Guide for Reporting to the National Pollutant Release Inventory 2000: section 3


Section 3: Completing the Reporting Form

Introduction

This section describes the information required and the procedures to follow to comply with the 2000 Canada Gazette notice. An electronic reporting form was developed to facilitate data input for reporters, to provide on-line help to the person completing the report and to reduce errors in data transcription. For ease of reference, this section follows the same order, titles and numbering system as the electronic reporting form.

A typical procedure, as shown in Figure 3, is to install the 2000 reporting software and upload the data from your 1999 report if it is available. Next, update the information on reporting facilities, substances, off-site facilities and surface water bodies. Use the software's "error check" function to verify that the report is free of errors and then create an NPRI report disk. Finally, submit the report disk with a Statement of Certification signed by an official of the company (usually identified in field A16) to Environment Canada.

The NPRI electronic reporting form, and this section of the guide, are organized as follows:

Please review the explanations provided for these sections before completing your NPRI report for 2000.

The reporting software has many error-checking routines to help ensure that the information provided is complete. The Windows software completes its error check when leaving a screen. All warnings in the reporting form can be overridden to allow you to complete the form. However, the NPRI report must be error-free before the software will allow a disk to be copied for submission to Environment Canada. See Section 4 - "Returning Information to Environment Canada".

Figure 3: Completing the NPRI Report for 2000

Completing the NPRI Report for 2000
Click the image to view full size version.

Facility Identification

From the "Main Menu" of the NPRI software, select the "View/Enter/Edit Data" menu and then select "Reporting Facilities". The electronic reporting form allows NPRI reports for more than one facility to be created. This is useful for company coordinators who are submitting NPRI reports for several facilities. You can add, delete or edit a facility record from the facility list.

At any time while completing the report, you can save the information you have entered or abandon the changes you have made. Save your work often to avoid losing data if the hardware or software fail.

A1. NPRI ID, Web Site Address, Dun and Bradstreet Number

The "Reporting Year" field cannot be changed. This is the calendar year for which you are required to report to the NPRI and for which you will be providing information.

A1.1 NPRI ID

If an NPRI report was previously submitted for your facility, it was assigned a permanent NPRI identification number. The NPRI ID is specific to the facility and does not change even if the ownership of the facility has changed. You will find this number on the mailing label of the 2000 NPRI package or on the correspondence sent to your company/facility. If you cannot find your NPRI ID number, call your regional NPRI office (listed inside the front cover).

If this is your first year of reporting, place the cursor in the NPRI ID field marked "NEW REPORT". Generate a temporary identification number by clicking on the "Generate a temporary NPRI ID" button. A permanent NPRI ID for your facility will be assigned by Environment Canada at a later date.

A1.2 Language

Correspondence from Environment Canada will be in the language identified, i.e., English or French. The language code determines which language is used by the software when printing reports.

A1.4 Web Site Address

This is an optional field for you to provide the Web site address of your facility or parent company. The address you provide will become part of the on-line NPRI database and will allow visitors to link directly to your Web site for more information.

A1.5 Dun and Bradstreet (D-U-N-S) Number

D-U-N-S is a nine-digit number that Dun and Bradstreet uses to identify companies in its financial database. This will allow the NPRI to identify the corporate structures relating facilities to their parent companies. A large organization is likely to have many D-U-N-S numbers, linking their various headquarters, subsidiaries, branches and facilities. Report the D-U-N-S number of the facility. This number may be available from your facility's treasurer or financial officer. If the facility doesn't have a D-U-N-S number, but the parent company does, report that number in field A3 "Identification of Parent Companies". If you need to verify your D-U-N-S number or obtain a new one, call the Dun and Bradstreet Customer Service Centre at 1-800-463-6362, or (416) 463-6362; Fax: (905) 568-5815. For more information, you can visit the Dun and Bradstreet Web site.

A2. Facility Identification and Site Address

The NPRI database fully supports uppercase/lowercase text entry which improves legibility. DATA ENTRY IN ALL UPPERCASE CHARACTERS IS DISCOURAGED. Please take the time to correctly enter your facility identification as you wish it to appear in the publicly-accessible database. This information will be used to identify your facility in all Environment Canada reports and data products and should therefore be selected carefully to ensure that your facility is correctly identified.

Geographic coordinates for facilities are determined by Environment Canada. Facilities may be asked to provide the information needed to determine the geographic coordinates of the facility.

A2.1 Company Name

Enter your company name. This field is mandatory. If your company owns more than one reporting facility, please ensure that the company name is used consistently for all facilities.

A2.2 Facility Name

Enter the name of the facility or any other information which, in addition to the "Company Name", completely identifies the facility. You may omit the "Facility Name" if the "Company Name" alone completely identifies the facility.

Company Name Facility Name
Specialty Pharmaceuticals Liquids Plant
Trans Canada Airlines Calgary
Canadian Refineries Alberta Processing Plant
International Manufacturing ABC Manufacturing Division

A2.3 and A2.4 Street Address

The "Street Address" is the site address of the facility. Do not use a post office box or mailing address as the street address. A mailing address can be given when identifying a public contact, technical contact or company coordinator. Enter the street name and number and other identifiers such as suite number or building designation. For rural addresses, where a street address is not available, enter the lot and concession numbers, and the township or its equivalent.

A2.5 City/District

Enter the name of the city, town, village, district or township where the facility is located.

A2.6 Province or Territory

Enter the name of the province or territory where the facility is located. Choose the name or abbreviation from the pick-list that is available while the cursor is in the "Province" field.

A2.7 Postal Code

Enter the postal code. It will be formatted automatically (e.g., V7M 3H7).

A3. Identification of Parent Companies

For the purposes of the NPRI, a parent company is defined as the highest level company or group of companies that directly control your facility. If your company is not owned or controlled by another parent company, select "No" for the question in field A3.1, "Is the facility controlled by another company or companies?" Otherwise select "Yes" in field A3.1. This opens the "Identification of Parent Companies" screen in which you can report the names, addresses and percent ownership of controlling parent companies. The Dun and Bradstreet (D-U-N-S) number identifies the parent company and its corporate relationship to the reporting facility. Complete this field as described in A1.5. The province, territory or U.S. state codes can be found in pick-lists available while the cursor is in these fields. Field P1.8 "Zip Code or Other" is provided for addresses in the U.S. or in other countries. The "Country" field (P1.10) must be completed only if the address is outside Canada or the U.S.

A4. Facility Public Contact

Enter the name, position title, e-mail address, telephone and facsimile numbers of the facility's public contact. The public contact does not have to be the same person who prepares the report or signs the Statement of Certification and does not necessarily need to be someone at the reporting facility. However, this person should be able to answer questions from the public about the report. A position title alone, such as "Environmental Coordinator", can be used to identify the public contact. The facility public contact will be identified in the NPRI database available to the public. If these fields are left blank, the technical contact (in field A6) will be listed as the public contact in the NPRI database.

A5. Facility Public Contact Address

Complete this field if the mailing address for the public contact is different from the facility's site address (A2). The province, territory or U.S. state names can be found in pick-lists while the cursor is in these fields. Field A5.9 "Zip Code/Other" is provided for addresses in the U.S. or in other countries. The "Country" field (A5.10) must be completed only if the address is outside Canada or the U.S.

A6. Facility Technical Contact

Enter the name, position title, e-mail address, telephone and facsimile numbers of a technical representative who can be contacted by Environment Canada for clarification of the report. This person should be familiar with the details of the report and be able to answer questions about the information provided. The technical contact will be listed as the public contact in the NPRI database if a public contact is not named in field A4. Unless a company coordinator is identified in field A8, the technical contact will receive all information, mailings and inquiries from Environment Canada. A consultant can be the technical contact as long as a company coordinator is identified in field A8.

A7. Facility Technical Contact Address

If the mailing address for the technical contact is different from the facility's site address (A2), complete this field as described in A5.

A8. Company Coordinator

In addition to a facility technical contact, some companies may coordinate reports for several facilities through a central contact. If you answer "Yes" to the question "Would you like to have information sent to a central contact?", provide the name, position title, e-mail address, telephone and facsimile numbers for the company coordinator (fields A8.1 to A8.8). Correspondence from Environment Canada will be addressed to the company coordinator. If there is no coordinator, correspondence will be sent to the technical contact.

A9. Company Coordinator Address

If the mailing address for the company coordinator is different from the facility's site address (A2), complete this field as described in A5.

A10. Industrial Classification Codes

Industrial classifications are a means of identifying different types of businesses and industries. The NPRI has adopted the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS Canada) as the standard for identifying industrial sectors to enable better comparisons of NPRI data with similar inventories in the U.S. and Mexico. This year, the NPRI will also continue to collect Canadian and American Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) data to retain continuity with historical data.

North American Industry Classification System (NAICS)
The NAICS was developed by Statistics Canada, the U.S. Office of Management and Budget and Mexico's Instituto Nacional de Estadistica Geografia e Informatica, to enable the respective national agencies to collect comparable statistical data (Statistics Canada, 1998). It has replaced the 1980 Standard Industrial Classification as the standard for classifying industries by Statistics Canada. Statistics Canada has provided complete details of NAICS Canada on its Web site.

You can order a copy of the NAICS Canada Manual (printed version, Catalogue No. 12-501-XPE; CD-ROM, Catalogue No. 12-501-XCB) on-line, toll free at 1-800-700-1033 (voice) or 1-800-889-9734 (fax), or through Statistics Canada Regional Reference Centres.

The NAICS Canada consists of 20 sectors, 99 subsectors, 321 industry groups, 734 industries and 921 national industries. Industries within these sectors are grouped according to their production processes rather than the goods or services produced. The numbering system that has been adopted is a six-digit code, of which the first five digits are used by the three countries to produce comparable data. The first two digits designate the sector, the third digit designates the subsector, the fourth digit designates the industry group and the fifth digit designates industries. For example, the first two digits "21" designate the utilities sector comprised of industries engaged in operating gas, electrical and water utilities. The four-digit NAICS code "2111" refers to the electric power generation, transmission and distribution industry group. Within this group, "21111" refers specifically to electric power generation while "21112" is electric power transmission, control and distribution. The sixth digit is used to designate national industries. At this level, the respective national agencies are free to define classifications relevant to their own economies. In this example, hydro-electric, fossil-fuel-electric and nuclear-electric power generation have the NAICS Canada codes "211111", "211112", and "211113", respectively.

Sector and subsector NAICS classifications and their corresponding two-, three- and four-digit codes are listed in Appendix 4. The electronic reporting form provides a pick-list of the NAICS codes. If you are unsure about the correct NAICS code for your facility, please contact your regional NPRI office.

Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) Codes
Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) codes are numerical identifiers for different types of businesses and industries (Statistics Canada, 1989). The first two digits of a four-digit SIC code define a major business sector, while the last two denote a facility's specialty within that sector. For example, the first two digits (37) of the Canadian SIC code "3751" represent the chemical industry in general, and the last two digits (51) represent the paints and varnishes industry. Code "3741" represents the same major sector but denotes the pharmaceutical industry. Two-digit Canadian and American SIC codes are listed in Appendices 5 and 6, respectively. The electronic reporting form provides a pick-list of two-digit Canadian SIC codes. The software also provides concordance tables of four-digit Canadian SIC codes and their corresponding U.S. SIC codes. If you are unsure about the correct SIC code for your facility, please contact your regional NPRI office.

A10.1 Two-digit Canadian SIC Code

Enter the two-digit Canadian SIC code that best represents your facility as found in Appendix 5 or access the pick-list and choose the appropriate number. Your facility may be engaged in several different activities that are described by more than one SIC code. If so, use the SIC code that describes the activity having the greatest value.

A10.2 Four-digit Canadian SIC Code

Based on the two-digit code entered in field A10.1, the software will provide a pick-list of four-digit codes associated with your industrial sector. Select the most appropriate Canadian SIC code for your facility according to the description provided.

A10.3 Four-digit U.S. SIC Code

Based on the Canadian SIC code entered in field A10.2, the software will provide a pick-list of corresponding four-digit U.S. codes. As some Canadian classifications are broader than the U.S. codes, there may be more than one U.S. code for each Canadian code. A common error is to select the first choice offered by the software. Be certain to select the appropriate U.S. SIC code for your facility.

A10.4 Two-digit NAICS Code

Choose the two-digit code or range of codes which best describes the industrial sector in which your facility operates. A pick-list of two-digit codes is available or you may refer to the NAICS codes in Appendix 4. Note that some sectors, such as manufacturing (31-33), span several two-digit codes. Use the pick-list to select the correct range of two-digit NAICS codes.

A10.5 Four-digit NAICS Code

Based on the two-digit NAICS code entered in field A10.4, the software will provide a pick-list of four-digit NAICS codes for the corresponding subsectors. A list of four-digit NAICS codes is also given in Appendix 4.

A10.6 Six-digit NAICS Canada Code

Finally, based on the four-digit NAICS code entered in field A10.5, the software will provide a pick-list of six-digit NAICS Canada codes for the corresponding national industries.

A11. Employee Criteria

A11.1 Number of Full-time Employees

Enter the number of full-time (or equivalent) employees at your facility. One "full-time employee" (or equivalent) is defined as 2 000 worker-hours per year (including paid vacation, overtime and sick leave). The definition depends on the number of hours worked by all employees at the facility during the calendar year and not on the number of persons working.

To determine the number of full-time employees (or equivalent) working for your facility during the calendar year, total the hours worked by all employees, including the time worked by students, part-time and contract employees and sales and support staff at the facility, and divide the total by 2 000 hours. If the owner worked at the facility, his/her time must also be included in the full-time employee calculation. Working hours spent by sales people must be included in the calculation if they had an office on site, even though they may have spent part of their time away from the facility. Time spent by contract workers at the facility must also be included in the calculation.

A11.2 Activities to Which the 20 000-hour Employee Threshold does not Apply

In previous years, a facility was exempt from reporting to the NPRI if, during the reporting year, the total number of hours worked by all its employees was less than 20 000 hours (equivalent to 10 full-time employees). Starting with the 2000 reporting year, the 20 000-hour employee threshold was removed for facilities used for certain types of incineration and for wood preservation. Refer to Section 2 for more information on these activities. The Supplementary Guide explains how the employee criteria relate to reporting for substances with alternate reporting thresholds.

If your facility was used exclusively or mainly for one of the incineration activities (A11.2.a - A11.2.d), you must submit an NPRI report for dioxins/furans and HCB. You may also have to submit a report for any NPRI Part 1 substances, mercury (and its compounds) or PAHs, provided their respective substance criteria are met. If any of the incineration activities (A11.2.a - A11.2d) are chosen, the corresponding fields in A12.1 will be checked.

Wood preservation alone (A11.2.e), does not trigger NPRI reporting. You may also have to submit a report for any NPRI Part 1 substances and mercury (and its compounds) provided their respective substance criteria are met. If your facility used pentachlorophenol, select field A12.2. You must submit reports for dioxins/furans and HCB (see Chapter 5 of the Supplementary Guide). If your facility used creosote, select field A13.1. You may have to submit NPRI reports for PAHs (see Chapter 4 of the Supplementary Guide).

Was the facility used mainly or exclusively for:

A11.2.a Non-hazardous Solid Waste Incineration (> 100 Tonnes/Year) - Non-hazardous solid waste means any waste, regardless of origin, which might normally be disposed of in a non-secure manner, such as at a sanitary landfill site, if not incinerated. It includes clean wood waste, i.e., waste from woodworking or forest product operations, including bark, where the wood waste has not been treated with preservative chemicals (e.g., pentachlorophenol) or decorative coatings. Non-hazardous solid waste incineration includes incineration of residential and other municipal wastes in conical (or teepee) burners, and clean wood waste in beehive burners.

A11.2.b Biomedical or Hospital Waste Incineration (> 100 Tonnes/Year) - Biomedical waste is defined fully in Appendix 4 of the Supplementary Guide. Biomedical or hospital waste refers to waste that is generated by:

  • human or animal health-care facilities
  • medical or veterinary research and testing establishments
  • health-care teaching establishments
  • clinical testing or research laboratories, and
  • facilities involved in the production or testing of vaccines.

Biomedical or hospital waste includes human anatomical waste and animal waste. It also includes microbiology laboratory waste, human blood and body fluid waste, and waste sharps that have not been disinfected or decontaminated. It does not include waste from animal husbandry, or waste that is controlled in accordance with the Health of Animals Act (Canada). Wastes that are household in origin, or that are generated in the food production, general building maintenance and office administration activities of those facilities to which this definition applies, are not considered to be biomedical or hospital waste but rather to be non-hazardous solid waste.

A11.2.c Hazardous Waste Incineration - Hazardous waste is defined fully in Appendix 5 of the Supplementary Guide. Hazardous waste includes those wastes that are potentially hazardous to human health and/or the environment because of their nature and quantity, and that require special handling techniques. Hazardous waste incinerators must be licensed by the responsible jurisdiction. Hazardous waste incinerated in a mobile incinerator temporarily located at your facility must be included as part of this activity.

A11.2.d Sewage Sludge Incineration - Sludge means a semi-liquid mass removed from a liquid flow of wastes. Sewage sludge means sludge from a facility treating wastewater from a sanitary sewer system.

A11.2.e Wood Preservation - Select this if your facility was used mainly or exclusively for wood preservation, using heat or pressure treatment or both. If your facility used pentachlorophenol, also select field A12.2. If your facility used creosote, also select field A13.1.

A11.2.f None of the above - If your facility was not used for one of the activities described above, the 20 000-hour employee threshold applies when reporting to the NPRI for any NPRI substance.

A12. Activities Relevant to the Reporting of Dioxins/Furans and Hexachlorobenzene

The criteria for reporting NPRI Part 4 substances is based on specific activities in which a facility engaged, not quantities released or transferred. A facility may have engaged in one of these activities, even if it was not the sole activity at the facility. A facility engaged in one or more of the activities listed below (A12.1.a - A12.1.p) must submit reports for dioxins/furans and HCB if it also met the 20 000-hour employee threshold. If, however, the facility was used mainly or exclusively for any of the incineration activities (A12.1.a - A12.1.d), or for wood preservation using pentachlorophenol (A12.1.q and A12.2), the facility must report releases and transfers of dioxins/furans and HCB regardless of the number of hours worked by employees. Information to be reported for dioxins/furans and HCB differs from that required in other NPRI substance reports. Refer to Chapter 5 of the Supplementary Guide for further details.

A12.1.a Non-hazardous Solid Waste Incineration (> 100 Tonnes/Year) - See A11.2.a.

A12.1.b Biomedical or Hospital Waste Incineration (> 100 Tonnes/Year) - See A11.2.b.

A12.1.c Hazardous Waste Incineration - See A11.2.c.

A12.1.d Sewage Sludge Incineration - See A11.2.d.

A12.1.e Base Metals Smelting (Including Copper, Lead, Nickel and Zinc) - refers to copper, lead, nickel and zinc. This activity does not include smelting of aluminum or any other metals. It also does not include the smelting of secondary lead or secondary aluminum which are identified in field A12.1.f and A12.1.g, respectively.

A12.1.f Smelting of Secondary Lead - refers to lead-bearing scrap or lead-bearing materials, other than lead-bearing concentrates derived from a mining operation. Facilities engaged in smelting of lead-bearing concentrates derived from a mining operation are considered to be base metals smelters (see A12.1.e).

A12.1.g Smelting of Secondary Aluminum - refers to aluminum-bearing scrap or aluminum-bearing materials. Secondary aluminum smelting involves two processes - pre-cleaning and smelting - both of which may produce dioxins/furans emissions.

A12.1.h Manufacturing of Iron Using a Sintering Process - Sintering is the welding together and growth of contact area between two or more initially distinct particles at temperatures below the melting point, but above one-half of the melting point (in degrees Kelvin). In sintering operations, dioxins/furans may be formed as unwanted by-products during high-temperature decomposition and combustion of raw materials containing chlorine and organic compounds.

A12.1.i Operation of Electric Arc Furnaces in Steel Manufacturing - In an electric arc furnace, material is heated by the heat energy released from an electric arc. The electric arc is a component of an electric circuit, like a resistor, but with its own peculiar characteristics. Dioxins/furans may be formed as unwanted by-products during high-temperature decomposition and combustion of raw materials containing chlorine and organic compounds.

A12.1.j Operation of Electric Arc Furnaces in Steel Foundries - In an electric arc furnace, material is heated by the heat energy released from an electric arc during which dioxins/furans and HCB may be formed.

A12.1.k Production of Magnesium - Production of magnesium from magnesium chloride by electrolysis may result in the generation of dioxins/furans and HCB.

A12.1.l Manufacturing of Portland Cement - Portland cement is a fine greyish powder consisting of four basic materials - lime, silica, alumina and iron compounds. Cement production involves heating (pyroprocessing) the raw materials to a very high temperature in a rotating kiln to induce chemical reactions that produce a fused material called clinker. The cement clinker is further ground into a fine powder, then mixed with gypsum to form portland cement.

A12.1.m Production of Chlorinated Organic Solvents or Chlorinated Monomers - This activity is limited to the intentional manufacturing of chlorinated organic solvents or chlorinated monomers, and does not include coincidental production.

A12.1.n Combustion of Fossil Fuel in a Boiler Unit to Produce Electricity (> 25 Megawatts) - This activity is limited to the combustion of solid or liquid fuel (coal, petroleum or any other liquid or solid fuel derived from such) in a boiler unit, for the purpose of producing steam for the production of electricity, with a generating capacity of 25 megawatts or greater of electricity. This clearer definition was provided in the amendment to the 2000 Canada Gazette notice. It includes electric power-generation utilities and large industrial facilities co-generating electric power using waste heat from industrial processes. It does not include combustion of natural gas or other fuels that are gaseous in form at ambient pressure and temperature. It also does not include diesel generators, which are not boiler units.

A12.1.o Combustion of Salt-laden Logs in Pulp & Paper Sector - Pulp and paper boilers burning salt-laden wood are unique to British Columbia. Dioxins/furans are emitted from the burning of salt-contaminated hog fuel. Logs transported and stored in salt water take up chlorine into the bark. The bark is stripped from logs and ground up with other waste wood to produce hog fuel. The material is then used as boiler fuel to produce heat and electrical energy for pulp and paper processes. The Canada-Wide Standards for Dioxins and Furans state that every boiler covered by the Standards will be tested twice each year to determine the level of dioxins/furans air emissions for the years prior to 2003, and annually for the year 2003 and beyond.

A12.1.p Combustion of Fuel in Kraft Liquor Boilers in Pulp & Paper Sector - A kraft liquor boiler burns black liquor, composed mostly of lignin, the residue from the digester in a kraft (sulphate) pulping process. The boiler recovers chemical products from the combusted black liquor, which are later recycled, and also produces steam which is used in mill process operations.

A12.1.q None of the above - If your facility was not engaged in one of the activities described above, then your facility may not have to submit reports for dioxins/furans and HCB. The only other activity that would trigger reporting is if your facility was used for wood preservation using pentachlorophenol (see field A12.2).

A12.2 Was the Facility Used for Wood Preservation Using Pentachlorophenol?

Wood preservation means the preservation of wood using heat or pressure treatment, or both. If your facility was used for wood preservation using pentachlorophenol, you must submit substance reports for dioxins/furans and HCB, regardless of the number of hours worked by employees. Refer to Chapter 5 of the Supplementary Guide for more information regarding this activity. If selected, field A11.2.e - Wood Preservation, will be automatically selected.

A13. Activity Relevant to the Reporting of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs)

A13.1 Was the Facility Used for Wood Preservation Using Creosote?

Wood preservation means the preservation of wood using heat or pressure treatment, or both. There is no 50-kg reporting threshold for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) released or transferred from a wood-preservation process using creosote, since the PAHs are contained in the creosote and not incidentally manufactured. A facility used for wood preservation must report any of the 17 individual PAHs incidentally manufactured and released on site or transferred off site from a wood-preservation process using creosote, regardless of the number of hours worked by employees. Refer to Chapter 4 of the Supplementary Guide for more information regarding this activity. If selected, field A11.2.e - Wood Preservation, will be automatically selected.

A14. Other Environmental Regulations or Permits (optional)

This optional field identifies other government organizations, agencies or programs to which you report environmental data. These identifiers may be municipal, provincial, territorial or regional operating permit numbers, certificates of approval or numbers used to identify your facility for a survey on releases or transfers to the environment.

If you wish to provide the environmental identification numbers that exist for your facility, select "Yes" for question A14.1, "Do you report under other environmental regulations or permits?" The electronic form will present a pop-up screen after responding "Yes" to this question. Enter the identification number or permit number in the column entitled "ID Number" and the government and program requesting the data in the column entitled "Government Department, Agency or Program Name".

If you do not report under any other environmental regulations, select "No". If you choose not to complete this field, select "Decline to answer".

Example 1
In Ontario, include the Ontario Hazardous Waste Generator Registration Number (OHWGRN). The OHWGRN is a nine-digit alphanumeric number (e.g., ON1234500) assigned to each facility under Ontario Regulation 347 (Environmental Protection Act of Ontario).

Example 2
Facilities located in Alberta handling hazardous waste have to register for, and may have more than one, provincial ID number(s), assigned by Alberta Environmental Protection. Facilities receiving, consigning or transporting hazardous wastes are assigned provincial ID numbers. The ID number is an eight-digit alphanumeric number (e.g., ABR09999).

A15. Comments

A15.1 Comments (Facility)

This field is for comments regarding the facility information provided in this section or on any issue pertaining to your NPRI report in general. For example:

  • an explanation of why a substance is no longer reported to the NPRI
  • details of a plant closure that resulted in reduced releases and transfers of all substances reported by the facility, or
  • details of a one-time site remediation program which dramatically increased the off-site transfers of several substances.

These comments will appear in the NPRI database available to the public and are your opportunity to provide context for the information reported to the NPRI. Comments specific to a substance being reported should be provided in the "Substances" report.

A15.2 Comments (Pollution Prevention)

In addition to the pollution-prevention (P2) activities reported for a specific substance in B30, information on general P2 activities such as water- and energy-conservation initiatives can be provided in this comments field. Facilities are encouraged to provide additional information describing their P2 initiatives and the results achieved (e.g., environmental results, economic benefits, etc.).

A16. Company Official Certifying this Submission

A "Statement of Certification" can be printed through the "Reports Menu". If you are unable to print a Statement of Certification, contact your regional NPRI office immediately. A brief summary of the NPRI report is printed as part of the Statement of Certification. It lists the reporting facilities, their substances and the total quantities of substances released on site and/or transferred off site for disposal or recycling.

The NPRI report submitted to Environment Canada must include a Statement of Certification signed by an official of the company. Normally, the company official is the person identified in field A16. This person must have delegated powers to accept legal responsibility for the information provided. Some facilities may choose a CEO, the environmental coordinator or the plant manager. The person who signs this statement acknowledges that:

  • he/she has reviewed the documents
  • he/she has exercised due diligence to ensure that the information is true and complete, and
  • the amounts and values are accurate, based on reasonable estimates using available data.

The name of the company official will not appear in the public database.

A17. Company Official Address

If the mailing address for the company official contact is different from the facility's site address (A2), complete this field as described in A5.

This is the end of the first section of the reporting form. You have the options of saving the facility information, cancelling the changes or returning to the facility report.

Return to the "View/Enter/Edit Data" menu. From this menu you can:

  • report on NPRI substances
  • identify surface water bodies to which NPRI substances are discharged, or
  • identify off-site facilities to which you transfer NPRI substances for disposal or recycling.

Surface Water Bodies

If you are reporting the release of an NPRI substance to surface waters (streams, rivers, lakes, bays, inlets, etc.), you must identify the receiving water body. To ensure that water bodies are consistently identified, a list of names was assembled from data in the NPRI and from the Gazetteer of Canada. The names in this initial list cannot be modified. However, if you cannot find the name of a water body, you can add a new geographic feature to the list. From the "Main Menu" of the NPRI reporting software, select "View/Enter/Edit Data" and choose "Surface Water Bodies". This opens the "Master Pick-list of Surface Water Bodies" table. The water body names in this table are used in a pick-list in field B12.3 when reporting releases to surface waters.

Do not add a new surface water body name unless it will be associated with at least one discharge to surface waters identified in field B12.3, otherwise the software will generate an "orphan water body" error. There are two ways to edit the "Master Pick-list of Surface Water Bodies" table:

  • select "Surface Water Bodies" in the "View/Enter/Edit Data" menu, or
  • select the button in the "# of Water Bodies" column in field B12.3, then select "Add a new water body to the pick-list".

Once you have added a water body, you are required to report the quantity of the substance released to that water body.

Off-site Facilities and MSTPs

The NPRI identifies three different types of off-site facilities:

  • facilities to which the reported substance is sent for final disposal or treatment prior to final disposal
  • municipal sewage treatment plants (MSTPs) to which your facility discharges an effluent containing the reported substance, and
  • facilities to which materials containing the reported substance are sent for recycling.

Discharges to sanitary sewers are reported as off-site transfers for disposal to an MSTP, regardless of the type or level of treatment offered at the MSTP.

If your facility transfers an NPRI substance off site for disposal or recycling, you must identify the receiving facility. To ensure that off-site facilities are consistently identified, a list of facilities was assembled from data in the NPRI. The information for the off-site facilities in this initial list cannot be modified. However, you can add a new off-site facility to the list if you cannot find the name of the facility to which you transferred NPRI substances. From the "Main Menu" of the NPRI reporting software, select "View/Enter/Edit Data" and choose "Off-site Facilities". Enter the name and address of the site(s) in the "Master Pick-list of Off-site Facilities" table. The off-site facilities in this table will be used in a pick-list in fields B22.1 and B25.1 to identify each site without having to re-enter the full name and location of the facility.

Do not identify an off-site facility unless it will be associated with at least one substance transfer, otherwise the software will generate an "orphan facility" error. There are two ways to edit the "Facility Off-site and MSTP Listing" table:

  • select "Off-site Facilities" in the "View/Enter/Edit Data" menu, or
  • select the button in the "# of Off-sites" column in field B22.1 or field B25.1 and then "Add an off-site facility to the pick-list".

Once you have added an off-site facility, you are required to report the quantity of the substance transferred to that facility.

Substance Information

The most important change for the 2000 reporting year has been the addition to the NPRI of substances with alternate reporting thresholds. The reporting criteria for substances with alternate reporting thresholds are explained fully in a companion document, Supplementary Guide for Reporting to the National Pollutant Release Inventory - Alternate Thresholds - 2000. The Supplementary Guide discusses in detail the reporting criteria for mercury (and its compounds), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), dioxins/furans and hexachlorobenzene (HCB). Both this Guide and the Supplementary Guide should be consulted by owners and operators of facilities to determine if they must report on any NPRI substances.

To add or modify a substance report, choose "Substances" from the "View/Enter/Edit Data" menu. A substance report consists of the following sections:

Quantity Codes

Quantity codes are no longer available for reporting quantities of less than one tonne. When data is uploaded from a 1999 report, the electronic form will automatically enter the midpoint of the chosen range into the quantity column. For example, if the quantity code "B" was used in the 1999 report, the range 0.2 to < 0.4 tonnes will be replaced by the quantity 0.3 tonnes.

Units of Measure

The units of measure depend upon the substance being reported. Generally, release, disposal and recycling quantities are reported in tonnes. However, for substances with alternate reporting thresholds, these quantities are reported in kilograms or grams. The software determines what units will be used once a substance has been selected. Field B1.3 displays the units of measure. The reporting software also displays the units of measure on screens where quantity data is requested.

Schedule/Part Substance Units
Schedule 1, Part 1 Substances tonnes
Schedule 1, Part 2 Mercury (and its compounds) kilograms
Schedule 1, Part 3 Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) kilograms
Schedule 1, Part 4 Hexachlorobenzene (HCB) grams
Schedule 1, Part 4 Dioxins/furans grams (TEQ)


"Basis of Estimate" Codes

The "Basis of Estimate" codes provide information about how you determined the quantity of an NPRI substance that was released on site or transferred off site for disposal or recycling. There are four methods for estimating releases and transfers, listed below in declining order of expected accuracy. Reference documents that may assist you with your estimates are listed in the Bibliography and examples of each estimation method are given in Appendix 7 of this Guide and in Chapter 7 of the Supplementary Guide.

M -- Monitoring or direct measurement - This is the most accurate estimation method. An example is monthly monitoring of a substance in a waste stream and the volume flow rate of that stream. If you are reporting for dioxins/furans or HCB, the "Detail" codes field will be enabled (see below).
C -- Mass balance - A mass balance is an accounting of the quantity of a substance going in and out of an entire facility, process or piece of equipment. Releases can be calculated as the difference between input and output.
E -- Emission factors - An emission factor is based on average measured emissions from several similar processes. Emission factors usually express releases as a ratio of quantity released to process or equipment throughput.
O -- Engineering estimates - This estimation method is based on physical/chemical properties (e.g., vapour pressure) of the substance and mathematical relationships (e.g., ideal gas law).
NA -- Not applicable - This indicates that there are no releases or transfers from your facility to this medium.
NI -- No information available - This is a new code that was added for 2000 only for dioxins/furans and HCB. Select this code only if your facility met the reporting criteria for dioxins/furans or HCB, but you have no information available on which to base an estimate of the quantity released or transferred.

The reporting software has a pick-list for choosing the "Basis of Estimate" codes. Select the letter code identifying the method that applies to the largest portion of the estimated releases or transfers.

Dioxins/Furans and HCB

The reporting requirements for dioxins/furans and HCB differ greatly from those for other substances in the NPRI. Refer to the Supplementary Guide for details. An NPRI substance report for dioxins/furans or HCB will indicate:

  • the quantity released on site or transferred off site as the result of incidental manufacture from prescribed activities
  • the quantity released on site or transferred off site resulting from wood preservation using pentachlorophenol
  • for direct measurements only, that the measured concentrations were above, equal to or below the Level of Quantification (LoQ)
  • that there were no releases to a specific medium or no transfers off site, or
  • that no information was available on which to base an estimate.

Level of Quantification (LoQ)

The level of quantification is defined in Section 65 of the CEPA (1999) as "the lowest concentration that can be accurately measured using sensitive but routine sampling and analytical methods". Environment Canada determines LoQ values by carrying out statistical analyses of several sets of measurements from a variety of emission sources. The LoQ is calculated as 10 times the standard deviation of replicated measurements. For some media and some analytical methods, the detection limit may be lower than the LoQ recommended by Environment Canada. Table 8 in the Supplementary Guide lists the LoQ for dioxins/furans and HCB for three types of material or waste streams that may be released on site or transferred off site - gaseous, liquid and solid. The LoQ values listed include both final, draft and estimated values published by Environment Canada. In the reporting software, the "Detail" code is used to indicate if your measured concentrations were above, equal to or below the LoQ for each type of material that you released on site or transferred off site.

"Detail" Codes

"Detail" codes are required and are available only for dioxins/furans and HCB substance reports. A "Detail" code is required only if the release, disposal or recycling data were obtained through direct measurement or monitoring (code "M" in the "Basis of Estimate" field). The "Detail" code is used to indicate if your measured concentrations are above, equal to or below the LoQ. The "Detail" code field is adjacent to the "Basis of Estimate" field. Three "Detail" codes are available:

AL -- At or Above LoQ - The measured concentration was equal to or greater than the LoQ - If chosen, you must enter the quantity of the substance that was released on site or transferred off site for disposal or recycling.

BL -- Below LoQ (no quantity entered) - The measured concentration was below the LoQ - This indicates that the substance may have been present but you did not quantify the amount that was released on site or transferred off site for disposal or recycling.

BQ -- Below LoQ (quantity entered) - The measured concentration was below the LoQ - If chosen, this indicates that you have opted to report the quantity of the substance that was released on site or transferred off site for disposal or recycling based on a measured concentration that was less than Environment Canada's LoQ.

How to Report Releases and Transfers of Dioxins/Furans and HCB

The use of "Basis of Estimate" and "Detail" codes is summarized below. More information on completing an NPRI report for dioxins/furans and HCB is provided in the Supplementary Guide.

Basis Of Estimate Code Detail Code Quantity Field
Monitoring or Direct
Measurement (Code M)
At or Above LoQ
(Code AL)
you must enter quantity released or transferred
Monitoring or Direct
Measurement (Code M)
Below LoQ (no
quantity entered)

(Code BL)
not applicable
Monitoring or Direct
Measurement (Code M)
Below LoQ (no
quantity entered)

(Code BQ)
you must enter quantity released or transferred
Mass Balance (Code C) not applicable you must enter quantity released or transferred
Emission Factors (Code E) not applicable you must enter quantity released or transferred
Engineering Estimate
(Code O)
not applicable you must enter quantity released or transferred
No Information Available
(Code NI)
not applicable not applicable
Not Applicable (Code NA) not applicable not applicable


B1. Substance Identity

Enter the name of the NPRI substance and its CAS number. The reporting software provides pick-lists for the NPRI substances and their CAS numbers. Appendix 1 lists the NPRI substances alphabetically and Appendix 2 lists the NPRI substances by CAS number.

Report only NPRI substances. For example, if you use silver nitrate, do not report silver nitrate with its corresponding CAS number because the NPRI does not list silver nitrate as an individual compound. Report this substance as "silver (and its compounds)". The reporting software will only accept the names and the CAS numbers of substances on the NPRI list.

The NPRI reporting form can be used to complete reports for the National Emissions Reduction Masterplan (NERM) of the Canadian Chemical Producers' Association and for the Accelerated Reduction/Elimination of Toxics (ARET) program of Environment Canada. From the "Main Menu", choose "Report Additional Substances" to enable reporting of substances on the NERM and ARET lists. The pick-lists in field B1 will include the NERM and ARET substances in addition to the NPRI substances. Field B1.4 will show if the substance is an NPRI, NERM or ARET substance.

B1.1 CAS Registry Number

Enter the CAS number of the NPRI substance you are reporting. A pick-list of NPRI substances, listed numerically by CAS number, is available. Once the CAS number is identified and selected in the pick-list, the program will automatically place the CAS number in field B1.1 and the substance name in field B1.2. Some NPRI substances, such as "ammonia (total)" or "(element) and its compounds", do not have unique CAS numbers and are identified by "NA" on the pick-list. Indicators next to the CAS number will show if the substance is an acid, a PAH, a dioxin/furan or HCB.

B1.2 Substance Name

If you do not know the CAS number of the substance you are reporting, you can choose from a pick-list of substance names. The CAS number will automatically be inserted into field B1.1. The program will enter "NA" in the CAS number field for groups of NPRI substances which do not have unique CAS numbers, such as "zinc (and its compounds)".

B1.3 Units of Measure

This field displays the units of measure. The units of measure will also be displayed wherever quantity data is reported (e.g., when entering on-site releases or anticipated disposals). The software determines what units will be used once a substance has been selected.

B1.4 This Substance is on the Following Program List(s)

Indicators will show if the substance is on the NPRI, NERM or ARET list.

B2. Nature of Activities

Indicate whether the NPRI substance was manufactured, processed or otherwise used, and the nature of such activities at the facility during the calendar year. For each substance, you may identify more than one activity.

B2.1 Manufacture the Substance

The term "manufacture" means to produce, prepare or compound an NPRI substance. This also includes the incidental production of an NPRI substance as a by-product as the result of the manufacture, processing, other use or treatment of other substances, products or materials. For example, certain NPRI substances may be manufactured as a result of wastewater treatment or other treatment processes.

Example of Manufacturing Activity

Your facility purchased chlorine and reacted it with sodium chlorite to form chlorine dioxide. Therefore, your company processed chlorine and manufactured chlorine dioxide. Both are NPRI substances. You are required to report both substances if you met the reporting criteria. Refer to "Calculating the 10-tonne Reporting Threshold" in Section 2.

Example of Incidental Manufacturing of By-products

Your facility manufactured aluminum. During the smelting process, hydrogen fluoride (HF) was released. The concentration of HF is 2 ppm but the quantity exceeded 10 tonnes per year. You are required to report your releases of HF because it was produced as a by-product and not subject to the 1% concentration criterion. You are not required to report solid aluminum because it is not an NPRI substance. You may have to report "aluminum (fume or dust)", as well as other NPRI substances, if all other reporting criteria are met. Refer to "Calculating the 10-tonne Reporting Threshold" in Section 2.

If you manufactured the substance being reported, select at least one of the categories that follow:

B2.1.a For On-site Use/Processing - The substance was manufactured and then further processed or used at the same facility.

B2.1.b For Sale/Distribution - The substance was manufactured specifically for sale or distribution outside the facility. For example, a mine mill processed metal ore on site to manufacture ore concentrates, and then sold the metal concentrate(s) outside the facility.

B2.1.c As a By-product - The substance was produced incidentally and released to the environment or transferred off site for disposal. See Section 2 for a complete discussion of NPRI by-products.

B2.1.d As an Impurity - The substance was produced incidentally and remained in the product destined to be distributed in commerce.

B2.2 Process the Substance

The term "process" means the preparation of a listed substance, after its manufacture, for distribution in commerce, or the use of a listed substance as part of a chemical or physical process. Processing includes the preparation of a substance with or without change in physical or chemical form. The term also applies to the processing of materials, mixtures or formulations that contain a listed substance as one component. During processing, the substance is generally not separated from the product.

If your facility processed the substance, select at least one of the following:

B2.2.a As a Reactant - An NPRI substance used in chemical reactions for the manufacture or processing of another substance or product. This includes, but is not limited to, feedstock, raw materials, intermediates, catalysts and nutrients added to wastewater treatment systems.

B2.2.b As a Formulation Component - A substance added to a product (or product mixture) before further distribution of the product. Examples of substances used in this capacity include, but are not limited to, additives, dyes, reaction diluents, initiators, solvents, inhibitors, emulsifiers, surfactants, lubricants, flame retardants and rheological modifiers.

B2.2.c As an Article Component - A substance that became an integral component of an article distributed for industrial, trade or consumer use. An example is ethylene glycol added to vehicle radiators during assembly.

B2.2.d Repackaging Only - Processing or preparation of a substance (or product mixture) for distribution in commerce. This also includes transferring NPRI substances to or from bulk containers.

B2.2.e As a By-product - The NPRI substance was incidentally processed and was released to the environment or was transferred off site for disposal. See Section 2 for a complete discussion of NPRI by-products.

B2.3 Otherwise Use the Substance

"Otherwise use" encompasses any use of an NPRI substance that is relevant to the purposes of the facility that does not fall under the definitions of "manufacture" or "process". As an example, your facility cleaned equipment with a listed solvent; it otherwise used the substance (ancillary or other use). Note that such an activity is not considered "routine janitorial" or "facility grounds" maintenance.

If your facility otherwise used the substance, select at least one of the following:

B2.3.a As a Physical or Chemical Processing Aid - A substance that was added to a reaction mixture to aid in the manufacture or synthesis of another substance but was not intended to remain in or become part of the product or product mixture. Examples of such substances include, but are not limited to, process solvents, catalysts, inhibitors, initiators, reaction terminators and buffers.

B2.3.b As a Manufacturing Aid - A substance that aided the manufacturing process but did not become part of the resulting product and was not added to the reaction mixture during the manufacture or synthesis of another substance. Examples include process lubricants, metal-working fluids, coolants, refrigerants and hydraulic fluids.

B2.3.c Ancillary or Other Use - A substance in this category that was used at a facility for purposes other than as a chemical processing aid or manufacturing aid. This includes, but is not limited to, equipment cleaners, degreasers, fuels, flocculants and substances used for treating wastes.

B2.3.d As a By-product - The NPRI substance was incidentally present in a material that was otherwise used at the facility and released to the environment or transferred off site for disposal. See Section 2 for a complete discussion of NPRI by-products.

On-site Releases to the Environment

If the reporting criteria are met for an NPRI substance, then all releases of that substance must be reported regardless of the concentration or amount.

B10. Do You Release This Substance On Site?

To report the on-site releases of an NPRI substance, select "Yes" in field B10.1. If you select "No", the program brings you automatically to field B14 "Reasons for Changes in Quantities Released from Previous Year".

B11. Releases of Less than One Tonne

If the total of all your releases of an NPRI Part 1 substance to all media was less than one tonne, you have the option of reporting releases by environmental medium (B12.1 to B12.4 for releases to air, water, land and underground injection) or reporting only the total release to all media (B12.5). To report total releases to all media of less than one tonne of a substance, select "Yes" in field B11.1. This field is enabled only for NPRI Part 1 substances. The program will proceed directly to field B12.5 "Total Releases". Otherwise, select "No" and enter specific releases to each environmental medium.

B12. On-site Releases of the Substance to the Environment

If your releases were greater than one tonne, you must account for total releases of the substance from your facility to each environmental medium (air, water, land and underground injection). Report the "net" release of the substance, not the total release of a mixture containing the substance.

Some NPRI substances are listed as "(element) and its compounds". For these substances, report only the total amount of the element in the compounds released rather than the total amount of the compounds that contain the element. Total releases (B12.5) from your facility do not include transfers of the substance to off-site locations for disposal or recycling.

For each release by medium, enter a "Basis of Estimate" code. Selecting "NA" (Not applicable) indicates that there were no releases from your facility to this medium. Enter the letter code identifying the estimation method that applies to the largest portion of the releases. A pick-list is available for choosing the "Basis of Estimate" codes.

"Detail" codes are required and available only for dioxins/furans and HCB substance reports. A "Detail" code is required only if the release, disposal or recycling data were obtained through direct measurement or monitoring (code "M" in the "Basis of Estimate" field). The "Detail" code is used to indicate if your measured concentrations were above, equal to or below the LoQ.

Units of Measure

The units of measure depend upon the substance being reported. Generally, release, disposal and recycling quantities are reported in tonnes. However, for substances with alternate reporting thresholds, these quantities are reported in kilograms or grams. The software determines what units will be used once a substance has been selected.

Substance Units
Schedule 1, Part 1 Substances tonnes
Mercury (and its compounds) kilograms
Polycyclic aromatic compounds (PAHs) kilograms
Hexachlorobenzene (HCB) grams
Dioxins/furans grams (TEQ)

B12.1 Air Releases

Report all air emissions of the NPRI substance, the basis of the estimate and the detail code, if applicable. Both routine releases, such as fugitive releases to air, and accidental or non-routine releases, such as a relief valve opening due to process upset, should be included in your estimate of the quantity released.

B12.1.a Stack or Point Releases - Total releases from stack or point sources including stacks, vents, ducts, pipes or other confined process streams. Releases to air from pollution-control equipment generally fall into this category.

B12.1.b Storage or Handling Releases - The quantity of releases to air from storage or handling of a listed substance should be entered in this field.

B12.1.c Fugitive Releases - Fugitive releases are the total of all releases to air that are not released through confined process streams. These releases include:

  • fugitive equipment leaks from valves, pump seals, flanges, compressors, sampling connections, open-ended lines, etc.
  • evaporative losses from surface impoundments and spills
  • releases from building ventilation systems, and
  • any other fugitive or non-point air emissions from land treatment, mine tailings, storage piles, etc.

B12.1.d Spills - Any accidental releases to air that do not qualify as point or non-point air releases should be entered in this field.

B12.1.e Other Non-point Releases - Any other non-point air releases not estimated in one of the above air-related release types should be entered in this field.

B12.2 Underground Injection

Report the quantity of the NPRI substance injected on site, the basis of the estimate and the detail code, if applicable.

B12.3 Releases to Surface Waters

Report all releases of the NPRI substance to surface waters, the basis of the estimate and the detail code, if applicable.

B12.3.a Direct Discharges - Direct discharges do not include discharges to an MSTP or other off-site wastewater treatment facilities. These discharges are considered off-site transfers for disposal which are reported in field B22.1.f.

B12.3.b Spills - Spills into surface waters include any accidental releases which may have occurred at your facility.

B12.3.c Leaks - A leak to surface waters differs from a spill in terms of the time required for an event. Spills normally occur over a period of hours or days, whereas a leak is a chronic event which occurs over periods of days or months.

For each surface water discharge, you must identify the receiving water bodies. The button in the "# of Water Bodies" column shows the number of water bodies receiving the discharge. It displays a "?" if no water bodies have been identified. Select the button to open the "Master Pick-list of Surface Water Bodies" table. Here you can identify the surface water bodies that received the discharge, as well as the quantity discharged to each surface water body. The software provides a pick-list of standard water body names that is drawn from the NPRI database and the Gazetteer of Canada. The pick-list is sorted by province.

You may add the names of new surface water bodies to the pick-list if it is incomplete. There are two ways to edit the pick-list of surface water body names:

  • select "Surface Water Bodies" in the "View/Enter/Edit Data" menu, or
  • select the button in the "# of Water Bodies" column in field B12.3, then select "Add a new water body to the pick-list".

If your total discharge to all media was less than one tonne, you are not required to report your releases by environmental media and may report only a total discharge. Do not include water bodies that receive the general plant waste stream if this waste stream did not contain an NPRI substance or if reportable acids in the waste stream have been neutralized to a pH of 6.0 or greater prior to release.

B12.4 Releases to Land

Report all releases of the NPRI substance to land within the boundaries of your facility, the basis of the estimate and the detail code, if applicable. Do not report land disposal at an off-site location in this field. Transfers of the substance for disposal are reported in B20.

B12.4.a Landfill - For the purposes of the NPRI, on-site landfilling is classified as a release. If the substance was transferred off site for disposal, enter the quantity in field B22.1.e-i) "Containment/Landfill".

B12.4.b Land Treatment - Land treatment is a disposal method in which a waste containing a listed substance is applied onto or incorporated into soil. If the substance is transferred off site for disposal, enter the quantity in field B22.1.h "Land Treatment".

B12.4.c Spills - Releases classified as spills include any accidental release of a listed substance to land at your facility.

B12.4.d Leaks - Leaks differ from spills in that they are chronic events that occur over a comparatively long time. This includes leaking underground storage tanks.

B12.4.e Other - Releases to land could occur in forms other than those already specified above, for example, encapsulation prior to on-site landfill.

B12.5 Total Quantity Released

The electronic form will calculate the sum of the on-site releases reported in fields B12.1 through B12.4 and place this total into field B12.5. If you chose to report only a total release of less than one tonne to all media for an NPRI Part 1 substance only (B11.1), enter the quantity, the basis of the estimate and the detail code, if applicable.

B13. Yearly Breakdown of Releases by Percentage in Each Quarter

This field is intended for facilities that have seasonal fluctuations in their releases. Releases for the four quarters must total 100%.

B14. Reasons for Changes in Quantities Released from Previous Year

Select one or more reasons why the on-site releases of the NPRI substance changed since 1999. This section must be completed, even if there were no on-site releases. You may use the "Comments" field to elaborate on your reasons. If this is your first reporting year, select B14.1.i "Not applicable". Some of the reasons for change may also be considered as pollution-prevention activities. If you have selected B14.1.c "Pollution-prevention activities", you must also complete Section B30 - "Pollution- Prevention Activities".

B14.1.a Changes in Production Levels - A change in on-site releases may be the result of changes in production levels or some other activity at the facility. Changes in production levels can be caused by increased sales, a change in the economy affecting the facility, a strike or other plant closure, expansion or conversion of the facility, etc. Other examples are given in Section B40 - "Production Ratio and Activity Index", which provides you the opportunity to provide a quantitative measure of the year-to-year fluctuations in production levels and on-site releases.

B14.1.b Changes in Estimation Methods - Choose this item if there was a change in the method of estimating the quantity of the NPRI substance transferred off site. For example, engineering estimates may have been replaced by direct measurement. Or, the engineering calculations were updated or corrected.

B14.1.c Pollution-prevention Activities - If chosen, you must describe the pollution-prevention activities in Section B30. Refer to that section for examples of pollution-prevention activities. Pollution prevention does not include on-site treatment (pollution control) or off-site recycling or disposal.

B14.1.d Changes in On-site Treatment - Examples include modification to or addition of new pollution-control devices, redirection or elimination of waste streams, expanded on-site recycling and other changes in on-site waste treatment.

B14.1.e Changes in Off-site Transfers for Disposal - If chosen, you must report the off-site transfers for disposal in fields B20, B21, B22, B23 and B24.

B14.1.f Changes in Off-site Transfers for Recycling - If chosen, you must report the off-site transfers for recycling in fields B20, B21, B25, B26 and B27.

B14.1.g Other - Some examples include accidents, spills or breakdowns. Provide details in field B14.2 "Comments".

B14.1.h No Significant Change or No Change - Choose this item if there has been no change or if the change was less than 10% from the previous year.

B14.1.i Not Applicable - Choose this item if this is the first year you are reporting this substance.

B14.2 Comments (Releases)

Comments specific to the releases of this substance may be provided in this field. For example, provide details of a spill which dramatically affected the release of this substance. The comments will appear in the NPRI database available to the public and are an opportunity to provide context for the information reported to the NPRI.

B15. Anticipated Releases

Enter your estimates of total releases to all environmental media, for the years 2001, 2002 and 2003. Estimates for the years 2004 and 2005 are optional (select "Not applicable"). Factors that should be considered when making these estimates include future production levels, product or process changes, pollution-prevention measures, addition of pollution-control equipment, etc.

Off-site Transfers for Disposal or Recycling

Disposal and recycling activities are considered together under the common heading of off-site transfers. The reporting categories are based on the International Waste Identification Code (IWIC) (Environment Canada, 1993) developed by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). Reporting is limited to those categories which are most applicable to NPRI reporters. People who report under the Export and Import of Hazardous Wastes Regulations (EIHWR) (Canada Gazette, 1992) will immediately recognize the format. Even if you do not handle hazardous wastes, the reporting format will enable you to describe your transfers more accurately.

"Disposal" is final disposal of the material (e.g., landfill) or storage and treatment (e.g., stabilization) prior to final disposal. "Recycling" refers to activities that keep a material or a component of the material from becoming a waste destined for final disposal. Recyclable materials may be reprocessed to their original specifications and reused for their original purpose or used for an entirely different purpose. Components may be recovered from the recyclable material or the material may be used as a fuel for energy recovery. The recyclable material may be used in the manufacture of another product. For the purposes of the NPRI, recycling also includes substances sent back to the manufacturer or supplier for reprocessing, repackaging, resale or for credit or payment.

B20. Transfers of the Substance to Off-site Locations

Indicate if you transferred the NPRI substance to off-site locations for disposal or recycling by selecting either "Yes" or "No" in fields B20.1 and B20.2, respectively. Depending on your selection, the software will automatically skip certain sections of the report. However, even if you did not transfer NPRI substances off site, you must still provide reasons for changes in quantities disposed/recycled and anticipated transfers for disposal/recycling (B23, B24, B26 and B27). You will also be able to provide comments on your transfers for disposal and your recycling activities in fields B23.2 and B26.2.

B21. Reasons why Substances were Transferred Off Site for Disposal or Recycling

Select one or more reasons why the NPRI substance or why a material containing the NPRI substance was transferred off site for disposal or recycling. This category does not include on-site disposal or recycling. For convenience, the equivalent IWIC Q-codes are listed in brackets after each item. Choose one or more of the following reasons:

B21.1.a Production Residues - These are, for example, residues of industrial processes such as slags and still bottoms, residues from raw material processing such as mining residues and oil field slop. [Corresponds to codes Q1, Q8 and Q11 in the IWIC]

B21.1.b Off-specification Products - These are products that were not suitable for commercial distribution or that could not be used by the facility and were destined for final disposal, reuse or recycling by another facility. [Corresponds to code Q2 in the IWIC]

B21.1.c Expiration Date Passed - Products for which the date for appropriate use expired and that were transferred off site for final disposal or reuse or recycling by another facility. [Corresponds to code Q3 in the IWIC]

B21.1.d Contaminated Materials - For example, materials spilled or having undergone other mishap, including any materials contaminated as a result of the mishap; materials contaminated or soiled as a result of planned actions such as residues from cleaning operations, packing materials, containers, etc.; contaminated substances that no longer performed satisfactorily such as contaminated acids, solvents, exhausted tempering salts, etc.; adulterated materials. [Corresponds to codes Q4, Q5, Q7 and Q12 in the IWIC]

B21.1.e Unusable Parts or Discards - Describes items such as reject batteries, exhausted catalysts, etc. [Corresponds to code Q6 in the IWIC]

B21.1.f Pollution-abatement Residues - Materials such as scrubber sludges, baghouse dusts, spent filters, etc., generated by pollution controls and on-site waste treatment. [Corresponds to code Q9 in the IWIC]

B21.1.g Machining or Finishing Residues - This includes lathe turnings, grinding dusts, sheet metal cuttings, mill scales, etc. [Corresponds to code Q10 in the IWIC]

B21.1.h Site-remediation Residues - Materials, substances or products resulting from remedial actions with respect to contaminated land. [Corresponds to code Q15 in the IWIC]

B21.1.i Other - Any materials, substances or products not described above.

B22. Off-site Transfers for Disposal

In this field, report the quantity of the NPRI substance transferred to off-site locations for final disposal or storage and treatment prior to final disposal. If the reporting criteria are met for a listed substance, all off-site transfers of that substance for disposal must be reported regardless of the concentration or amount. Report the quantity of the NPRI substance that was sent to an off-site treatment facility and not the total weight of the mixture containing that substance. Report transfers to the first off-site location only and identify its name and location. You are not required to report any subsequent transfers by the waste disposal company. However, you must report the disposal method used. Disposal includes storage and treatment (e.g., stabilization) prior to final disposal. Do not report materials containing the NPRI substance which were recycled off site; they are reported in field B25.

Do not report off-site transfers of mineral acids if the acid had been neutralized to a pH of 6.0 or greater prior to its transfer off site for final disposal. In the case of nitric acid, the quantity of neutralized nitric acid would be reported as "nitrate ion in solution at a pH of 6.0 or greater".

For each disposal activity chosen, enter a "Basis of Estimate" code. Selecting "NA" (Not applicable) indicates that there were no transfers from your facility for this disposal activity. Enter the letter code identifying the method that applies to the largest portion of the estimated transfers. A pick-list is available in each field for choosing the "Basis of Estimate" codes.

"Detail" codes are required and available only for dioxins/furans and HCB substance reports. A "Detail" code is required only if the release, disposal or recycling data were obtained through direct measurement or monitoring (code "M" in the "Basis of Estimate" field). The "Detail" code is used to indicate if your measured concentrations were above, equal to or below the LoQ.

Units of Measure

The units of measure depend upon the substance being reported. Generally, release, disposal and recycling quantities are reported in tonnes. However, for substances with alternate reporting thresholds, these quantities are reported in kilograms or grams. The software determines what units will be used once a substance has been selected.

Substance Units
Schedule 1, Part 1 Substances tonnes
Mercury (and its compounds) kilograms
Polycyclic aromatic compounds (PAHs) kilograms
Hexachlorobenzene (HCB) grams
Dioxins/furans grams (TEQ)

B22.1 Disposal Method

Eight major off-site disposal methods are identified. Report the exact amounts of the NPRI substance transferred for that disposal method, the basis of the estimate and the detail code, if applicable. Facilities can obtain information about the ultimate treatment/disposal of their transfers by looking at their invoices, waybills, waste manifests or by contacting the transfer facility.

B22.1.a Physical Treatment - e.g., drying, evaporation, encapsulation or vitrification.

B22.1.b Chemical Treatment - e.g., precipitation, stabilization or neutralization.

B22.1.c Biological Treatment - e.g., bio-oxidation or composting.

B22.1.d Incineration/Thermal - This differs from energy recovery. Incineration occurs when the substance or the material containing the substance does not have sufficient fuel value to contribute toward energy recovery.

B22.1.e Containment - Two forms of containment are identified:

  1. landfill
  2. other storage

B22.1.f Municipal Sewage Treatment Plant (MSTP) - Report discharges of the NPRI substance to a municipal sewer system, regardless of the level of treatment provided by the MSTP.

B22.1.g Underground Injection - Report quantity injected underground at an off-site location.

B22.1.h Land treatment - Report the quantity transferred off site for the purpose of land application or land farming.

You must identify the off-site facilities which received the NPRI substance for disposal. If the transfer was split among several off-site facilities, specify the quantity of the NPRI substance that was transferred to each facility. Select the button in the "# of Off-sites" column to open the "Master Pick-list of Off-site Facilities" table. The software provides a pick-list of previously-identified, off-site facilities. The pick-list can be edited if it is incomplete or inaccurate. The pick-list of off-site facilities and MSTPs is based on the information provided in the table "Master Pick-list of Off-site Facilities". There are two ways to edit the table:

  • select "Off-site Facilities" in the "View/Enter/Edit Data" menu, or
  • select the button in the "# of Off-sites" column in field B22.1 or field B25.1 and then "Add an off-site facility to the pick-list".
B22.2 Total Quantity Disposed

The reporting software calculates the sum of the entries made in field B22.1 and places the result into this field.

B23. Reasons for Changes in Quantities Disposed from Previous Year

Select one or more reasons why off-site transfers for disposal of the NPRI substance have changed since 1999. This section must be completed, even if there were no off-site transfers. You may use the "Comments" field to elaborate on your reasons. If this is your first reporting year, select B23.1.i for "Not applicable". Some of the reasons for change may also be considered as pollution-prevention activities. If you have selected B23.1.c "Pollution-prevention activities", you must also complete Section B30 - "Pollution-Prevention Activities". The reasons for changes include:

B23.1.a Changes in Production Levels - A change in off-site transfers for disposal may be the result of changes in production levels or some other activity at the facility. Changes in production levels can be caused by increased sales, a change in the economy affecting the facility, a strike or other plant closure, expansion or conversion of the facility. Other examples are given in Section B40 - "Production Ratio and Activity Index," where you have the opportunity to provide a quantitative measure of the year-to-year fluctuations in production levels and off-site transfers.

B23.1.b Changes in Estimation Methods - Choose this item if there was a change in the method of estimating the quantity of the NPRI substance transferred off site. For example, engineering estimates may have been replaced by direct measurement or the engineering calculations may have been updated or corrected.

B23.1.c Pollution-prevention Activities - If chosen, you must describe the pollution-prevention activities in Section B30. Refer to that section for examples of pollution-prevention activities. Pollution prevention does not include on-site treatment (pollution control) or off-site recycling or disposal.

B23.1.d Changes in On-site Treatment - Examples include modification or addition of new pollution-control devices, redirection or elimination of waste streams, expanded on-site recycling and other changes in on-site waste treatment.

B23.1.f Changes in Off-site Transfers for Recycling - If chosen, you must report the off-site transfers for recycling in fields B20, B21, B25, B26 and B27.

B23.1.g Other - Some examples include site remediation, accidents, spills or breakdowns which affect the quantity of the NPRI substance transferred off site for disposal. Provide details in field B23.2 "Comments".

B23.1.h No Significant Change or no Change - Choose this item if there has been no change or if the change was less than 10% from the previous year.

B23.1.i Not Applicable - Choose this item if this is the first year reporting this substance.

B23.2 Comments (Disposal)

Comments specific to the off-site disposal of this substance may be provided in this section. For example, give details of a one-time site remediation which dramatically affected the off-site transfers of this substance. The comments will appear in the NPRI database available to the public and are an opportunity to provide context for the information reported to the NPRI.

B24. Anticipated Disposals

Enter your estimate of total transfers of the listed substance for disposal to off-site facilities for the years 2001, 2002 and 2003. Years 2004 and 2005 are optional fields (select "Not applicable"). Factors that should be considered when making these estimates include future production levels, product or process changes, pollution-prevention measures, addition of pollution-control equipment, site remediations, etc. This section must be completed, even if there were no off-site transfers.

B25. Off-site Transfers for Recycling

"Recycling" refers to activities that keep a material or a component of the material from becoming a waste destined for disposal. Recyclable materials may be cleaned, regenerated or reprocessed to their original specifications and reused for their original purpose. They may also be used for an entirely different purpose without any pretreatment or modification. Components may be recovered or reclaimed from the recyclable material or the material may be used as a fuel for energy recovery. The recyclable material may be used in the manufacture of another product. For the purposes of the NPRI, recycling also includes substances sent back to the manufacturer or supplier for reprocessing, repackaging, resale or for credit or payment. Report only the net weight of the NPRI substance transferred off site for recycling, and not the total amount of the mixture containing the substance. For example, your facility submits an NPRI report for zinc. It sends zinc-coated steel for recycling to an off-site recycler. In this case, you must report the net weight of the zinc and not the total weight of the zinc-coated steel.

Ten types of recycling operations are listed, based on those set out in Part II of Schedule III of the Export and Import of Hazardous Wastes Regulations and are used as part of the IWIC code to classify hazardous recyclables. Choose the recycling operation which best describes how the NPRI substance or material containing the NPRI substance was recycled. The NPRI substance is considered to be recycled even when only a portion of the material in which it is contained is recycled. This recognizes the fact that recycling may only recover certain valuable components. For example, only the valuable metals may be recovered from a wastewater treatment sludge from an electroplating operation.

For each recycling activity chosen, enter a "Basis of Estimate" code. Selecting "NA" (Not applicable) indicates that there were no transfers from your facility for this recycling activity. Enter the letter code identifying the method that applies to the largest portion of the estimated transfers. A pick-list is available in each field for choosing the "Basis of Estimate" codes.

"Detail" codes are required and available only for dioxins/furans and HCB substance reports. A "Detail" code is required only if the release, disposal or recycling data were obtained through direct measurement or monitoring (code "M" in the "Basis of Estimate" field). The "Detail" code is used to indicate if your measured concentrations were above, equal to or below the LoQ.

Units of Measure

The units of measure depend upon the substance being reported. Generally, release, disposal and recycling quantities are reported in tonnes. However, for substances with alternate reporting thresholds, these quantities are reported in kilograms or grams. The software determines what units will be used once a substance has been selected.

Substance Units
Schedule 1, Part 1 Substances tonnes
Mercury (and its compounds) kilograms
Polycyclic aromatic compounds (PAHs) kilograms
Hexachlorobenzene (HCB) grams
Dioxins/furans grams (TEQ)

B25.1 Recycling Activity

Ten major off-site recycling activities are identified. Report the net amounts of the NPRI substance transferred for that recycling activity, the basis of the estimate and the detail code, if applicable.

B25.1.a Energy Recovery - The NPRI substance or the material containing it has sufficient energy content (BTU value) to allow its use as a fuel for energy recovery. If there had been no attempt to recover energy from the material, report it as an off-site transfer for incineration. [Corresponds to code R1 in the IWIC]

B25.1.b Recovery of Solvents - The recovery or regeneration of NPRI substances or materials containing NPRI substances that have been used as solvents. For example, distillation of methanol after solvent extraction to recover pure solvent methanol. [Corresponds to code R2 in the IWIC]

B25.1.c Recovery of Organic Substances (Not Solvents) - Recovery of other organic substances that are not used as solvents. [Corresponds to code R3 in the IWIC]

B25.1.d Recovery of Metals and Metal Compounds - Choose this recycling activity when a pure metal or a metal compound was being recovered. The NPRI list of substances includes 17 metals: aluminum, antimony, cadmium, chromium, cobalt, copper, lead, manganese, mercury, molybdenum, nickel, selenium, silver, thorium, titanium, vanadium and zinc. Some are listed as "(elements) and their compounds" while others are listed as specific inorganic or qualified inorganic compounds. [Corresponds to code R4 in the IWIC]

B25.1.e Recovery of Inorganic Materials (Not Metals) - The NPRI list of substances contains the inorganic substances: ammonia, arsenic, asbestos, boron trifluoride, bromine, carbon disulphide, chlorine, chlorine dioxide, fluorine, hydrazine, hydrogen sulphide, ionic cyanides, nitrate ion, phosphorus and sulphur hexafluoride. [Corresponds to code R5 in the IWIC]

B25.1.f Recovery of Acids or Bases - The following mineral acids are on the NPRI list: hydrochloric acid, nitric acid, phosphoric acid and sulphuric acid. This recycling activity also applies to the recovery of acids or bases that contain other NPRI substances as contaminants. [Corresponds to code R6 in the IWIC]

B25.1.g Recovery of Catalysts - Choose this item if a catalyst containing an NPRI substance was transferred off site to be recovered, reactivated, regenerated or otherwise refurbished for reuse as a catalyst. Recovery of catalysts does not include the destruction of the catalyst to recover separate components. Choose B25.1.d if the catalyst was transferred off site for recovery of the metals in the catalyst. [Corresponds to code R8 in the IWIC]

B25.1.h Recovery of Pollution-abatement Residues - This includes the recycling of residues from pollution controls or site-remediation activities. [Corresponds to code R7 in the IWIC]

B25.1.i Refining or Reuse of Used Oil - Lubricating oils are not on the NPRI list of substances. However, used oils are sometimes contaminated with NPRI substances, such as zinc additives. Choose this recycling activity if used oils containing NPRI substances were transferred off site for refining or reuse. If used oil was used as a fuel, choose B25.1.a. [Corresponds to code R9 in the IWIC]

B25.1.j Other - Other recovery, reuse and recycling activities not described above.

You must identify the off-site facilities which received the NPRI substance for recycling. If the transfer was split among several off-site facilities, specify the quantity of the NPRI substance that was transferred to each facility. Select the button in the "# of Off-sites" column to open the "Master Pick-list of Off-site Facilities" table. The software provides a pick-list of previously-identified, off-site facilities. The pick-list can be edited if it is incomplete or inaccurate. The pick-list of off-site facilities is based on the information provided in the table "Master Pick-list of Off-site Facilities". There are two ways to edit the table:M

  • select "Off-site Facilities" in the "View/Enter/Edit Data" menu, or
  • select the button in the "# of Off-sites" column in field B22.1 or field B25.1 and then "Add an off-site facility to the pick-list".
B25.2 Total Quantity Recycled

The reporting software calculates the sum of the entries made in field B25.1 and places the result into this field.

B26. Reasons for Changes in Quantities Recycled from Previous Year

Indicate the changes, since 1999, in off-site transfers for recycling. This section must be completed, even if there were no off-site transfers. If this is your first reporting year, select B26.1.i for "Not applicable". Otherwise, select at least one of the following reasons for changes in quantities transferred. If you have selected B26.1.c "Pollution-prevention activities", you must complete Section B30 - "Pollution-Prevention Activities". The reasons for changes include:

B26.1.a Changes in Production Levels - See field B23.1.a.

B26.1.b Changes in Estimation Methods - See field B23.1.b.

B26.1.c Pollution-prevention Activities - See field B23.1.c.

B26.1.d Changes in On-site Treatment - See field B23.1.d.

B26.1.e Changes in Off-site Transfers for Disposal - If chosen, you must report the off-site transfers for disposal in fields B20, B21, B22, B23 and B24.

B26.1.g Other - See field B23.1.g.

B26.1.h No Significant Change - No change or a change of less than 10% from the previous year.

B26.1.i Not Applicable - First year reporting this substance.

B26.2 Comments (Recycling)

Comments specific to the recycling of this substance may be provided in this section. The comments will appear in the NPRI database available to the public and are an opportunity to provide context for the information reported to the NPRI.

B27. Anticipated Recycling

Enter your estimate of total transfers of the listed substance for recycling for the years 2001, 2002 and 2003. Years 2004 and 2005 are optional fields (select "Not applicable"). This section must be completed, even if there were no off-site transfers.

Pollution-Prevention (P2) Activities

In this section, facilities that have taken measures to prevent the generation of NPRI pollutants and wastes are required to indicate what P2 activities they have implemented.

Pollution prevention is defined as "the use of processes, practices, materials, products or energy that avoid or minimize the creation of pollutants and waste, and reduce the overall risk to human health or the environment" (Environment Canada, 1995). P2 seeks to eliminate the causes of pollution rather than managing it after it has been created. It encourages the kinds of changes that are likely to lead to lower production costs, increased efficiencies and more effective protection of the environment. Pollution prevention does not include on-site treatment (pollution control) activities or off-site recycling and disposal activities.

What Is Not a P2 Activity?

Measures applied only after pollutants or wastes are generated are not considered P2 activities. Rather, they are waste-management measures. Some examples follow:

  • Off-site recycling - Off-site recycling (e.g., solvent recovery at a central distillation facility) is an excellent waste management option that is vastly preferable to other forms of waste handling because it helps to preserve raw materials and reduces the amount of material that will require disposal. However, it does create pollution during transport and during the recycling procedure. Compared with closed-loop recycling (or reuse), performed at the production site, there is likely to be more residual waste that will require disposal.
  • Waste treatment - Waste treatment involves changing the form or composition of a waste stream through controlled reactions to reduce or eliminate the amount of pollutant. Waste treatment prior to disposal reduces the toxicity and/or disposal-site space requirements but does not prevent the creation of pollutants or eliminate all pollutant materials. Examples include volume reduction (e.g., dewatering), dilution, detoxification, incineration, decomposition, stabilization, and solidification or encapsulation.
  • Transferring hazardous or toxic constituents from one environmental medium to another - Many waste-management, -treatment and -control practices used to date have simply collected pollutants and moved them from one environmental medium (air, water or land) to another. For example, bag houses are often used to collect particulates from waste streams. The collected particulate is often sent to landfill. This pollution-control measure reduces the potential for exposure and therefore the risk posed by the waste compared to a release to air, but it does not eliminate risk or reduce the amount of waste generated. Sending this material off site for recycling is preferable to landfill, but it too has risks associated with recovery operations and is not considered pollution prevention.

B30. Pollution-Prevention (P2) Activities

Qualitative reporting of P2 activities is a mandatory reporting requirement of the NPRI. If you have not implemented a P2 program at your facility, choose item B30.1.i. Otherwise, identify one or more of the P2 activities you have undertaken during the reporting year. If you selected "Pollution-prevention activities" in fields B14.1.c, B23.1.c or B26.1.c as a reason for changes in quantities released or transferred off site for disposal or recycling, you must identify the activity in this section.

B30.1.a Materials or Feedstock Substitution - e.g., using aqueous-based cleaners rather than solvent-based cleaners; using a non-toxic detergent to clean glassware rather than using chromic acid.

B30.1.b Product Design or Reformulation - e.g., reduce or eliminate the use of toxic substances by changing product specifications; modifying design or composition of products.

B30.1.c Equipment or Process Modifications - e.g., changing to mechanical stripping/cleaning devices from solvents; using more efficient spray-paint systems; instituting recirculation within a process.

B30.1.d Spill and Leak Prevention - e.g., measures to prevent releases such as installing splash guards and drip trays around equipment, such as solvent sinks, hot tanks and jet-spray washers, to collect and return drainage and contain leaks and spills.

B30.1.e On-site Reuse, Recycling or Recovery - e.g., using a small distillation unit to reclaim solvents; recovering metals by ion exchange, reverse osmosis.

B30.1.f Improved Inventory Management or Purchasing Techniques - e.g., avoiding the unnecessary generation of waste by ensuring that materials do not stay in inventory beyond shelf life; instituting a clearinghouse to exchange materials that would otherwise be discarded.

B30.1.g Good Operating Practices or Training - e.g., changing production schedules to minimize equipment and feedstock changeovers; improved maintenance scheduling; training staff to recognize pollution-prevention opportunities.

B30.1.h Other - Specify the pollution-prevention activities in field B30.2 "Comments".

B30.1.i No pollution-prevention activities.

B30.2 Comments (Pollution Prevention)

Facilities are encouraged to provide additional information describing the P2 initiatives they have implemented during the year, including results achieved (e.g., environmental results, economic benefits, etc.). The comments will appear in the NPRI database available to the public and are an opportunity to provide context for the information reported to the NPRI. Information on general P2 activities, such as water- and energy-conservation initiatives, should be entered in the facility P2 "Comments" field (A15.2).

Production Ratio and Activity Index

This section allows facilities, on a voluntary basis, to show the relationship between year-to-year fluctuations of their production levels and the relative decrease or increase in the sum of their on-site releases plus off-site transfers of the reported substance. A "production ratio" is the ratio of "reporting-year production" to "prior-year production" that will permit year-to-year comparisons of changes in the total on-site releases plus off-site transfers. An "activity index" is based on a variable, other than production, that is the primary influence on the total, and that will in turn permit comparison of changes from year to year. While the use of a production ratio or activity index is not practical for some facilities, it does provide a means for facilities to report useful information to better understand trends in on-site releases and off-site transfers in a simple numerical format. Because changes in total on-site releases and off-site transfers may be the result of changes in production levels, a production ratio or activity index would help indicate, relatively speaking, whether a facility has, in fact, improved (or worsened) its environmental performance.

B40. Production Ratio and Activity Index (optional)

In this section, you are encouraged to provide a "ratio" of reporting-year production to prior-year production, or an "activity index" based on a variable other than production that was the primary influence on the total quantity of the reported substance released on site or transferred off site for final disposal or recycling. The ratio or index should be reported to two decimal places (i.e., two digits to the right of the decimal point). If the manufacture, processing or other use of the reported substance began during the current reporting year, enter NA ("Not applicable") as the production ratio or activity index.

It is important to realize that if your facility reports more than one substance, the production ratio or activity index may vary between substances. For facilities that manufacture the reported substance, the quantities produced in the current and previous year provide a good basis for the ratio because that is the primary business activity associated with the substance. However, in most cases, the production ratio or activity index must be based on some variable of production or activity rather than on the amount of substance manufactured, processed or otherwise used.

Select from the following examples, the production ratio or activity index that is the most appropriate method of adjusting the sum of on-site releases plus off-site transfers of the reported substance. If your facility reports more than one NPRI substance, the production ratio or activity index may vary from substance to substance. However, for a given substance, the same method of calculating a production ratio or activity index must be used from year to year to allow comparison. If the substance was used in more than one production process, you must use a production ratio that is based on a weighted average of the individual production ratios. If this is the first year reporting a substance, enter NA ("Not applicable") in field B40.1.

Determining a Production Ratio

The production ratio must be based on the variable that most directly affects the quantities of the substance released on site or transferred off site for final disposal or recycling. Examples of methods available include:

  • amount of the substance manufactured divided by the amount of the substance manufactured in the preceding year, or
  • amount of product produced divided by the amount of product produced in the preceding year.

Example 1
Your facility manufactured the reported NPRI substance and you have instituted a pollution-prevention program to reduce the fugitive emissions of the substance during manufacture, storage, packaging and shipping. An appropriate production ratio would simply be the amount of the substance manufactured during the reporting year divided by the amount manufactured in the previous year.

Example 2
Your facility's only use of toluene was as a paint carrier for a painting operation. You painted 12 000 refrigerators in the current reporting year and 10 000 refrigerators during the preceding year. In this case, the production ratio for toluene was 1.2 (12 000 ÷ 10 000) because the number of refrigerators produced is the primary factor determining the quantity of toluene to be reported.

Example 3
A facility manufactured inorganic pigments, including titanium dioxide. Hydrochloric acid was produced as a waste during the production process. An appropriate production ratio for hydrochloric acid is the annual titanium dioxide production, not the amount of hydrochloric acid generated. During the reporting year, 20 tonnes of titanium dioxide was manufactured. If the facility produced 26 tonnes in the preceding year, the production ratio would be 0.77 (20 ÷ 26).

Determining an Activity Index

In some situations, an activity other than production is the primary influence on the total quantity of the reported substance released on site or transferred off site for final disposal or recycling.

Example 1
Your facility manufactured organic dyes in a batch process. Different colours of dyes were manufactured and, between colour changes, all equipment had to be thoroughly cleaned with solvent containing glycol ethers to reduce colour carryover. During the preceding year, the facility manufactured four different colours in separate batches, totalling 15 tonnes. During the reporting year, the facility manufactured two colours, in separate batches, totalling 20 tonnes. Since the main activity affecting usage of the glycol ether was the cleaning associated with colour changeovers, the activity index would be 0.5 (2 colour changeovers in reporting year ÷ 4 colour changeovers in previous year). The total quantity of dye manufactured has no bearing on the usage of the glycol ethers and, therefore, is inappropriate for normalizing your facility's annual changes in releases and transfers.

Example 2
A facility that manufactures thermoplastic composite parts for aircraft used toluene as a wipe solvent to clean moulds. The moulds were cleaned on an as-needed basis that was not necessarily a function of the parts' production rate. Operators cleaned 5 200 moulds during the reporting year, but only cleaned 2 000 molds in the previous year. An activity index of 2.6 (5 200 ÷ 2 000) represents the activities involving toluene usage in the facility. If the moulds were cleaned regularly after every 1 000 parts were manufactured, the production ratio would be equal to the activity index and either could be used.

Example 3
A facility manufactured surgical instruments and cleaned the metal parts with 1,1,1-trichloroethane in a vapour degreaser. The degreasing unit is operated in a batch mode and the metal parts were cleaned according to an irregular schedule. The activity index can be based upon the total time the metal parts were in the degreasing operation. If the degreasing unit operated 3 900 hours during the reporting year and 3 000 hours the previous year, the activity index would be 1.3 (3 900 ÷ 3 000).

Determining a Production Ratio Based on a Weighted Average

At many facilities, an NPRI substance is used in more than one production process. In these cases, a production ratio or activity index can be estimated by weighting the production ratio for each process based on the respective contribution of each process to the quantity of the substance released or transferred off site for final disposal or recycling.

Example
Your facility painted bicycles with paint containing toluene. Sixteen thousand (16 000) bicycles were produced in the reporting year and 14 500 were produced in the previous year. There were no significant design modifications that changed the total surface area to be painted for each bike. The bicycle production ratio would be 1.1 (16 000 ÷ 14 500). You estimate that 12.5 tonnes of toluene were released on site or transferred off site for final disposal or recycling as a result of bicycle production. Your facility also used toluene as a solvent in a glue that was used to make components and add-on equipment for the bicycles. Thirteen thousand (13 000) components were manufactured in the reporting year, compared to 15 000 during the previous year. The production ratio for the components using toluene was 0.87 (13 000 ÷ 15 000). You estimate that 1.0 tonne of toluene was released on site or transferred off site for final disposal or recycling as a result of components' production. A production ratio can be calculated by weighting each of the production ratios based on the relative contribution each has on the quantities of toluene (13.5 tonnes during the reporting year) released on site or transferred off site for final disposal or recycling. The production ratio would be calculated as follows:

production ratio

You now have completed the 2000 reporting form for this substance. You have the options of saving the substance information, cancelling the changes or returning to the substance report.

Return to the "View/Enter/Edit Data" menu. From this menu, you can enter more substances for this facility or enter other facilities and other substances.

When all information concerning all of your facilities and all of your substances has been entered, you must run the "Check for Reporting Errors" function in the "Check Errors/Create Report" menu. Otherwise, the program will not allow you to copy the NPRI report to disk for submission to Environment Canada. See Section 4 - "Returning Information to Environment Canada" .

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