Community innovation in hazardous materials management: progress in implementing SARA Title III in the United States

Title III of the Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act (SARA Title I II) established a new federal approach to managing toxic chemical hazards. This legislation required industry to disclose the type and quantity of suc h chemicals and also required the establishment of state and local governme nt organizations to receive those data, evaluate community vulnerability, d evelop local emergency response plans, and communicate with the public. Thi s paper reviews the law's historical context and empirical studies of its i mplementation. The available evidence suggests that significant progress ha s been made in reducing chemical hazards but there is considerable variatio n across jurisdictions in the effectiveness of the law's implementation. Th e research results reviewed here suggest a variety of ways in which SARA Ti tle III implementation can be improved. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.