The RETC seeks to facilitate public access to information on pollutant releases and transfers, contributing to decision-making processes in environmental management, improving the formulation and implementation of policies, and promoting improvements in environmental performance and the country’s competitiveness.

The reporting entities annually submit their pollutant release and transfer statement for each of the facilities under their control or administration that are likely to emit or transfer one or more of the parameters listed in Annex 2. The information to be reported is as follows:

a) The data of the establishment that considers relevant information about its characteristics and operations, including information about its processes, as well as water and energy consumption.

b) The amount of emissions to air, water and soil that are emitted to the environment, regarding the parameters listed in Annex Nº 2, according to the characteristics of its production process and that have not been reported in the environmental monitoring.

c) Transfers of wastewater and waste outside the establishment, according to the characteristics of its production process.

d) Information on the implementation of environmental practices, operational management, certifications obtained and/or emission mitigation measures.

The RETC reporting cycle is carried out annually and considers three (03) stages, which are detailed below:

• Stage I: Receipt of the Annual RETC Statement and information from the facilitating entities until the last working day of March of each year.
• Stage II: Verification of the data by MINAM and notification of the verified data by the declarants until the last working day of November of each year.
• Stage III: Publication of emissions report with verified information, until the last working day of December of each year.

The reporting entities determine pollutant releases and transfers based on methods recognized by MINAM, which can be grouped as follows:       

1. Measurements, using standardized methods; additional calculations are usually necessary to convert measurement results (concentrations) into annual emission data (annual load), among these methods are continuous monitoring and discontinuous monitoring.
2. Calculations, using estimation methods such as mass balance and emission factors, which are representative for the industrial sectors.
3. Estimates, using methods or approximations not standardized at international level applicable only when methods based on measurements and calculations indicated in the preceding paragraphs cannot be used. An estimation method may be based on engineering calculations, in the absence of recognized emission estimation methodologies or good practice guidelines, among others.

For calculations based on the emission factor method, those approved by MINAM are used; until such time as these are approved, the emission factors of the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) established in the document «AP-42, Compilation of Air Pollutant Emission Fact» are used as reference, as well as the emission inventories EMEP (European Monitoring and Evaluation Programme) of the European Environment Agency.

In the absence of methods approved in protocols by national legislation, the following methods are considered valid for the calculation or estimation of pollutant emissions and transfers:

1. Continuous Monitoring
2. Discontinuous Monitoring (Spot)
3. Engineering Calculations
4. Mass Balance
5. Emission Factors

Continuous or discontinuous monitoring for emissions calculations will be carried out in accordance with approved methodologies in current regulations.

Pollutant Release and Transfer Reporting

Form A: Establishment processes

• Flowchart(s) of the process(es) carried out at the facility, for which they must upload a file in PDF or XLS format.
• Data on annual electricity consumption in Watts/year.
• Annual fuel consumption disaggregated by source, type of fuel used, quantity and density.
• Annual water consumption in liters differentiated according to process water and water from offices or other facilities not related to the process.

Form B: Emissions

• Chimneys Section, the person in charge of the establishment will register for each of the existing chimneys in his establishment the data of pressure, temperature, dry gas fraction, volumetric flow, annual operating hours, as well as height and diameter of the chimney, among others.
• Discharge Section, the person in charge of the establishment shall record for each discharge duct existing in his establishment information on flow rate and annual discharge time, among others.
• Emissions Section, for each parameter emitted, the person responsible for the establishment shall record the receiving body, the quantity in Kg/year and the calculation method used (measured or estimated), among others.

Form C: Dumping

• Amounts of wastewater generated, treated, reused, discharged to the receiving body and transferred off-site. For each of the declared quantities, the unit of measurement and the calculation method used shall be indicated.

Form D: Environmental Management Data

• Information on management systems or certifications obtained by the facility that are aimed at improving environmental performance and eco-efficiency in the processes. For each management system or certification registered, the name, date obtained and validity date are stated.
• Information on emissions mitigation measures implemented.