The Environmental Protection Agency released an analysis of toxic chemical release data January 5 that found that 3.93 billion pounds of toxic chemicals were released into the environment nationwide in 2010, a 16 percent increase from 2009. The increase is mostly due to changes in the metal mining sector. Under the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act, covered facilities in the manufacturing, metal mining, electric utilities, and commercial hazardous waste facility industries are required to report by July 1 releases of certain chemicals that exceed a certain threshold.