15 March 2012: The Commission for Environmental Cooperation (CEC) has launched an updated version of “Taking Stock Online,” its online resource on pollution data reported by industrial facilities in Canada, Mexico and the US. The updated database enables the tracking of the release and transfer of over 500 pollutants by nearly 100 industrial sectors across industries and national boundaries.

Unveiled on 15 March 2012, at the Globe 2012 conference on business and the environment held in Vancouver, Canada, the updated North American database details a reported 4.9 billion kilograms (kg) of pollutants in 2009, including cross-border transfers, which represents a decrease from the 5.7 billion kg reported in each of the prior three years. It also highlights a 26% drop in mercury emissions over the 2005-2009 period.

The updated version features data from 2009, the most recent and complete set of publicly available data reported to the pollutant release and transfer registers (PRTRs) of the three countries. Users can: explore data on various pollutants across a range of sectors over several years in more than one country and across borders; track year-to-year changes in reporting and waste management practices; create reports in such formats as pie charts and spreadsheets; and view pollutant maps using Google Earth.

Later in 2012, the CEC will release the 14th edition of its annual “Taking Stock” report, analyzing trends in reported releases and transfers over the 2005-2009 period. The report will also explore the drivers behind changes in shifts in pollutants reported, such as shifts in the number of reporting facilities or changes in processes. [CEC Press Release] [Taking Stock Online]