Massachusetts agency urges businesses to curb toxic chemicals as climate risks rise

An official from the Massachusetts Office of Technical Assistance (OTAA) said the state agency is working with manufacturers to reduce the use of toxic or hazardous chemicals and to lower the risk those chemicals pose during climate-driven extreme weather.

"We work with manufacturers to reduce their use of toxic or hazardous chemicals, protecting the surrounding communities in an emergency," the agency official said, summarizing OTAA’s mission. The official said rising temperatures, higher seas and stronger coastal storms increase the chance that power outages, property damage and transportation interruptions could lead to releases of hazardous substances.

The presentation cited a U.S. Government Accountability Office estimate that about 3,200 facilities nationwide — and 58 in Massachusetts — use or store extremely hazardous chemicals in areas facing wildfires, storm surge, flooding or sea-level rise. "In an extreme weather event, these hazardous chemicals could harm people, the environment, and property if released," the official said.

The official described gaps in preparedness among some companies, noting investigations found many firms "may be unprepared for climate-driven extreme weather events," and highlighted refrigeration systems that store pressurized chemicals as a particular vulnerability when facilities lack backup power or emergency plans.

The speaker reviewed the Massachusetts Toxics Use Reduction Act (TURA), which requires certain manufacturers above a threshold to file an annual chemical‑use report, pay an annual fee and complete toxics‑use‑reduction planning every two years to demonstrate efforts to adopt safer alternatives.

OTAA, the official said, provides free, confidential technical assistance and recommendations; it does not enforce regulations and does not disclose businesses’ information to regulatory agencies. The presenter added that OTAA staff — chemists, engineers and public‑health professionals with industry experience — have conducted thousands of site visits that identified vulnerabilities and opportunities for improving safety and reducing toxic chemical use. The official said those efforts have helped reduce "millions of pounds of toxic chemicals and millions of dollars in operating costs."

The official pointed listeners to several tools: an OTAA chemical safety and climate‑mapping tool to locate businesses and infrastructure that may use or store toxics, an environmental‑justice mapping tool for communities identified as environmental justice populations, and the Resilient MA mapping tool to explore future climate projections and vulnerabilities. The presentation closed by directing listeners to OTAA’s website for resources for businesses, municipalities and communities.

For more information, the agency official said listeners can consult OTAA’s online resources and mapping tools.