US EPA reinstates reporting requirements for hydrogen sulphide

04 November 2011 15:46  [Source: ICIS news]

HOUSTON (ICIS)--The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is reinstating reporting requirements for hydrogen sulphide in order to better inform the public about chemical releases in their communities, it said on Friday.

The action may affect reporting requirements for refineries and other industrial facilities.

With the ruling, Toxic Release Inventory (TRI) reporting requirements for hydrogen sulphide will take effect next year, with the first reports due by 1 July 2013, the agency said.

The TRI is a publicly available database that contains information on toxic chemical releases and waste management activities reported annually by certain industries and federal facilities.

Hydrogen sulphide was added to the TRI list of toxic chemicals 1993.

However, in 1994, the EPA suspended the TRI reporting requirements for hydrogen sulphide in order to “address issues that were raised by members of the regulated community regarding the information used to support the original listing decision”.

Last year, the EPA published a Federal Register document that provided the public with the opportunity to comment on EPA’s review of currently available data on the human health and environmental effects of hydrogen sulphide.  After considering public comments, the EPA concluded that the TRI reporting requirements for hydrogen sulphide should be reinstated, it said.

Hydrogen sulphide occurs naturally in crude petroleum, natural gas, volcanic gases, and hot springs. It can also result from the breakdown of organic matter, and is produced by human and animal wastes.

In addition, hydrogen sulphide can occur in industrial activities, such as food processing, coke ovens, paper mills, tanneries, and refineries.

By: Stefan Baumgarten
+1 713 525 2653

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