Environmental Regulation through Public Disclosure: PRTRs in the Information Age

Journal of Global Business Issues, January, 2008 by Hogner, Robert H

ABSTRACT

Pollution Release and Transfer Registers (PRTRs) are databases maintained to summarize chemical releases to air, water, and soil, and transfers of chemicals off-site for treatment, disposal or recycling. The periodic reporting of data to governmental PRTRs and the subsequent public disclosure herald a new age of a highly efficient and effective environmental regulatory devices.

PRTRs first developed as national systems in the United States and in the United Kingdom. Following the evidenced success of the United States PRTR program and strong pressure from the United Nations' Rio Protocol, international organizations began an intensive effort to assist countries in PRTR development. Several nations now have working PRTR systems. Others, including the European...