Right to Know

Although it can simply refer to public accessibility of facts from any organization, “The Right to Know” (RtK) most commonly refers to citizens’ right to information regarding the extent to which they have been/might be/are being exposed to hazardous chemicals, identifying those chemicals, and the potential hazards associated with exposure to them. This right is guaranteed in the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA) of 1986—part of the Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act (SARA)—which continued the policy agenda of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA), also known as Super-fund. EPCRA required state governments to oversee both the formation of local and statewide committees for emergency planning related to human exposure to hazardous waste materials. These provisions sought to increase the public's ...