into the air.  Review of data from facilities that reported over a three year period (2010-2012) showed a small reduction (2 percent) in total releases.

Over the past three years, Toronto Public Health and its partners – LiveGreen, Economic Development and Culture, Toronto Water, Partners in Project Green – have provided business support service to more than 7,300 businesses.  In 2013, ChemTRAC's disclosure system was viewed by over 7,000 unique visitors, and ChemTRAC is one of the top downloaded datasets from Open Data.  The ChemTRAC program has started to increase Toronto businesses' awareness of pollution prevention options. Toronto Public Health will continue to promote implementation of pollution prevention.