Pollution Analyst
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National rankings · 2024

Most Polluting Facilities

Industrial facilities reporting the largest chemical releases under the EPA Toxics Release Inventory. The headline table sums air, water, and land together; the three tables below split that sum apart so you can see who tops each medium individually. Every facility on this list is by definition an emitter; ranking the “least polluting” facility isn't a meaningful question. Spans 50 ingested states (16,461 facilities total).

Top 20 most polluting facilities

Total TRI Releases (Air + Water + Land)What this meansAll toxic chemical releases reported to EPA's Toxics Release Inventory across air, water, and on-site/off-site land disposal. A broader exposure footprint than air alone.

The 20 facilities reporting the largest total TRI footprint — air, water, and land disposal combined.

Methodology →

Industrial facilities ranked by total tri releases (air + water + land) (pounds), highest first.
#FacilityCityCountyStateTop chemicalReleases
1Red Dog OperationsKotzebueNorthwest Arctic BoroughAlaskaZinc compounds723.9M lb
2Kennecott Utah Copper Mine Concentrators & Power PlantBingham CanyonSalt Lake CountyUtahLead And Lead Compounds192.7M lb
3Hecla Greens Creek Mining COJuneauJuneau City and BoroughAlaskaBarium compounds (except for barium sulfate (CAS No. 7727-43-7))87.6M lb
4Midway Gas PlantCraneCrane CountyTexasHydrogen sulfide73.3M lb
5Asarco LLC Ray Complex/ Hayden Smelter & ConcentratorHaydenGila CountyArizonaZinc compounds55.0M lb
6Nevada Gold Mines LLC - Goldstrike Mines INCCarlinElko CountyNevadaArsenic compounds49.1M lb
7Elemental Environmental Solutions LLCArkadelphiaClark CountyArkansasCyanide compounds39.8M lb
8Basin Electric Antelope Valley StationBeulahMercer CountyNorth DakotaAmmonia33.2M lb
9Montana Resources LLCButteSilver Bow CountyMontanaManganese And Manganese Compounds31.7M lb
10Nevada Gold Mines LLC - Carlin South AreaCarlinEureka CountyNevadaArsenic compounds28.1M lb
11Freeport-Mcmoran Miami INCClaypoolGila CountyArizonaCopper And Copper Compounds27.0M lb
12Chemical Waste ManagementEmelleSumter CountyAlabamaCopper And Copper Compounds22.0M lb
13Ascend Performance Materials Operations LLCCantonmentEscambia CountyFloridaNitrate compounds (water dissociable; reportable only when in aqueous solution)22.0M lb
14Kennecott Utah Copper Smelter & RefineryMagnaSalt Lake CountyUtahCopper And Copper Compounds21.2M lb
15Hecla LTD Lucky Friday Mine UnitMullanShoshone CountyIdahoManganese And Manganese Compounds19.6M lb
16Uss Gary WorksGaryLake CountyIndianaManganese And Manganese Compounds19.2M lb
17Ascend Performance Materials-Chocolate Bayou PlantAlvinBrazoria CountyTexasAmmonia18.7M lb
18Bayer Cropscience LPLulingSt. Charles ParishLouisianaFormaldehyde17.8M lb
19Fort Knox MineFairbanksFairbanks North Star BoroughAlaskaManganese And Manganese Compounds17.6M lb
20Wayne Disposal INCBellevilleWayne CountyMichiganAsbestos (friable)15.4M lb
Top 10 most polluting facilities

TRI Air ReleasesWhat this meansToxic chemicals reported by industrial facilities as released to the air — fugitive leaks plus smokestack emissions. Higher pounds means more inhaled exposure for nearby residents. Self-reported under EPA's Toxics Release Inventory.

Facilities reporting the largest air releases — fugitive leaks plus smokestack emissions.

Methodology →

Industrial facilities ranked by tri air releases (pounds), highest first.
#FacilityCityCountyStateTop chemicalReleases
1Basin Electric Antelope Valley StationBeulahMercer CountyNorth DakotaAmmonia18.8M lb
2Cf Industries Nitrogen LLCDonaldsonvilleAscension ParishLouisianaAmmonia7.7M lb
3Bp Products Na Whiting Business UnitWhitingLake CountyIndianaXylene (mixed isomers)6.9M lb
4Dyno Nobel- St.Helens PlantDeer IslandColumbia CountyOregonAmmonia6.2M lb
5Koch Fertilizer Enid LLCEnidGarfield CountyOklahomaAmmonia6.0M lb
6Shell Norco Chemical PlantNorcoSt. Charles ParishLouisianaPropylene5.7M lb
7Biolab INCConyersRockdale CountyGeorgiaHydrochloric acid (acid aerosols including mists, vapors, gas, fog, and other airborne forms of any particle size)5.4M lb
8Alabama River Cellulose LLCPerdue HillMonroe CountyAlabamaMethanol4.0M lb
9Pcs Nitrogen Fertilizer LPAugustaRichmond CountyGeorgiaAmmonia4.0M lb
10Flopam INCPlaquemineIberville ParishLouisianaAmmonia4.0M lb
Top 10 most polluting facilities

TRI Water ReleasesWhat this meansToxic chemicals discharged to surface waters — rivers, lakes, and other receiving streams — reported under EPA's Toxics Release Inventory. Drives downstream contamination of drinking-water intakes, fisheries, and recreation.

Facilities reporting the largest surface-water discharges to rivers, lakes, and other receiving streams.

Methodology →

Industrial facilities ranked by tri water releases (pounds), highest first.
#FacilityCityCountyStateTop chemicalReleases
1U.S. Army Radford Army Ammunition PlantRadfordMontgomery CountyVirginiaNitrate compounds (water dissociable; reportable only when in aqueous solution)11.2M lb
2Cleveland-Cliffs Steel Corp (Rockport Works )RockportSpencer CountyIndianaNitrate compounds (water dissociable; reportable only when in aqueous solution)6.4M lb
3Mccain Foods USA INC.BurleyCassia CountyIdahoNitrate compounds (water dissociable; reportable only when in aqueous solution)5.6M lb
4Delaware City RefineryDelaware CityNew Castle CountyDelawareNitrate compounds (water dissociable; reportable only when in aqueous solution)4.0M lb
5Smithfield Fresh Meats Corp - Tar HeelTar HeelBladen CountyNorth CarolinaNitrate compounds (water dissociable; reportable only when in aqueous solution)3.6M lb
6Cleveland-Cliffs Steel CorpCoshoctonCoshocton CountyOhioNitrate compounds (water dissociable; reportable only when in aqueous solution)3.4M lb
7Pryor SolaePryorMayes CountyOklahomaNitrate compounds (water dissociable; reportable only when in aqueous solution)3.2M lb
8North American StainlessGhentCarroll CountyKentuckyNitrate compounds (water dissociable; reportable only when in aqueous solution)3.1M lb
9Lamb Weston INC Richland FacilityRichlandBenton CountyWashingtonNitrate compounds (water dissociable; reportable only when in aqueous solution)2.8M lb
10Jbs PlainwellPlainwellAllegan CountyMichiganNitrate compounds (water dissociable; reportable only when in aqueous solution)2.4M lb
Top 10 most polluting facilities

TRI Land ReleasesWhat this meansToxic chemicals released to land — on-site landfills, surface impoundments, land application, and underground injection — plus off-site transfers for disposal. Drives long-term soil and groundwater contamination risk.

Facilities reporting the largest land releases — on-site landfills, surface impoundments, and off-site disposal.

Methodology →

Industrial facilities ranked by tri land releases (pounds), highest first.
#FacilityCityCountyStateTop chemicalReleases
1Red Dog OperationsKotzebueNorthwest Arctic BoroughAlaskaZinc compounds723.8M lb
2Kennecott Utah Copper Mine Concentrators & Power PlantBingham CanyonSalt Lake CountyUtahLead And Lead Compounds192.6M lb
3Hecla Greens Creek Mining COJuneauJuneau City and BoroughAlaskaBarium compounds (except for barium sulfate (CAS No. 7727-43-7))87.6M lb
4Midway Gas PlantCraneCrane CountyTexasHydrogen sulfide73.3M lb
5Asarco LLC Ray Complex/ Hayden Smelter & ConcentratorHaydenGila CountyArizonaZinc compounds55.0M lb
6Nevada Gold Mines LLC - Goldstrike Mines INCCarlinElko CountyNevadaArsenic compounds49.0M lb
7Elemental Environmental Solutions LLCArkadelphiaClark CountyArkansasCyanide compounds39.8M lb
8Montana Resources LLCButteSilver Bow CountyMontanaManganese And Manganese Compounds31.7M lb
9Nevada Gold Mines LLC - Carlin South AreaCarlinEureka CountyNevadaArsenic compounds28.0M lb
10Freeport-Mcmoran Miami INCClaypoolGila CountyArizonaCopper And Copper Compounds26.8M lb