Chemical Reporting
Each lab or work area with chemicals needs to submit an Annual Chemical Report, whether or not the lab or work area has any of the regulated substances. The reporting period begins October 7, 2026 and must be submitted December 9, 2026. Note, Areas must also submit an Excel file of their area’s chemical inventory. Visit Chemical Inventory for additional guidance.
To submit your report for your PI or Supervisor’s lab(s) online go to the Annual Chemical Reporting Application in Atlas. For more detail about the reporting requirements, how to submit the report, and the list of chemicals (Chemical Regulatory Reporting Worksheet) you’re required to report on, see below.
- Chemical Reporting SOP (certificate login required)
- Chemical Reporter Instruction Sheet
- Chemical Regulatory Reporting Worksheet/List
The Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act (SARA) and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) reporting has been combined for efficiency.
- Please submit the combined SARA/DHS chemical regulatory report for your PI or Supervisor’s lab(s) s online at: Chemical Reporting Application in Atlas. (Go to Atlas, select “Full Catalog” from the left menu, then search for “EHS PI Space,” select “Annual Chemical Reporting.”) You must submit the report whether or not you have any of these regulated substances.
- You will need to provide usage information, such as how many people in the lab use them, how much is used at a time and how often, where is it being used (fume hood, bench area) and a brief description of the process(es) they are being used in, if you have one or both of the following chemicals.
- Formaldehyde, paraformaldehyde and/or formalin
- Methylene Chloride / Dichloromethane. You will also need to indicate if the chemical is used for more than 30 days.
These particular chemicals require additional monitoring and you may be contacted by EHS once the annual chemical report has been submitted.
- If your lab has a complete, up-to-date chemical inventory in the EHS Office-supported inventory system (EHS Assistant – EHSA), there is a filter you can run to extract your reportable chemicals. Go to Inventory / Quick Chemical Entry and Search, then select List Filter / MIT Annual Chemical Report. On the resulting page, select Options / Export to Excel to see your reportable chemical list. Please note you must have chemical abstract service numbers (CAS #’s) associated with your chemicals for this filter to work.
For further instructions or questions, please contact the EHS Office at environment@mit.edu, or call 617-452-3477.
Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act (SARA)
As part of the EPA’s Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act (SARA), Congress decreed that facilities using quantities of hazardous chemicals above certain threshold values must inform the local community of their presence and work with local fire departments to plan for accidents and releases. These requirements to inform the public of chemical use and storage are known as Emergency Planning and Community Right to Know Act (EPCRA).
In order to comply with these regulations, EHS Office requires chemical users on campus to fill out a chemical inventory each year for specified chemicals, which is then submitted to the local and state officials. A chemicals database by building and room enables the fire department to know what materials are in a building in the event of a fire. Representatives from the Medical Department, the EHS Office, the Nuclear Reactor, and MIT Police participate on LEPC subcommittees and in mock emergency preparedness drills.
Chemical Security
Chemical security is aimed at preventing the theft or potential misuse of hazardous chemicals, which may be toxic, corrosive, flammable, or reactive. To achieve this and to comply with DHS CFATs, the following requirements apply to any spaces with hazardous chemicals:
- Inventories must be maintained for all hazardous chemicals.
- As specified in the Chemical Hygiene Plan each laboratory working with chemicals is required to have an inventory.
- Although not mandated by the Institute, EHS Assistant (EHSA), an online chemical inventory application, has been provided by the EHS Office at no charge to all MIT users. If you are interested in learning more about EHS Assistant, contact the EHS Office (environment@mit.edu or call 617-452-3477).
- All laboratories or storerooms containing hazardous chemicals must be kept locked when laboratory personnel are not present. Access to these spaces must be restricted to authorized personnel only.
- Keep unusually toxic or hazardous materials such as substances with a high degree of acute and/or chronic toxicity, explosives and certain highly reactive and/or corrosive substances in locked storage cabinets or storerooms. Highly toxic chemicals must be stored under a second layer of security.
Please reference your chemical hygiene plan for further information regarding chemical security specific to your lab.
Chemical Reporting
Each lab or work area with chemicals needs to submit an Annual Chemical Report, whether or not the lab or work area has any of the regulated substances. The reporting period begins October 7, 2026 and must be submitted December 9, 2026. Note, Areas must also submit an Excel file of their area’s chemical inventory. Visit Chemical Inventory for additional guidance.
To submit your report for your PI or Supervisor’s lab(s) online go to the Annual Chemical Reporting Application in Atlas. For more detail about the reporting requirements, how to submit the report, and the list of chemicals (Chemical Regulatory Reporting Worksheet) you’re required to report on, see below.
- Chemical Reporting SOP (certificate login required)
- Chemical Reporter Instruction Sheet
- Chemical Regulatory Reporting Worksheet/List
The Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act (SARA) and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) reporting has been combined for efficiency.
- Please submit the combined SARA/DHS chemical regulatory report for your PI or Supervisor’s lab(s) s online at: Chemical Reporting Application in Atlas. (Go to Atlas, select “Full Catalog” from the left menu, then search for “EHS PI Space,” select “Annual Chemical Reporting.”) You must submit the report whether or not you have any of these regulated substances.
- You will need to provide usage information, such as how many people in the lab use them, how much is used at a time and how often, where is it being used (fume hood, bench area) and a brief description of the process(es) they are being used in, if you have one or both of the following chemicals.
- Formaldehyde, paraformaldehyde and/or formalin
- Methylene Chloride / Dichloromethane. You will also need to indicate if the chemical is used for more than 30 days.
These particular chemicals require additional monitoring and you may be contacted by EHS once the annual chemical report has been submitted.
- If your lab has a complete, up-to-date chemical inventory in the EHS Office-supported inventory system (EHS Assistant – EHSA), there is a filter you can run to extract your reportable chemicals. Go to Inventory / Quick Chemical Entry and Search, then select List Filter / MIT Annual Chemical Report. On the resulting page, select Options / Export to Excel to see your reportable chemical list. Please note you must have chemical abstract service numbers (CAS #’s) associated with your chemicals for this filter to work.
For further instructions or questions, please contact the EHS Office at environment@mit.edu, or call 617-452-3477.
Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act (SARA)
As part of the EPA’s Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act (SARA), Congress decreed that facilities using quantities of hazardous chemicals above certain threshold values must inform the local community of their presence and work with local fire departments to plan for accidents and releases. These requirements to inform the public of chemical use and storage are known as Emergency Planning and Community Right to Know Act (EPCRA).
In order to comply with these regulations, EHS Office requires chemical users on campus to fill out a chemical inventory each year for specified chemicals, which is then submitted to the local and state officials. A chemicals database by building and room enables the fire department to know what materials are in a building in the event of a fire. Representatives from the Medical Department, the EHS Office, the Nuclear Reactor, and MIT Police participate on LEPC subcommittees and in mock emergency preparedness drills.
Chemical Security
Chemical security is aimed at preventing the theft or potential misuse of hazardous chemicals, which may be toxic, corrosive, flammable, or reactive. To achieve this and to comply with DHS CFATs, the following requirements apply to any spaces with hazardous chemicals:
- Inventories must be maintained for all hazardous chemicals.
- As specified in the Chemical Hygiene Plan each laboratory working with chemicals is required to have an inventory.
- Although not mandated by the Institute, EHS Assistant (EHSA), an online chemical inventory application, has been provided by the EHS Office at no charge to all MIT users. If you are interested in learning more about EHS Assistant, contact the EHS Office (environment@mit.edu or call 617-452-3477).
- All laboratories or storerooms containing hazardous chemicals must be kept locked when laboratory personnel are not present. Access to these spaces must be restricted to authorized personnel only.
- Keep unusually toxic or hazardous materials such as substances with a high degree of acute and/or chronic toxicity, explosives and certain highly reactive and/or corrosive substances in locked storage cabinets or storerooms. Highly toxic chemicals must be stored under a second layer of security.
Please reference your chemical hygiene plan for further information regarding chemical security specific to your lab.
