EMERGENCY PLANNING AND COMMUNITY RIGHT TO KNOW ACT (EPCRA):
What Is EPCRA?
The Emergency Planning and Community Right to Know Act (EPCRA) is a federal requirement for businesses that store hazardous materials to report the quantities of those materials. Those reports are then used by emergency management officials and emergency responders for emergency preparedness.
History:
In 1984, a chemical release from a pesticide plant in Bhopal, India killed over 3,000 people. This incident showed the need for emergency planning in the event of an accidental chemical release. In 1986, Congress created EPCRA to improve local emergency planning for accidental chemical releases and provide the public and local governments with information concerning potential chemical hazards present in their communities.
What This Means…
Businesses must report large quantities of hazardous materials to local and state emergency management, as well as the local fire department. Emergency management officials develop and practice emergency response plans for facilities with extremely hazardous substances in case of a chemical spill. Local emergency responders use the chemical information and emergency plans to keep their training up-to-date with the chemicals that are present in their communities.