Users of TRI information should be aware that TRI data reflect releases and other waste management activities of chemicals, not whether (or to what degree) the public has been exposed to those chemicals. Release estimates alone are not sufficient to determine exposure or to calculate potential adverse effects on human health and the environment. TRI data, in conjunction with other information, can be used as a starting point in evaluating exposures that may result from releases and other waste management activities which involve toxic chemicals. The determination of potential risk depends upon many factors, including the toxicity of the chemical, the fate of the chemical, and the amount and duration of human or other exposure to the chemical after it is released.

Off-site disposal or other releases show only net off-site disposal or other releases, that is, off-site disposal or other releases transferred to other TRI facilities reporting such transfers as on-site disposal or other releases are not included to avoid double counting.

On-site Disposal or Other Releases include Underground Injection to Class I Wells (Section 5.4.1), RCRA Subtitle C Landfills (5.5.1A), Other Landfills (5.5.1B), Fugitive or Non-point Air Emissions (5.1), Stack or Point Air Emissions (5.2), Surface Water Discharges (5.3), Underground Injection to Class II-V Wells (5.4.2), Land Treatment/Application Farming (5.5.2), RCRA Subtitle C Surface Impoundments (5.5.3A), Other Surface Impoundments (5.5.3B), and Other Land Disposal (5.5.4). Off-site Disposal or Other Releases include from Section 6.2 Class I Underground Injection Wells (M81), Class II-V Underground Injection Wells (M82, M71), RCRA Subtitle C Landfills (M65), Other Landfills (M64, M72), Storage Only (M10), Solidification/Stabilization - Metals and Metal Category Compounds only (M41 or M40), Wastewater Treatment (excluding POTWs) - Metals and Metal Category Compounds only (M62 or M61), RCRA Subtitle C Surface Impoundments (M66), Other Surface Impoundments (M67, M63), Land Treatment (M73), Other Land Disposal (M79), Other Off-site Management (M90), Transfers to Waste Broker - Disposal (M94, M91), and Unknown (M99) and, from Section 6.1 Transfers to POTWs (metals and metal category compounds only).

For purposes of analysis, data reported as Range Code A is calculated using a value of 5 pounds, Range Code B is calculated using a value of 250 pounds and Range Code C is calculated using a value of 750 pounds.

A decimal point, or "." denotes the following: if "NA" is reported across an entire row, the facility submitted a Form A (i.e., the facility certified that its total annual reportable amount is less than 500 pounds, and does not manufacture, process, or otherwise use more than 1 million pounds); or if a decimal point is reported in a single column, the facility left that particular cell blank in its Form R submission (a zero in a cell denotes either that the facility reported "0" or "NA" in its Form R submission). A decimal point is reported in the following columns because the element was not required to be reported for that year (the Form R has been changed over the years to require more detailed reporting for some media): Underground Injection Class I, Underground Injection Class II-V, RCRA Subtitle C Landfills and Other Landfills for the years 1988 to 1995; Off-Site Disposal - RCRA Subtitle C Landfills, Off-Site Disposal - Other Landfills and Off-Site Disposal - Surface Impoundments for the years 1988 to 2001; Other RCRA Subtitle C Surface Impoundments, Other Surface Impoundments, Off-Site Underground Injection Class I Wells, Off-Site Underground Injection Class II-V Wells, Off-Site Disposal - RCRA Subtitle C Surface Impoundments and Off-Site Disposal - Other Surface Impoundments for the years 1988 to 2002.