{
  "id": "1991-october-tri-working-guide-available-at-micar",
  "slug": "1991-october-tri-working-guide-available-at-micar",
  "url": "https://dwillis.github.io/uplink/article/1991-october-tri-working-guide-available-at-micar.html",
  "year": 1991,
  "month": "October",
  "monthNum": 10,
  "headline": "TRI working guide available at MICAR",
  "kicker": "",
  "author_name": "",
  "author_title": "",
  "affiliation": "Missouri Institute for Computer-Assisted Reporting (MICAR)",
  "summary": "MICAR has released a practical guide helping reporters use the EPA's Toxic Release Inventory database to investigate industrial pollution, with options to purchase the guide alone or bundled with data and software tools.",
  "keywords": [
    "pollution",
    "database",
    "EPA"
  ],
  "topics": [
    "Data & Databases",
    "Health & Environment",
    "Investigative Methods"
  ],
  "technologies": [
    "SQL",
    "9-track tape"
  ],
  "full_text": "The Environmental Protection Agency's Toxic Release Inventory (TRI) has been one of the most popular databases used by the readers of UPLINK. It has been the source of excellent industrial pollution stories in Florida, California, Connecticut, Ohio and elsewhere.\n\nBut many reporters still have not used the database. In June, N.T.I.S. made the 1989 TRI available on computer tape. We have found a way to make using these tapes irresistible. MICAR has produced A Reporters Working Guide to the Toxic Release Inventory.\n\nThis short, step-by-step guide helps reporters download TRI into their computers, organize the data so that it is usable, and manipulate the data to produce meaningful reports.\n\nAnd because specific SQL commands are included reporters using the guide will be able to:\n\nidentify the major polluters in their area\nlist the quantities of toxic chemicals discharged by state, county or zip code.\nfind out what toxic chemicals are used for\nlist the most common types of discharges.\n\nThe guide, which is really all you need if you already own the TRI database, costs $30 by itself. But for $50, MICAR will also include the NineTrack Express record profiles needed to download TRI. If you do not own TRI, cannot afford it, or simply do not have a tape drive, for $350 MICAR will also supply TRI data concerning your entire state on 3.5\" diskettes. These diskettes contain unabbreviated data, unlike that which N.T.I.S sells.\n\nFinally, if you wish to purchase the entire TRI database on computer tape, MICAR can supply it for $500. To order call MICAR at (314) 882-0684.",
  "provenance": {
    "extracted_by": "anthropic/claude-sonnet-4-6",
    "extracted_at": "2026-07-05",
    "verified": true
  },
  "similar": [
    {
      "slug": "1991-december-tri-working-guide-still-available",
      "score": 0.568
    },
    {
      "slug": "1991-may-tri-working-guide-news",
      "score": 0.549
    },
    {
      "slug": "1995-january-how-to-deal-with-epa-data",
      "score": 0.369
    },
    {
      "slug": "1995-january-epa-sources",
      "score": 0.319
    },
    {
      "slug": "1996-october-what-toxins-are-wafting-your-way",
      "score": 0.301
    }
  ],
  "html_url": "https://dwillis.github.io/uplink/article/1991-october-tri-working-guide-available-at-micar.html",
  "json_url": "https://dwillis.github.io/uplink/article/1991-october-tri-working-guide-available-at-micar.json"
}