Toxic emissions to the environment are the new data added to the interactive map on school and community profiles

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IEPR
22 December 2025

Toxic emissions to the environment are the new data added to the interactive map on school and community profiles

These data could support studies on possible associations between the chemicals emitted and health aspects in populations.

March 20, 2023: A new layer on toxic emissions to the environment was added to the “School Community Profile: The Interactive Map” of the Puerto Rico Statistics Institute (Institute). This was reported by the executive director of the Institute, Dr. Orville M. Disdier, who explained that the new layer includes data from the Toxic Emissions Inventory (TRI) of the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for the year 2020. The TRI provides information on the emissions of chemical substances emitted to the environment by facilities dedicated to manufacturing, metal mining, electric power generation, chemical manufacturing and hazardous waste management.

In this case, the emission of chemical substances means that they are emitted into the air, discharged into the water or placed in some type of disposal unit. Chemical substances are those that are associated with the possible development of cancer or other chronic and acute effects on human health, as well as possible significant adverse effects on the environment. This layer makes it possible to identify the facilities that could be generating toxic emissions, what industrial sector they belong to, how many pounds of toxic emissions they generate, what type of chemical is used or processed, and if the emission is carcinogenic or not. “This information is of enormous value for communities, especially for school communities, since it allows, in collaboration with government agencies and private institutions, to generate prevention and health promotion projects, considering environmental and geographical factors. It also provides data that can help support studies on possible associations between chemical substances emitted and health aspects in populations.”, explained Dr. Disdier.

The “School Community Profile: The Interactive Map”, with this other additional layer and all the others, resides on the Puerto Rico Statistics Institute page and can be accessed at any time by interested parties at the following e-mail address: School community profile.

For technical questions about this tool, you can send an email to: preguntas@estadisticas.pr.

About the Puerto Rico Institute of Statistics

To learn more about the Institute of Statistics, you can access the website: www.estadisticas.pr.gov. On social media through Facebook accounts (@statistics.pr), Twitter (@EstadisticasPR), Instagram (@institutodeestadisticas) and LinkedIn (Puerto Rico Institute of Statistics).

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The process to develop Puerto Rico's First Human Development Report begins.

The process to develop Puerto Rico's First Human Development Report begins.

Conference on the 2020 Census, process, importance and purpose of data.

Conference on the 2020 Census, process, importance and purpose of data

Free admission to Caguas on Thursday, February 27, 2020

Make Puerto Rico count! is an initiative of the Puerto Rico Institute of Statistics to publicize, through an entire day of conferences, the processes of the Decennial Census that is being carried out during this year 2020, the methodology, the importance and the purpose of the data. This will take place on Thursday, February 27, 2020 at the Criollo Center for Caribbean Science and Technology in Caguas from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Admission is free and includes lunch and poster presentation.

“The census is much more than just a count of people. It provides us with an image of our society that is useful and necessary in decision-making, in effective planning and in the distribution of funds, among other actions. In addition, it helps us to see how our communities have changed over time,” said Alberto L. Velázquez-Estrada, Manager of Statistical Projects at the Puerto Rico Institute of Statistics.

With the participation of census data experts and key field operations personnel from the U.S. Census Bureau, topics related to the census operation and the importance of official population enumeration will be presented, which is considered a unique opportunity in every decade. The topics to be presented are: Decennial censuses and aspects to consider in the current demography of Puerto Rico, by Dr. Judith Rodriguez, former professor of the Graduate Program in Demography of the Medical Sciences Campus of the University of Puerto Rico; Census Operation 2020, by Jeff Behler, director of the New York Regional Office (NYRO) of the U.S. Census Bureau; The Complete Enumeration Committees in Puerto Rico, by Giselle Laffitte, partnership specialist (NYRO) of the U.S. Census Bureau; and Visualization of census data, by the Mr. Gerson Vázquez from Data Viz CMLSO Specialist.

In the same way, the activity will present the panel: Use and relevance of census data for public policy and research, with the participation of Dr. María E. Enchautegui Román from the Youth Development Institute, Dr. Viviana De Jesús Monge from the University of Puerto Rico Rio Piedras campus and Medical Sciences campus, demographer Raúl Figueroa, and planner Yoel Velázquez from Albizu University.

“During the past decade, Puerto Rico experienced a variety of economic, social and natural situations, whose impact and consequences will undoubtedly be reflected in this 2020 Census. This is why it is important to educate ourselves on this topic, so that, when the time comes, an informed analysis of the results can be made. At the Institute, we are 100% committed to the work of the Census,” said the Acting Executive Director of the Institute of Statistics of Puerto Rico, Dr. Orville M. Disdier.

Those interested in participating must register at the following link: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/haz-que-cuentes-puerto-rico-censo-2020-tickets-76454612805

To learn more about the Institute of Statistics, you can access the website: www.estadisticas.pr.gov. On social media through Facebook (@estadisticas .pr), Twitter (@EstadisticasPR) and LinkedIn (Institute of Statistics of Puerto Rico) accounts.

They add data on substance use by students to the interactive map on school and community profiles

PRESS RELEASE

They add data on substance use by students to the interactive map on school and community profiles

Based on the Mental Health and Addiction Services Administration (ASSMCA) “Youth Consultation” study

May 23, 2022: The executive director of the Puerto Rico Institute of Statistics, Dr. Orville M. Disdier, announced that a new layer, on substance use by students living in Puerto Rico, has been added to the interactive map on school and community profiles, known as the “School Community Profile: The Interactive Map”. This new layer consists mainly of data on the prevalence of substance use, risk and protective factors, access to substances, risk perception, and violent behavior, among others. The tool also contains a copy of the official report from which the data were obtained. This particular layer is entitled “Youth Consultation 2018-2020 (ASSMCA)” and must be activated using the “layers” menu.

“These data are based on the Youth Consultation survey conducted during the 2018-2019 and 2019-2020 academic years and measures the prevalence of substance use among students from seventh to twelfth grade, both in public and private schools in Puerto Rico. In particular, this new layer is divided into ten (10) service areas or regions grouped into: Metro Area, Arecibo, Bayamón, Caguas, Fajardo, Guayama, Mayaguez, Moca, Ponce and Utuado,” explained Dr. Disdier.

Some aspects that this new layer allows us to observe are, for example, that, in the area or region of Utuado, 7.8% of students ever used marijuana, 5.3% used unprescribed pills, 51.6% (of those who used cocaine) started using cocaine when they were less than 12 years old, and 36.8% lived in a conflicted family environment, among other statistics. In the same way, by concurrently activating the Public School Directory layer, it can be seen that most schools in that geographical area of Utuado have a three (3) star rating. “This is just one example of many geospatial observations and/or analyses that could be carried out,” emphasized Dr. Disdier.

The School Community Profile: The interactive map, with this new layer, resides on the Puerto Rico Institute of Statistics website and interested parties can access it at any time through the following e-mail address: School-community profile.

For technical questions about this tool, you can send an email to: preguntas@estadisticas.pr.

About the Puerto Rico Institute of Statistics

To learn more about the Institute of Statistics, you can access the website: www.estadisticas.pr.gov. On social media through Facebook accounts (@statistics.pr), Twitter (@EstadisticasPR), Instagram (@institutodeestadisticas) and LinkedIn (Puerto Rico Institute of Statistics).

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Contacts:

Idia M. Martinez, R-28, 787-603-3200

Lourdes Burgos, R-27, 787-562-2932