City · TRI 2024

Orlando, Florida Pollution

5 TRI facilities inside the city limits and 14 public water systems serving residents. In-city TRI releases rose meaningfully year over year (+19%). Toxic releases concentrations have more than doubled since 2016.

FIPS 1253000 · population 307,738 · Orange County

IN-CITY TRI RELEASES · 20162024
Bar chart of annual values from 2016 to 2024, in lb. Most recent year (2024): 16k.20k'16'18'20'22'2416k
Anomaly engine

Notable Signals

UNRESOLVED VIOLATION · SDWIS VIOLATION

Contaminant 7000

Unresolved Phase I/II/V Synthetic Organic Chemical Rules violation cited in 2025 (contaminant 7000).

EPA SDWIS record

UNRESOLVED VIOLATION · SDWIS VIOLATION

E. coli

Unresolved Drinking water rule (140) violation cited in 2025 (e. coli).

EPA SDWIS record

UNRESOLVED VIOLATION · SDWIS VIOLATION

E. coli

Unresolved Drinking water rule (140) violation cited in 2024 (e. coli).

EPA SDWIS record

UNRESOLVED VIOLATION · SDWIS VIOLATION

Contaminant 8000

Unresolved Revised Total Coliform Rule violation cited in 2025 (contaminant 8000).

EPA SDWIS record

Showing the 4 most editorially weighted signals out of 16. Lower-severity signals fold into the chemical breakdown and history charts below.

Pollutant pathways

Orlando Pollutant Multi-Year Trends

CRITERIA AIRSINCE 2010

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.

6.33 µg/m³ · -13% YoY · -47% since 2010

PM2.5 annual mean (NAAQS 9 µg/m³ (annual)) concentrations have fallen 47% since 2010.

CRITERIA AIRSINCE 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.

11.85 µg/m³ · -25% YoY · -60% since 2010

PM2.5 24-hour 98th percentile (NAAQS 35 µg/m³ (24-hour)) concentrations have more than halved since 2010.

CRITERIA AIRSINCE 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.

0.067 ppm · -2% YoY · -17% since 2010

Ozone 8-hour 4th-highest daily max (NAAQS 0.070 ppm (8-hour)) concentrations have fallen 17% since 2010.

CRITERIA AIRSINCE 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.

8.9 ppb · +178% YoY · -28% since 2010

NO₂ annual mean (NAAQS 53 ppb (annual)) concentrations have fallen 28% since 2010.

HAZARDOUS AIR2020 VINTAGE

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.

30.0 per million · 2020 vintage

Single-vintage exposure modeling — EPA cadence is multi-year, so no trend line yet.

HAZARDOUS AIR2020 VINTAGE

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.

1.72 µg/m³ · 2020 vintage

Single-vintage exposure modeling — EPA cadence is multi-year, so no trend line yet.

HAZARDOUS AIR2020 VINTAGE

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.

0.12 µg/m³ · 2020 vintage

Single-vintage exposure modeling — EPA cadence is multi-year, so no trend line yet.

TRI AIRSINCE 2016

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.

11 lb · -31% YoY · since 2016

TRI air releases (5.1 fugitive + 5.2 stack) volumes here are too small to anchor a multi-year trend; YoY movement is still shown above.

TRI WATERSINCE 2016

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.

0 lb · YoY · since 2016

TRI water releases (5.3) volumes here are too small to anchor a multi-year trend; YoY movement is still shown above.

TRI LANDSINCE 2017

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.

16k lb · +19% YoY · +84% since 2017

TRI land + off-site releases concentrations are up 84% since 2017.

GHGSINCE 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.

6.3M metric tons CO₂e · -7% YoY · -21% since 2010

Greenhouse gases (GHGRP large emitters, through 2023) concentrations have fallen 21% since 2010.

Top facilities · TRI 2024

Largest Emitters Inside The City

FacilityTop chemicalTotal releasesYoY
Dfa Dairy Brands Fluid LLC Dba Tg Lee DairyDairy Farmers Of America INCNitrate 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)13k lb-3%
Frito Lay INCPepsico INCNitrate 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)3k lb
Maschmeyer-Silverstar RmMaschmeyer Concrete Co Of FloridaLeadHealth riskNeurotoxin. Even low childhood exposure impairs cognitive development; chronic adult exposure damages kidneys and the cardiovascular system. (EPA, ATSDR)0 lb+169%
Titan Florida-Grant Street Rmc PlantTitan America LLCLeadHealth riskNeurotoxin. Even low childhood exposure impairs cognitive development; chronic adult exposure damages kidneys and the cardiovascular system. (EPA, ATSDR)0 lb-1%
Preferred-Division RmCrh Americas INCLeadHealth riskNeurotoxin. Even low childhood exposure impairs cognitive development; chronic adult exposure damages kidneys and the cardiovascular system. (EPA, ATSDR)0 lb0%
Drinking water · SDWIS

Water Systems Serving Orlando

31 unresolved violations on the SDWIS record across utilities serving this city.

SDWIS · 5-YR WINDOW
14

Utilities serving

SDWIS · 5-YR WINDOW
1,168,744

Population served

SDWIS · 5-YR WINDOW
2

Health-based · 5yr

SDWIS · 5-YR WINDOW
31

Unresolved

Water systemPWSIDPopulation servedHealth-based · 5yrStatus
Taft Water Association PrivateFL34813264,2322UNRESOLVED
Orlando Utilities Commission MunicipalFL3480962536,4660UNRESOLVED
Ocud/Eastern Water System (2 Wp) MunicipalFL3484132293,3740UNRESOLVED
Ocud/Western Regional Wtr Sys (5 Wps) MunicipalFL3481546206,7420UNRESOLVED
Ocud/Southern Water Sys (5 Wps) MunicipalFL348411980,7380UNRESOLVED
University Of Central Florida State-ownedFL348040944,1030UNRESOLVED
Tangerine Park MixedFL34813298510UNRESOLVED
Silver Star Village (2 Wps) PrivateFL34811996390UNRESOLVED
Ocud/Daetwyler Shores (Consec) MunicipalFL34802651890UNRESOLVED
Ocud/Lake John Shores Wtr Sys MunicipalFL3480700670UNRESOLVED
Ocud/Partlow Acres(Consec.) MunicipalFL3481547490UNRESOLVED

Showing the 11 systems with recorded health-based or unresolved violations. 3 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.

Equity context · ACS 2018-2022 · USEPA-clone EJ disparity

Who Lives In Orlando

Orlando, Florida (Census place block groups): 307,738 residents. City disparity score for pm2.5 (fine particulate) sits moderately above the reference (137). Why we surface this →

POPULATION SHARE
15.2%

Low-income

POPULATION SHARE
65.8%

People of color

POPULATION SHARE
5.7%

Under age 5

POPULATION SHARE
10.8%

Over age 64

NATIONAL PERCENTILE · vs all US block groups (population-weighted; ranked against the national EJScreen indicator distribution)

  • 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.69above 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.79above 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.85in the highest 20% nationally
  • 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.78above 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.73above 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.80above the national median
  • 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.75above 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.52near 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.90in the highest 10% nationally
  • 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.77above 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.76above the national median
EJ disparity scores · population-weighted across city block groups (100 = national reference; higher = greater disparate burden)
IndicatorDisparity scoreReading
PM2.5 (fine particulate)137moderately above the reference
Ozone22well below the reference
Nitrogen dioxide (NO₂)144moderately above the reference
Diesel particulate163well above the reference burden
Toxic releases (RSEI)150moderately above the reference
Traffic proximity135moderately above the reference
Lead-paint risk (pre-1960 housing)46well below the reference
Superfund site proximity127moderately above the reference
RMP-facility proximity139moderately above the reference
Hazardous-waste site proximity95near the reference
Underground storage tanks136moderately above the reference
NPDES wastewater proximity76below the reference
Drinking-water non-compliance14well below 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)

BRFSS 2023
9.5%
-1% vs Florida mean-6% vs US mean

CDC PLACES · 2025 release · BRFSS 2022-2023

COPD prevalence

BRFSS 2023
5.5%
-1% vs Florida mean+6% vs US mean

CDC PLACES · 2025 release · BRFSS 2022-2023

Coronary heart disease

BRFSS 2023
5.1%
+1% vs Florida mean+7% vs US mean

CDC PLACES · 2025 release · BRFSS 2022-2023

Diabetes (diagnosed)

BRFSS 2023
11.2%
+9% vs Florida mean+16% vs US mean

CDC PLACES · 2025 release · BRFSS 2022-2023

Frequent mental distress

BRFSS 2023
17.3%
-3% vs Florida mean-0% vs US mean

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 Florida 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.