What is the purpose of the SARA legislation?

The purpose of the SARA legislation, specifically the Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act of 1986, is to establish toxic release inventory reporting requirements. This act was an amendment to the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) and aimed to increase the public's access to information about chemical releases into the environment. As part of this, SARA requires facilities that produce, process, or use certain chemicals to report annually on the quantities released, thus enhancing community awareness and promoting safety and environmental health. This reporting requirement helps to hold companies accountable for their emissions and provides essential data to the public and government agencies for better environmental management and health protection.

The other choices do not accurately represent SARA's primary intentions. While ozone depletion, radon levels, and chemical production limits are important environmental concerns, they fall under different regulations and legislative measures. SARA focuses specifically on informing the public about hazardous chemical releases, making transparency in toxic substances a key function of the legislation.