Some 10,0oo industrial sites in the US will have to fully report their greenhouse gas emissions to the federal government as of January 1, as part of ambitious action by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to curb emissions.

Reporting would cover some 85 percent of US emissions of carbon dioxide, methane and other greenhouse gases.

“The American public, and industry itself, will finally gain critically important knowledge and with this information we can determine how best to reduce those emissions,” said Lisa Jackson, EPA administrator, in a statement.

The agency said it is also reaching out to businesses and offering training in how the emissions can be measured.