Arsenic
Unresolved Phase I/II/V Inorganic Chemical Rules violation cited in 2024 (arsenic).
City · TRI 2024
Anchorage, Alaska Pollution
5 TRI facilities inside the city limits and 55 public water systems serving residents. In-city TRI releases fell meaningfully year over year (-16%). Toxic releases concentrations are roughly unchanged from 2010.
FIPS 0203000 · population 290,674 · Anchorage Municipality
Anomaly engine
Notable Signals
Beryllium
Unresolved Phase I/II/V Inorganic Chemical Rules violation cited in 2023 (beryllium).
Endrin
Unresolved Nitrate/Nitrite violation cited in 2025 (endrin).
Lindane
Unresolved Nitrate/Nitrite violation cited in 2025 (lindane).
Showing the 4 most editorially weighted signals out of 43. Lower-severity signals fold into the chemical breakdown and history charts below.
Pollutant pathways
Anchorage Pollutant Multi-Year Trends
PM2.5 annual mean (NAAQS 9 µg/m³ (annual))Health riskFine inhalable particles 2.5 micrometers or smaller. They travel deep into the lungs and into the bloodstream — linked to asthma, heart disease, stroke, and premature death.
PM2.5 annual mean (NAAQS 9 µg/m³ (annual)) concentrations are roughly unchanged from 2010.
PM2.5 24-hour 98th percentile (NAAQS 35 µg/m³ (24-hour))Health riskFine inhalable particles 2.5 micrometers or smaller. They travel deep into the lungs and into the bloodstream — linked to asthma, heart disease, stroke, and premature death.
PM2.5 24-hour 98th percentile (NAAQS 35 µg/m³ (24-hour)) concentrations are roughly unchanged from 2010.
Ozone 8-hour 4th-highest daily max (NAAQS 0.070 ppm (8-hour))Health riskGround-level ozone (smog) forms when vehicle and industrial emissions react in sunlight. Inflames the airways, triggers asthma attacks, and worsens heart and lung disease.
Ozone 8-hour 4th-highest daily max (NAAQS 0.070 ppm (8-hour)) concentrations are roughly unchanged from 2011.
Lifetime cancer risk all pollutants (100 in a million (EPA elevated threshold))Health riskEPA-modeled added cancer cases per million residents from a lifetime of breathing local air toxics. EPA flags 100-in-a-million as elevated.
Single-vintage exposure modeling — EPA cadence is multi-year, so no trend line yet.
Formaldehyde ambient mean (0.077 µg/m³ (1-in-a-million URE))Health riskAn air toxic emitted by refineries, wood products, and combustion. EPA classifies it as a known human carcinogen — long-term inhalation raises cancer risk.
Single-vintage exposure modeling — EPA cadence is multi-year, so no trend line yet.
Benzene ambient mean (0.13 µg/m³ (1-in-a-million URE))Health riskAn air toxic from gasoline, refineries, and tobacco smoke. A known human carcinogen — chronic exposure is linked to leukemia and other blood cancers.
Single-vintage exposure modeling — EPA cadence is multi-year, so no trend line yet.
TRI air releases (5.1 fugitive + 5.2 stack)Health riskToxic chemicals reported by industrial facilities as released into the air — fugitive leaks plus smokestack emissions. Higher pounds means more inhaled exposure for nearby residents.
TRI air releases (5.1 fugitive + 5.2 stack) concentrations are roughly unchanged from 2010.
TRI water releases (5.3)Health riskToxic chemicals reported by industrial facilities as discharged to surface waters (rivers, lakes, the ocean). Affects fishing, recreation, and downstream drinking-water intakes.
TRI water releases (5.3) volumes here are too small to anchor a multi-year trend; YoY movement is still shown above.
TRI land + off-site releasesHealth riskToxic chemicals released to land on-site or transferred off-site for disposal — landfills, deep-well injection, and similar. Risks groundwater contamination over time.
TRI land + off-site releases concentrations have fallen 13% since 2010.
Greenhouse gases (GHGRP large emitters, through 2023)Health riskGreenhouse gases reported by large industrial emitters under EPA's GHGRP, in metric tons of CO₂ equivalent. Drives climate warming and the heat-related health effects that follow.
Greenhouse gases (GHGRP large emitters, through 2023) concentrations have fallen 12% since 2010.
Top facilities · TRI 2024
Largest Emitters Inside The City
| Facility | Top chemical | Total releases | YoY |
|---|---|---|---|
| US Dod Usaf Joint Base Elmendorf-RichardsonUS Department Of Defense | CopperHealth riskInhaled copper fumes cause metal-fume fever; chronic ingestion above EPA's 1.3 mg/L action level damages the liver. (EPA) | 27k lb | -12% |
| Tesoro - Anchorage TerminalMarathon Petroleum CORP | TolueneHealth riskCentral-nervous-system depressant. Chronic high exposure causes hearing loss and developmental effects. (EPA, ATSDR) | 7k lb | +17% |
| Univar Solutions USAUnivar Solutions USA INC | MethanolHealth riskAcutely toxic if ingested or inhaled. Metabolizes to formaldehyde and formic acid, causing blindness and metabolic acidosis. (EPA) | 4k lb | -55% |
| US Ecology Alaska LLCRepublic Services INC | Ethylene glycolHealth riskAcutely toxic if ingested. Metabolizes to compounds that cause kidney failure. (EPA) | 522 lb | +105% |
| US Ecology Alaska LLCRepublic Services INC | MethanolHealth riskAcutely toxic if ingested or inhaled. Metabolizes to formaldehyde and formic acid, causing blindness and metabolic acidosis. (EPA) | 103 lb | +587% |
Drinking water · SDWIS
Water Systems Serving Anchorage
246 unresolved violations on the SDWIS record across utilities serving this city.
55
Utilities serving
237,892
Population served
36
Health-based · 5yr
246
Unresolved
| Water system | PWSID | Population served | Health-based · 5yr | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hillside Park S/D Private | AK2212461 | 144 | 5 | UNRESOLVED |
| Totem Trailer Town Tc Private | AK2210574 | 116 | 3 | UNRESOLVED |
| Peters Creek Terrace Private | AK2211473 | 70 | 3 | UNRESOLVED |
| Snowcrest View South Private | AK2210891 | 25 | 3 | UNRESOLVED |
| Kathy O Estates Private | AK2211897 | 242 | 1 | UNRESOLVED |
| Kingsberry Homeowners Assoc. Private | AK2212819 | 50 | 1 | UNRESOLVED |
| Romig Park S/D Private | AK2211114 | 493 | 6 | Returned to compliance |
| Southwood Manor Tc Private | AK2211677 | 1,005 | 3 | Returned to compliance |
| South Park Estate Tc Private | AK2211091 | 175 | 3 | Returned to compliance |
| Valli Vue S/D Water System Private | AK2210605 | 794 | 2 | Returned to compliance |
| Manoogs Isle Mobile Home Park Private | AK2218630 | 935 | 1 | Returned to compliance |
| Maranatha Water Utilities Private | AK2216198 | 220 | 1 | Returned to compliance |
| Greenbrook S/D Private | AK2210346 | 123 | 1 | Returned to compliance |
| Lake O The Hills East Private | AK2213603 | 56 | 1 | Returned to compliance |
| Cohoe Subdivision Private | AK2212924 | 36 | 1 | Returned to compliance |
| Near Point Knoll Subdivision Private | AK2218642 | 28 | 1 | Returned to compliance |
| Penland Park Mhp Private | AK2210419 | 993 | 0 | UNRESOLVED |
| Unified Alaskan Utilities-Homestead Div. Private | AK2211431 | 708 | 0 | UNRESOLVED |
| Mayflower Tc Municipal | AK2211619 | 650 | 0 | UNRESOLVED |
| Potter Creek Water Company Private | AK2214730 | 375 | 0 | UNRESOLVED |
| Rivers Edge Condominium Private | AK2218652 | 168 | 0 | UNRESOLVED |
| Sky Ranch Estates #1 Upper Well Private | AK2211813 | 75 | 0 | UNRESOLVED |
| Sky Ranch Estates #2 Lower Well Private | AK2212916 | 72 | 0 | UNRESOLVED |
| Bear Mountain Condo Assn. Private | AK2213239 | 65 | 0 | UNRESOLVED |
| Colonial Park S/D Private | AK2211562 | 63 | 0 | UNRESOLVED |
| Sun Valley Heights North Private | AK2212005 | 51 | 0 | UNRESOLVED |
| Swiss Aire S/D Private | AK2211122 | 48 | 0 | UNRESOLVED |
| Sun Valley Heights South Private | AK2213962 | 34 | 0 | UNRESOLVED |
| Matthews Subdivision Private | AK2218822 | 32 | 0 | UNRESOLVED |
Showing the 29 systems with recorded health-based or unresolved violations. 26 additional systems are in compliance with no recorded health-based violations in the past 5 years and are not individually tabulated.
A public water systemis the regulated entity, not the city. EPA's SDWIS definition covers anything serving 25+ people for 60+ days a year or with 15+ service connections — that includes municipal utilities (City of Stockton), water districts, mobile home parks operating their own wells, schools, and small private subdivisions. Each system is independently monitored. Some systems serve multiple cities; some cities are served by many systems.
Superfund / NPL sites
Federal Cleanup Sites In Anchorage
Sites on EPA's Superfund National Priorities List, plus deleted sites whose cleanup objectives EPA has finalized. Federal-facility sites (defense, DOE, etc.) are flagged separately. Each link routes to a per-site page.
| Site | Status | Federal facility | Primary contaminant |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elmendorf Air Force Base | NPL FINAL | FEDERAL | BenzeneHealth riskIARC Group 1 carcinogen. Long-term inhalation causes leukemia and bone-marrow disorders. (IARC, EPA) |
| Fort Richardson (Usarmy) | NPL FINAL | FEDERAL | 1,1,2-Trichloroethane |
| Standard Steel & Metals Salvage Yard (Usdot) | DELETED | FEDERAL | 2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-P-Dioxin (Tcdd) |
Equity context · ACS 2018-2022 · USEPA-clone EJ disparity
Who Lives In Anchorage
Anchorage, Alaska (Census place block groups): 290,674 residents. City disparity score for nitrogen dioxide (no₂) sits below the reference (65). Why we surface this →
9.6%
Low-income
44.8%
People of color
7.0%
Under age 5
12.0%
Over age 64
- Nitrogen dioxide (NO₂)Health riskA tailpipe and combustion gas. Concentrates near busy roads and industrial sites; raises risk of airway inflammation, asthma, and lower respiratory infections in children.48near the national median
- Toxic releases (RSEI)Health riskEPA's Risk-Screening Environmental Indicators score — weights TRI chemical releases by toxicity, where they go, and how many people are nearby. Higher means greater modeled cancer and chronic-health risk.17below the national median
- Traffic proximityHealth riskPopulation-weighted distance to high-volume roads. Living close to heavy traffic raises exposure to PM2.5, NO₂, and diesel exhaust — and the cardiovascular and asthma risks that follow.59near the national median
- Lead-paint risk (pre-1960 housing)Health riskShare of housing built before 1960, when lead-based paint was common. Dust from deteriorating paint is the leading cause of childhood lead poisoning, which permanently impairs cognitive development.36below the national median
- Superfund site proximityHealth riskPopulation-weighted distance to NPL Superfund sites — the most contaminated waste sites in the country. Nearby groundwater, soil, and air can carry industrial solvents, metals, and other long-lived contaminants.94in the highest 10% nationally
- RMP-facility proximityHealth riskDistance to facilities holding chemicals at quantities large enough to require an EPA Risk Management Plan (refineries, fertilizer plants, etc.). These pose acute exposure risk during accidental releases.62above the national median
- Hazardous-waste site proximityHealth riskDistance to RCRA hazardous-waste handlers (treatment, storage, disposal facilities). Indicates potential exposure to industrial chemicals in air, soil, and groundwater.23below the national median
- Underground storage tanksHealth riskDensity of underground tanks (gasoline, heating oil, industrial fluids). Leaking tanks are a leading source of benzene and other volatile organic compounds in groundwater drinking-water supplies.79above the national median
- Drinking-water non-complianceHealth riskEPA score for public water systems with health-based Safe Drinking Water Act violations. Higher means more residents on systems that recently exceeded safe limits for contaminants like lead, arsenic, or nitrate.86in the highest 20% nationally
| Indicator | Disparity score | Reading |
|---|---|---|
| Nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) | 65 | below the reference |
| Toxic releases (RSEI) | 19 | well below the reference |
| Traffic proximity | 73 | below the reference |
| Lead-paint risk (pre-1960 housing) | 28 | well below the reference |
| Superfund site proximity | 97 | near the reference |
| RMP-facility proximity | 72 | below the reference |
| Hazardous-waste site proximity | 29 | well below the reference |
| Underground storage tanks | 76 | below the reference |
| Drinking-water non-compliance | 108 | near the reference |
Source: Census ACS 2018-2022 (5-year) + USEPA-clone EJ blockgroup stats (raw indicators + EJ disparity mirror).
Health context
Co-Located Health Indicators
Modeled adult-prevalence estimates published by CDC PLACES, paired with this city's pollution and demographic context. Comparisons are ecological, not causal — pollution and disease prevalence covary at the area level, but the data does not attribute any individual's diagnosis to local exposure. How this section works →
Adult asthma (current)
10.9%
CDC PLACES · 2025 release · BRFSS 2022-2023
COPD prevalence
5.4%
CDC PLACES · 2025 release · BRFSS 2022-2023
Coronary heart disease
5.1%
CDC PLACES · 2025 release · BRFSS 2022-2023
Diabetes (diagnosed)
9.0%
CDC PLACES · 2025 release · BRFSS 2022-2023
Frequent mental distress
16.4%
CDC PLACES · 2025 release · BRFSS 2022-2023
PLACES uses BRFSS-modeled small-area estimates, not individual records. Crude prevalence shown above is the local rate as published; comparators are age-adjusted vs the Alaska mean and the US mean — both population-weighted across counties — so geographies with different age structures stay apples-to-apples. Sources: CDC PLACES · 2025 release · BRFSS 2022-2023.
Sources.
- EPA Toxics Release Inventory · retrieved 2026-05-07.
- EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System · retrieved 2026-05-07.