What is the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act?

The Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA) is a federal law passed in 1986. It is designed to help communities protect themselves from hazardous chemicals and other environmental hazards. This law requires certain businesses that handle hazardous chemicals to report information to their local and state governments. This information must be made accessible to the public and emergency responders. EPCRA requires that businesses that store, use, or produce hazardous materials must report their inventories and associated risks to the local emergency planning committees. These committees are made up of local government and emergency response personnel. The emergency responders use this information to plan for worst-case scenarios and potential emergency responses. This information is also made available to the public, so that local residents can become aware of potential environmental hazards near their homes and workplaces. EPCRA also requires businesses to provide information about hazardous chemicals to their employees. This includes safety data sheets, which must be made available to employees who handle these chemicals. Additionally, the law requires businesses to conduct regular emergency response drills for their employees, so that everyone is prepared to act quickly in the event of an emergency. In California, businesses must comply with EPCRA in order to protect their communities from environmental hazards. This law is critical in ensuring that all citizens, businesses, and emergency responders are aware of potential problems that could arise due to hazardous materials and receive the information they need to stay safe.

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What is the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act?

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