TRI water releases
TRI water releases at Delaware have more than doubled since 2010 (through 2024).
State · TRI 2024
Delaware Pollution
39 TRI facilities, 209 public water systems, and 27 Superfund / NPL sites across 3 counties. Statewide TRI releases held roughly steady year over year (-4%). Toxic releases concentrations have fallen 37% since 2010.
FIPS 10 · population 989,948 · 3 counties total
Anomaly engine
Notable Signals At The State Level
TRI land + off-site releases
TRI land + off-site releases at Delaware have more than three-quarters since 2010 (through 2024).
TRI air releases
TRI air releases at Delaware have more than three-quarters since 2010 (through 2024).
Where the burden sits
County-Level TRI Choropleth
A color-shaded map of pollution data. Darker counties report more pounds of toxic chemicals released to the EPA's Toxics Release Inventory (TRI).
Shaded by total reported releases for 2024. Counties without a published page render as “no TRI data”. Red dots mark this state's top emitters.
Statewide pollutant pathways
Delaware 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 29% since 2010.
NO₂ annual mean (NAAQS 53 ppb (annual))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.
NO₂ annual mean (NAAQS 53 ppb (annual)) concentrations have more than halved 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 halved 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 more than doubled since 2010.
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 more than halved 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 more than doubled since 2010.
| County | Population | Facilities | Total releases | YoY | Top chemical |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Castle CountyFIPS 10003 | 570,567 | 23 | 4.6M lb | -7% | Nitrate compounds (water dissociable; reportable only when in aqueous solution)Health riskDrinking-water nitrate causes methemoglobinemia ('blue-baby syndrome') in infants; EPA MCL is 10 mg/L as N. (EPA) |
| Sussex CountyFIPS 10005 | 240,668 | 9 | 976k lb | +14% | Nitrate compounds (water dissociable; reportable only when in aqueous solution)Health riskDrinking-water nitrate causes methemoglobinemia ('blue-baby syndrome') in infants; EPA MCL is 10 mg/L as N. (EPA) |
| Kent CountyFIPS 10001 | 182,400 | 7 | 17k lb | -12% | TrichloroethyleneHealth riskTCE. IARC Group 1 carcinogen — kidney cancer; suspected liver cancer and non-Hodgkin lymphoma. EPA MCL 5 µg/L; common DNAPL groundwater plume contaminant. (IARC, EPA, ATSDR) |
| Facility | City | Top chemical | Total releases | YoY |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Delaware City RefineryPbf Energy INC | Delaware City | Nitrate compounds (water dissociable; reportable only when in aqueous solution)Health riskDrinking-water nitrate causes methemoglobinemia ('blue-baby syndrome') in infants; EPA MCL is 10 mg/L as N. (EPA) | 4.3M lb | -8% |
| Perdue Foods LLC - Georgetown Processing PlantPerdue Farms INC | Georgetown | Nitrate compounds (water dissociable; reportable only when in aqueous solution)Health riskDrinking-water nitrate causes methemoglobinemia ('blue-baby syndrome') in infants; EPA MCL is 10 mg/L as N. (EPA) | 564k lb | -4% |
| Allen Harim Foods LLC - HarbesonHarim USA LTD | Harbeson | Nitrate compounds (water dissociable; reportable only when in aqueous solution)Health riskDrinking-water nitrate causes methemoglobinemia ('blue-baby syndrome') in infants; EPA MCL is 10 mg/L as N. (EPA) | 313k lb | +68% |
| Croda INCCroda INC | New Castle | Ethylene glycolHealth riskAcutely toxic if ingested. Metabolizes to compounds that cause kidney failure. (EPA) | 118k lb | +35% |
| Mountaire Farms Of Delaware INCMountaire Farms INC | Millsboro | AmmoniaHealth riskSevere respiratory and eye irritant; high concentrations cause chemical burns to lung tissue. (EPA) | 69k lb | -7% |
| Sun ChemicalSun Chemical CORP | Newport | MethanolHealth riskAcutely toxic if ingested or inhaled. Metabolizes to formaldehyde and formic acid, causing blindness and metabolic acidosis. (EPA) | 38k lb | +13% |
| Indian River Generating StationNrg Energy INC | Dagsboro | AmmoniaHealth riskSevere respiratory and eye irritant; high concentrations cause chemical burns to lung tissue. (EPA) | 27k lb | +26433% |
| Air Products & ChemicalsAir Products & Chemicals INC | New Castle | MethanolHealth riskAcutely toxic if ingested or inhaled. Metabolizes to formaldehyde and formic acid, causing blindness and metabolic acidosis. (EPA) | 26k lb | -20% |
| Air Liquide Advanced SeparationsAmerican Air Liquide Holdings INC | Newport | N-Methyl-2-pyrrolidoneHealth riskReproductive and developmental toxicant; absorbed through skin. (EPA) | 19k lb | +130% |
| Edge Moor/Hay Road Energy CentersCalpine CORP | Wilmington | AmmoniaHealth riskSevere respiratory and eye irritant; high concentrations cause chemical burns to lung tissue. (EPA) | 18k lb | +116% |
Water utilities to watch
Largest Water Systems With Unresolved Health-Based Violations
Sorted to surface utilities serving the most people that still have an active health-based SDWIS violation on the record. Systems in compliance with no unresolved issues fall to the bottom of the ranking.
| Water system | PWSID | Population served | Health-based · 5yr | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dover Water Department Municipal | DE0000571 | 39,491 | 2 | UNRESOLVED |
| Home Town Village Of Cool Branch Private | DE00A0377 | 654 | 9 | UNRESOLVED |
| Evergreen Post Acute Private | DE0000841 | 256 | 11 | UNRESOLVED |
| Bethany Crest Llc Private | DE0000628 | 115 | 5 | UNRESOLVED |
| Cherry Creek Valley Private | DE0000608 | 78 | 12 | UNRESOLVED |
| Countryside Hamlet Private | DE0000817 | 66 | 1 | UNRESOLVED |
| Forest Park Private | DE0000590 | 25 | 3 | UNRESOLVED |
| Artesian Water Company Private | DE0000552 | 231,114 | 1 | In compliance |
| Wilmington Water Department Municipal | DE0000663 | 107,976 | 0 | UNRESOLVED |
| Veolia Water Delaware, Inc Private | DE0000564 | 100,495 | 0 | In compliance |
Superfund / NPL sites
Federal Cleanup Sites In Delaware
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 | City | Status | Federal facility | Primary contaminant |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Army Creek Landfill | New Castle | NPL FINAL | No | 1,2-DichloroethaneHealth riskIARC Group 2B possible carcinogen; liver and kidney toxic. EPA MCL 5 µg/L. (IARC, EPA) |
| Blades Groundwater | Blades | NPL FINAL | No | Chromium(Vi)Health riskHexavalent chromium (Cr-VI) is an IARC Group 1 carcinogen via inhalation, causing lung cancer; trivalent chromium is far less toxic. (IARC, EPA) |
| Delaware City Pvc Plant | New Castle | NPL FINAL | No | 1,2-DichloroethaneHealth riskIARC Group 2B possible carcinogen; liver and kidney toxic. EPA MCL 5 µg/L. (IARC, EPA) |
| Delaware Sand & Gravel Landfill | New Castle | NPL FINAL | No | BenzeneHealth riskIARC Group 1 carcinogen. Long-term inhalation causes leukemia and bone-marrow disorders. (IARC, EPA) |
| Dover Air Force Base | Dover | NPL FINAL | FEDERAL | TetrachloroetheneHealth riskPCE / 'perc'. IARC Group 2A probable carcinogen; central-nervous-system effects; common dry-cleaning solvent and DNAPL plume contaminant. EPA MCL 5 µg/L. (IARC, EPA) |
| Dover Gas Light Co. | Dover | NPL FINAL | No | BenzeneHealth riskIARC Group 1 carcinogen. Long-term inhalation causes leukemia and bone-marrow disorders. (IARC, EPA) |
| E.I. Du Pont De Nemours & Co., Inc. (Newport Pigment Plant Landfill) | Newport | NPL FINAL | No | ArsenicHealth riskIARC Group 1 carcinogen via inhalation and ingestion. EPA MCL 10 µg/L; chronic exposure causes skin, lung, bladder cancer and cardiovascular disease. (IARC, EPA, ATSDR) |
| East Basin Road Groundwater | New Castle | NPL FINAL | No | — |
| Georgetown North Groundwater | Georgetown | NPL FINAL | No | — |
| Halby Chemical Co. | New Castle | NPL FINAL | No | ArsenicHealth riskIARC Group 1 carcinogen via inhalation and ingestion. EPA MCL 10 µg/L; chronic exposure causes skin, lung, bladder cancer and cardiovascular disease. (IARC, EPA, ATSDR) |
Showing the top 10 sites by status priority. 17 additional NPL-relevant sites in Delaware have entity pages — browse them via the host-county or host-city page rollups.
Equity context · ACS 2018-2022 · USEPA-clone EJ disparity
Statewide Population Characteristics
All Delaware block groups: 989,948 residents. Statewide disparity score for pm2.5 (fine particulate) sits well below the reference (30). Why we surface this →
State-level percentiles are aggregated from block-group EJScreen data. The EJ pattern within the state will be sharper at the county level — drill down for the meaningful spatial detail.
11.1%
Low-income
39.9%
People of color
5.6%
Under age 5
19.6%
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.21below the national median
- OzoneHealth riskGround-level ozone (smog) inflames the airways. Even short exposures trigger asthma attacks and worsen chronic lung and heart disease.46near 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.36below 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.45near 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.83in the highest 20% 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.50near 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.58near 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.90in 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.64above 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.64above 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.65above 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.89in the highest 20% nationally
- 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.77above the national median
| Indicator | Disparity score | Reading |
|---|---|---|
| PM2.5 (fine particulate) | 30 | well below the reference |
| Ozone | 65 | below the reference |
| Nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) | 50 | below the reference |
| Diesel particulate | 58 | below the reference |
| Toxic releases (RSEI) | 67 | below the reference |
| Traffic proximity | 57 | below the reference |
| Lead-paint risk (pre-1960 housing) | 56 | below the reference |
| Superfund site proximity | 87 | below the reference |
| RMP-facility proximity | 63 | below the reference |
| Hazardous-waste site proximity | 68 | below the reference |
| Underground storage tanks | 63 | below the reference |
| NPDES wastewater proximity | 72 | below the reference |
| Drinking-water non-compliance | 32 | well below the reference |
Source: Census ACS 2018-2022 (5-year) + USEPA-clone EJ blockgroup stats (raw indicators + EJ disparity mirror). EJ disparity scores via the USEPA-clone GitHub mirror after EPA deprecated the public EJScreen tool in 2025; demographics from Census ACS.
Browse
All 3 Delaware Counties With TRI Data
Pollution trends and TRI 2024 pages for every tracked county. Alphabetical.
Sources.
- EPA Toxics Release Inventory · retrieved 2026-05-07.