On Dec. 1, 2006, the EPA announced the availability of a final report titled An Inventory of Sources and Environmental Releases of Dioxin-Like Compounds in the United States for the Years 1987, 1995 and 2000 (EPA/600/P-03/002F), which was prepared by the National Center for Environmental Assessment (NCEA) within the EPA's Office of Research and Development (ORD).

The purpose of this report was to present a comprehensive inventory and overview of sources and environmental releases of dioxin-like compounds in the United States. The major identified sources of environmental releases of dioxin-like compounds were grouped into six broad categories: combustion sources, metals smelting, refining and process sources, chemical manufacturing sources, natural sources and environmental reservoirs. Estimates of annual releases to land, air and water were presented for each source category and summarized for reference years 1987, 1995 and 2000.