Steering Committee and the Controlled Hazardous Substances Advisory Council met a number of times to discuss the concerns raised by the public and stakeholder groups on this Indicator in order to develop a more meaningful Chesapeake Bay Program Toxics Releases Indicator or even to merge this Indicator with the Hazardous Waste Indicator. Initial discussions focused on what the Chesapeake Bay Program Toxics Releases Indicator should accomplish. Like the discussion of the Hazardous Waste Indicator, numerous substitute Indicators were discussed, but the workgroup could not develop a replacement Indicator and agreed that until a better Indicator could be developed, MDE should continue to report on this Indicator with information about stakeholder concerns. Improve and protect Maryland's water quality. Accumulation of chemical contaminants can adversely affect the ecology or human health of a region.
Some contaminants can remain in the water column or sediment for long periods of time.
Studies have shown that even relatively low concentrations of some toxic chemical contaminants can have a range of ecological impacts on the Chesapeake Bay. Chemical contaminants can compromise the immune system of Bay organisms, cause cancer in aquatic organisms, harm marine life, and affect the Bay's food web. Since TRI reporting requirements have changed over the years, these data have been edited to include only those chemicals and industries for which reporting was required in 1988. Transfers are expected to return to 1992 levels in 1995. The majority of the materials transferred are recycled and reused.