Latest Documents

Publications in the series on Pollutant Release and Transfer Registers

Countries are taking action against toxic chemicals emitted into air, water and land by industry. How can countries track progress made towards this target? The new OECD report looks at Pollutant Release and Transfer Registers data as a means to track toxic releases to monitor chemical pollution in order to meet the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal Target 12.4.

Saving Costs in Chemicals Management - How the OECD Ensures Benefits to Society

Guidance document on elements of a Pollutant Release and Transfer Registers (PRTR): Part 1

OECD countries have developed PRTR system to track releases and transfers of potentially harmful chemicals. To improve PRTR system, OECD have analysed common elements (pollutants, sectors) in different PRTR systems, mainly focus on institutional arrangement. This serves as a common framework for different PRTR system, and supporting materials for a country that intends to develop or update its PRTR.

Global Pollutant Release and Transfer Register (PRTR): Proposal for a harmonised list of pollutant

PRTR have been established throughout the world to track releases and transfers of potentially harmful chemicals. But most of the PRTR systems were designed without considering comparability, each PRTR has its own requirement of reporting chemicals and sectors. To harmonise globally, OECD reviewed the reporting chemicals and sectors across PRTR systems and produced proposal for harmonised lists of reporting pollutants.

Global Pollutant Release And Transfer Register: Proposal for a harmonised list of reporting sectors

This document compares sectors of industrial activities and their reporting thresholds among different national / regional PRTRs to improve the comparability of PRTR data, and proposes a harmonised list of sectors.

Application, use and presentation of pollutant release and transfer registers (prtr) data

This document outlines the current status of and available guidance documents/tools on the application, use and presentation of PRTR data in OECD member countries and the Commission for Environmental Co-operation based on the results of a survey conducted in November 2011.

Global Pollutant Release and Transfer Register, Proposal for a Harmonised List of Pollutants

This document identifies general pollutant classes, proposes unique identifiers for pollutants and identifies common substances across different national/regional PRTRs.

Comparison of Emission Estimation Methods Used in PRTRs and ESDs

The purpose of this document is to identify the similarities and differences between the emission estimation methods used in PRTR’s and ESD’s. The applicability of PRTR methods to the risk assessments is also evaluated. The study is focused on two sectors: pulp and paper manufacture, and textile wet processing.

Framework for Selecting and Applying PRTR Release Estimation Techniques

This document, Framework for Selecting and Applying PRTR Release Estimation Techniques provides information on: i) the general principles for producing release data; and ii) the selection and application of the various release estimation techniques to different industrial sectors. The document can also be used for estimating transfers of pollutants.

Pollutant Release and Transfer Register (PRTR)

An introduction to Pollutant Release and Transfer Register (PRTR) which includes links to further information on the Project and Products.