December 2023
MassDEP issued a reminder to facilities subject to the Toxics Use Reduction Act (TURA) that:
- 2024 is a planning year
See the notice in the Additional Resources below to learn more.
Log in links for this page
December 2023
MassDEP issued a reminder to facilities subject to the Toxics Use Reduction Act (TURA) that:
See the notice in the Additional Resources below to learn more.
Each company subject to TURA needs to file annual reports, prepare plans and updates, and pay fees for the listed chemicals it manufactures, processes or otherwise uses above the specified thresholds. See the Listed Chemicals section below for additional information.
Listed Chemical Thresholds | Employees | SIC Codes |
---|---|---|
|
10 or more full-time workers |
|
A company that meets all three of the above criteria is considered a Large Quantity Toxics User (LQTU) and is required to:
Failing to file annual reports, develop plans, or pay toxics use fees can result in MassDEP enforcement action, including financial penalties.
Except for chemicals that have been de-listed by the Administrative Council on Toxics Use Reduction, TURA reporting and planning requirements apply to the toxic substances listed in two federal laws:
See a Complete List of TURA Chemicals in Additional Resources below.
Each company subject to TURA is required to file an annual Toxics Use Report that includes the following forms for each TURA-listed chemical it manufactures, processes, or otherwise uses above applicable thresholds:
The company must also:
Information the company enters during the online reporting process is used to calculate its TUR fee. MassDEP mails an invoice in late summer. A company not paying within 30 days of the due date will be subject to a statutory late fee of $1,000.
Please Note: If you are a previous filer, you may not need to report for the most recent year if your facility:
Under any of these circumstances, please submit the Non-Applicability Form or the Facility Closure Form found in Additional Resources below. Fill out and save the Microsoft Word form on your computer or print and complete the PDF version by hand.
Each company subject to TURA requirements needs to complete an updated TUR plan or alternative every two years.
A TUR Plan is a document that provides both economic and technical evaluations of the toxics use reduction opportunities available to a company, and identifies those methods, if any, that the company intends to implement. The plan must contain:
The company is not obligated to submit the plan itself to the Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP), but is required to obtain approval of the plan from a MassDEP-certified TUR Planner and provide the agency with a summary that includes a signed plan certification statement. The summary is made available for public review.
After completing its initial TUR Plan and two Plan Updates, a company may, in lieu of a TUR Plan:
Toxics Use Reduction (TUR) Planners are MassDEP-certified professionals who have passed exams and/or documented relevant education and experience.
TUR Planners need to document continuing education credits and renew their MassDEP certifications every two years.
RC Planners have their own continuing education requirements and need to renew their certifications every four years.
See Additional Resources below for:
MassDEP and partner agencies hosted a virtual training workshop for certified TUR Planners on May 11, 2023. See the Additional Resources section below for a link to the training material and information about:
See Additional Resources below to learn more about what implementation of the Toxics Use Reduction Act has meant for industry and the environment in Massachusetts.