Item - 2013.HL22.4

ChemTRAC is a City program, led by Toronto Public Health (TPH), to reduce toxic chemicals in

our environment and support a green local economy. The ChemTRAC program includes the

Environmental Reporting and Disclosure Bylaw (Municipal Code Chapter 423) that requires

businesses to track and report the manufacture, process, use and release of 25 priority substances

every year. This information can help businesses identify opportunities for greening and cost

savings.

June 30, 2012 was the second ChemTRAC reporting deadline. The attached report presents the

second annual dataset, which captures the reported use and release of priority substances from

applicable industrial sectors in 2011. The data are also available in a searchable map and for

download at www.toronto.ca/chemtrac. The report also highlights the pollution prevention

activities of the ChemTRAC program and priorities for action.

Facilities reported approximately 70,000 tonnes of priority substances as manufactured,

processed or used in 2011. Of the 70,000 tonnes, approximately 5,000 tonnes (or 8 percent)

were released to the environment, mostly to air. The report identifies eight pollutants of the 25

priority substances to be of higher health concern because they were released in large amounts or

ranked high because of toxicity. TPH is concerned about potential health effects from these

substances in the short and long-term.

TPH offers support to facilities across Toronto to better understand their use and release of

chemicals and provides information on opportunities to green their practices. As a guiding

principle, priorities for action will focus on reducing health inequities. TPH will begin to work

with facilities in neighbourhoods of Toronto where there are a higher proportion of people living

on a low-income, who are at higher risk of poor health.