Emissions reporting may seem like a confusing or even an intimidating task for businesses that do not do this routinely. Even corporate environmental officers can find it difficult to aggregate and process the data to ensure compliance since emissions reporting requirements have changed and increased over time. In addition to helping clients with NPRI and Ontario Reg. 127 reporting, Airzone can also help in reporting Green House Gas (GHG) Emissions, federally and provincially, as well as help design and implement Toxic Reduction plans and quantify the priority substances that require reporting. Furthermore, on the municipal level we can help small businesses in Toronto prepare and submit their ChemTRAC data.
NPRI and Ontario Reg 127 Reporting
The National Pollutant Release Inventory (NPRI) program is administered by Environment Canada and requires an emissions report for over 300 substances annually, due on June 1st of every year. The program tracks releases to the air and water and solid waste disposals and is required of facilities that Manufacture, Process, or Otherwise (MPO) use one or more of the NPRI substances.
Under Ontario Reg. 127, the only reportable substance is acetone.
Ontario’s Toxics Reduction Act (O. Reg. 455/09)
Toxic substances are defined as: All substances and substance groupings under NPRI as well as acetone (adopted from O.Reg.127/01). The regulation will be introduced in two phases:
- Phase I: 47 priority substances and substance groupings (listed in Table A O.Reg. 455/09) tracking January 1, 2010 — December 31, 2010. The first report is due by June 1, 2011.
- Phase II: All remaining substances under NPRI and including acetone tracking January 1, 2012 — December 31, 2012. The first report is due by June 1, 2013.
TRA Reporting thresholds align with the rules, exemptions and thresholds of NPRI. TRA prescribed facilities are identified using the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code commencing with the digits 31, 32 or 33 (covering all manufacturing facilities); and Facilities commencing with the digits 212 that process minerals using chemicals to extract, refine or concentrate an ore.
ChemTRAC – the City of Toronto Bylaw (Municipal Code Chapter 423)
The Environmental Reporting and Disclosure Bylaw requires local facilities to report on any of the listed toxic chemicals that a facility manufactures, uses or releases to the environment if the amounts exceed the reporting thresholds. Facilities and businesses exempt from the Bylaw include:
- Facilities engaged solely in retail sales
- Medical or dental offices
- Construction and building maintenance sites
- Food and accommodation services
- Facilities that distribute, store or sell fuels
- Facilities that maintain and repair vehicles (if no painting or rebuilding is involved).
Green House Gas Reporting (Provincial and Federal)
Under Ontario Reg. 452, reporting of specified GHG data by all facilities in Ontario exceeding the minimum threshold of 25,000 tonnes of Carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) or more per year is required. Starting in 2012 (Sept. 1) verification is required by an accredited body.
Federal GHG Emissions Reporting
(Subsection 46(1) of the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999)
In 2010, the reporting threshold for GHG across Canada was lowered from 100,000 tonnes of CO2e to 50,000 tonnes. All persons who operate a facility that emits 50,000 tonnes of (CO2e) or more of the GHGs listed in Table 1 of Schedule 1 in the 2010 calendar year are subject to the reporting requirements.