Contaminant 2051
Unresolved Nitrate/Nitrite violation cited in 2020 (contaminant 2051).
City · TRI 2024
Huntsville, Alabama Pollution
20 TRI facilities inside the city limits and 2 public water systems serving residents. In-city TRI releases rose modestly year over year (+8%). Toxic releases concentrations have more than doubled since 2010.
FIPS 0137000 · population 215,025 · Madison County
Anomaly engine
Notable Signals
Contaminant 2051
Unresolved Nitrate/Nitrite violation cited in 2020 (contaminant 2051).
Endrin
Unresolved Nitrate/Nitrite violation cited in 2023 (endrin).
Lindane
Unresolved Nitrate/Nitrite violation cited in 2023 (lindane).
Showing the 4 most editorially weighted signals out of 5. Lower-severity signals fold into the chemical breakdown and history charts below.
Pollutant pathways
Huntsville 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 have more than halved since 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 have more than halved since 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 have fallen 30% since 2010.
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 have more than doubled since 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) concentrations have fallen 33% since 2011.
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 33% 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 are up 63% since 2010.
Top facilities · TRI 2024
Largest Emitters Inside The City
| Facility | Top chemical | Total releases | YoY |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kennametal INC Dba Kennametal Firth SterlingKennametal INC | AmmoniaHealth riskSevere respiratory and eye irritant; high concentrations cause chemical burns to lung tissue. (EPA) | 1.3M lb | +15% |
| Kohler COKohler Co | StyreneHealth riskIARC Group 2A probable carcinogen; central-nervous-system effects from inhalation. (IARC, EPA) | 255k lb | -7% |
| Mazda Toyota Manufacturing USA INC. | Certain glycol ethersHealth riskReproductive toxicants; some cause testicular damage and developmental harm. (EPA) | 227k lb | -12% |
| Daikyonishikawa USA INC. | Certain glycol ethersHealth riskReproductive toxicants; some cause testicular damage and developmental harm. (EPA) | 42k lb | +25% |
| Hart & Cooley LLCDuravent INC | Certain glycol ethersHealth riskReproductive toxicants; some cause testicular damage and developmental harm. (EPA) | 30k lb | -9% |
| Basf Mobile Emissions Catalysts LLCBasf CORP | Barium And Barium CompoundsHealth riskSoluble barium compounds are toxic if ingested, affecting the heart, kidneys, and nervous system. Insoluble forms (e.g. barium sulfate) are far less toxic. (EPA) | 23k lb | +5% |
| Mesker Mbm Lp. Huntsville | Certain glycol ethersHealth riskReproductive toxicants; some cause testicular damage and developmental harm. (EPA) | 15k lb | +40% |
| Ati Huntsville OperationsAti INC | NickelHealth riskNickel compounds are IARC Group 1 carcinogens; inhalation exposure raises lung and nasal cancer risk. (IARC) | 15k lb | +128% |
| Dura Coat Products INC.Axalta Coating Systems LLC | Certain glycol ethersHealth riskReproductive toxicants; some cause testicular damage and developmental harm. (EPA) | 7k lb | +12% |
| Safety-Kleen Systems Huntsville (Hun)Clean Harbors INC | Ethylene glycolHealth riskAcutely toxic if ingested. Metabolizes to compounds that cause kidney failure. (EPA) | 6k lb | +56684% |
Drinking water · SDWIS
Water Systems Serving Huntsville
33 unresolved violations on the SDWIS record across utilities serving this city.
2
Utilities serving
429,207
Population served
0
Health-based · 5yr
33
Unresolved
| Water system | PWSID | Population served | Health-based · 5yr | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Huntsville Utilities Water Dept. Municipal | AL0000882 | 310,107 | 0 | UNRESOLVED |
| Madison County Water Department Municipal | AL0000888 | 119,100 | 0 | UNRESOLVED |
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.
Equity context · ACS 2018-2022 · USEPA-clone EJ disparity
Who Lives In Huntsville
Huntsville, Alabama (Census place block groups): 215,025 residents. City disparity score for pm2.5 (fine particulate) sits below the reference (63). Why we surface this →
14.1%
Low-income
43.1%
People of color
5.8%
Under age 5
16.2%
Over age 64
- PM2.5 (fine particulate)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.42near the national median
- OzoneHealth riskGround-level ozone (smog) inflames the airways. Even short exposures trigger asthma attacks and worsen chronic lung and heart disease.18below the national median
- 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.51near the national median
- Diesel particulateHealth riskSoot from diesel engines (trucks, trains, ports, construction). EPA classifies it as a likely human carcinogen and a major driver of childhood asthma near freight corridors.42near 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.100in the highest 5% nationally
- 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.58near 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.48near 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.86in the highest 20% 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.28below 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.51near 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.74above the national median
- NPDES wastewater proximityHealth riskDistance to permitted industrial wastewater dischargers. Closer proximity raises exposure to pollutants released into surface waters used for fishing, recreation, and downstream drinking-water intakes.49near 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.80above the national median
| Indicator | Disparity score | Reading |
|---|---|---|
| PM2.5 (fine particulate) | 63 | below the reference |
| Ozone | 52 | below the reference |
| Nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) | 81 | below the reference |
| Diesel particulate | 67 | below the reference |
| Toxic releases (RSEI) | 143 | moderately above the reference |
| Traffic proximity | 86 | below the reference |
| Lead-paint risk (pre-1960 housing) | 52 | below the reference |
| Superfund site proximity | 105 | near the reference |
| RMP-facility proximity | 21 | well below the reference |
| Hazardous-waste site proximity | 73 | below the reference |
| Underground storage tanks | 92 | near the reference |
| NPDES wastewater proximity | 68 | below the reference |
| Drinking-water non-compliance | 114 | moderately above 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)
9.8%
CDC PLACES · 2025 release · BRFSS 2022-2023
COPD prevalence
6.3%
CDC PLACES · 2025 release · BRFSS 2022-2023
Coronary heart disease
6.1%
CDC PLACES · 2025 release · BRFSS 2022-2023
Diabetes (diagnosed)
12.7%
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 Alabama 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.