The public can then demand polluters clean up their acts. Astra Merck Inc. Our print publication is free to qualified readers. Many onlookers were taken aback by how many factories, government facilities and process wastewater treatment plants were releasing toxic chemicals into the air, water and ground. Few who logged on to the PC set up on the National Mall that day realized that the agency is responsible for monitoring more than 700,000 sites, including businesses in their own neighborhoods. That public debut of the EPA's Web-based Envirofacts Warehouse marked a new era for public access to environmental data.
People are surprised to see their local dry cleaners on the database.
One of the agency's main missions, in fact, is to increase awareness of the impact of pollution on the environment and public health among community leaders, journalists, local activists, average citizens and businesses. Greater community awareness will encourage and prod polluters to become more environmentally responsible. At least that's the intent. Envirofacts maps the 700,000 sites that handle potentially dangerous chemicals and identifies their harmful substances. Users can access information on the sites by name, address or ZIP code.