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What Materials Accounting Data Reveals About the Toxic Chemicals Used by a Hypothetical Paint Manufacturer

Materials accounting data allows the total quantity of each reportable toxic chemical used by major industrial operations in New Jersey to be calculated for a given year. This information is extremely valuable to municipal planners and emergency response personnel in the event of a fire or accidental leak. It also enables plant employees to prepare for—and try to prevent—potential occupational hazards.

The quantity of a toxic chemical used by a facility can be calculated as follows:

Total Inputs – Ending Inventory = Quantity Used

A plant’s total inputs of a chemical are the sum of the quantity brought on-site plus the starting inventory plus the quantity produced on-site plus the quantity used that was recycled on-site. The table below presents materials accounting data for the chemical toluene, which a hypothetical manufacturer uses to make paint.

Materials Accounting Data for a Hypothetical Paint Manufacturer:
Annual Toluene Use (pounds)

* Nonproduct output (NPO) is the term used in the materials accounting data program to denote total waste.

The data in this table can be used to calculate the total quantity of toluene used in 1993 through 1996. For calendar year 1993, the calculation is as follows:

Calculate total inputs: 10,000 + 50,000 = 60,000 pounds

Subtract ending inventory: 60,000 – 4000 = 56,000 pounds used

Once the total quantity for each year from 1993 to 1996 has been calculated, the results can be used to evaluate trends in chemical use. The figure below shows a small but steady increase in the use of toluene by the hypothetical paint manufacturer, based on data reported to the MAD database and shown in the table.

Four-Year Trend in Toluene Use by a Hypothetical Paint Manufacturer (pounds)

Of the input and output data needed to calculate total use, only the total quantity of waste generated is reported to the TRI. Using TRI data alone, a concerned resident wishing to learn the total amount of toluene used by the paint manufacturer would find that 1000, 1500, 1500, and 2000 pounds of toluene waste were generated in 1993, ’94, ’95, and ’96, respectively. But the federal database would not provide sufficient information to calculate a total use value for this facility. This exemplifies why, outside of New Jersey, Massachusetts, and Eugene, Oregon, the public is handicapped in its ability to address potential chemical risks posed by facilities in their community.