TRI land + off-site releases
TRI land + off-site releases at Hawaii have more than halved since 2010 (through 2024).
State · TRI 2024
Hawaii Pollution
34 TRI facilities, 117 public water systems, and 4 Superfund / NPL sites across 4 counties. Statewide TRI releases fell modestly year over year (-7%). Toxic releases concentrations have fallen 22% since 2010.
FIPS 15 · population 1,455,271 · 5 counties total
Anomaly engine
Notable Signals At The State Level
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
Hawaii 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 fallen 35% 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 fallen 29% 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 are roughly unchanged from 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 fallen 37% 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 fallen 22% 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 are roughly unchanged from 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 are up 86% since 2010.
| County | Population | Facilities | Total releases | YoY | Top chemical |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Honolulu CountyFIPS 15003 | 1,010,100 | 20 | 1.7M lb | -9% | Sulfuric acid (acid aerosols including mists, vapors, gas, fog, and other airborne forms of any particle size)Health riskAcid mists are an IARC Group 1 carcinogen via inhalation (laryngeal cancer) and corrosive on contact. (IARC) |
| Maui CountyFIPS 15009 | 164,765 | 4 | 240k lb | +7% | Sulfuric acid (acid aerosols including mists, vapors, gas, fog, and other airborne forms of any particle size)Health riskAcid mists are an IARC Group 1 carcinogen via inhalation (laryngeal cancer) and corrosive on contact. (IARC) |
| Hawaii CountyFIPS 15001 | 202,163 | 7 | 173k lb | -5% | Sulfuric acid (acid aerosols including mists, vapors, gas, fog, and other airborne forms of any particle size)Health riskAcid mists are an IARC Group 1 carcinogen via inhalation (laryngeal cancer) and corrosive on contact. (IARC) |
| Kauai CountyFIPS 15007 | 73,511 | 3 | 18k lb | -5% | AmmoniaHealth riskSevere respiratory and eye irritant; high concentrations cause chemical burns to lung tissue. (EPA) |
| Facility | City | Top chemical | Total releases | YoY |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hawaiian Electric CO INC Kahe Generating StationHawaiian Electric Industries INC | Kapolei | Sulfuric acid (acid aerosols including mists, vapors, gas, fog, and other airborne forms of any particle size)Health riskAcid mists are an IARC Group 1 carcinogen via inhalation (laryngeal cancer) and corrosive on contact. (IARC) | 691k lb | -0% |
| Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam HawaiiUS Department Of Defense | Jbphh | 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) | 390k lb | -5% |
| Hawaiian Electric CO INC Waiau Generating StationHawaiian Electric Industries INC | Pearl City | Sulfuric acid (acid aerosols including mists, vapors, gas, fog, and other airborne forms of any particle size)Health riskAcid mists are an IARC Group 1 carcinogen via inhalation (laryngeal cancer) and corrosive on contact. (IARC) | 232k lb | -29% |
| Par Hawaii Refining LLCPar Pacific Holdings INC | Kapolei | n-HexaneHealth riskPeripheral neurotoxin. Chronic exposure causes numbness and paralysis in the extremities. (ATSDR) | 165k lb | +1% |
| Maui Electric CO LTD Kahului Generating StationHawaiian Electric Industries INC | Kahului | Sulfuric acid (acid aerosols including mists, vapors, gas, fog, and other airborne forms of any particle size)Health riskAcid mists are an IARC Group 1 carcinogen via inhalation (laryngeal cancer) and corrosive on contact. (IARC) | 160k lb | +14% |
| US Marine Corps Base Hawaii Kaneohe BayUS Department Of Defense | Mcbh Kaneohe Bay | 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) | 111k lb | -20% |
| Hill Generating StationHawaiian Electric Industries INC | Hilo | Sulfuric acid (acid aerosols including mists, vapors, gas, fog, and other airborne forms of any particle size)Health riskAcid mists are an IARC Group 1 carcinogen via inhalation (laryngeal cancer) and corrosive on contact. (IARC) | 97k lb | -25% |
| Maui Electric CO LTD Maalaea Generating StationHawaiian Electric Industries INC | Kihei | Sulfuric acid (acid aerosols including mists, vapors, gas, fog, and other airborne forms of any particle size)Health riskAcid mists are an IARC Group 1 carcinogen via inhalation (laryngeal cancer) and corrosive on contact. (IARC) | 80k lb | -4% |
| Ball Metal Beverage Container CorpBall CORP | Kapolei | Certain glycol ethersHealth riskReproductive toxicants; some cause testicular damage and developmental harm. (EPA) | 54k lb | +36% |
| Hawaii Electric Light CO INC Puna Generating StationHawaiian Electric Industries INC | Keaau | Sulfuric acid (acid aerosols including mists, vapors, gas, fog, and other airborne forms of any particle size)Health riskAcid mists are an IARC Group 1 carcinogen via inhalation (laryngeal cancer) and corrosive on contact. (IARC) | 46k lb | +83041% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hnl-Windward-Pearl Harbor Municipal | HI0000331 | 631,389 | 0 | In compliance |
| Waipahu-Ewa-Waianae Municipal | HI0000335 | 217,479 | 0 | In compliance |
| Wailuku Municipal | HI0000212 | 74,511 | 0 | In compliance |
| Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam Federal | HI0000360 | 65,230 | 0 | UNRESOLVED |
| Mililani Municipal | HI0000367 | 50,573 | 0 | In compliance |
| Hilo Municipal | HI0000101 | 39,477 | 0 | In compliance |
| Schofield Barracks Federal | HI0000345 | 37,920 | 0 | In compliance |
| Lihue-Kapaa Municipal | HI0000400 | 34,854 | 0 | In compliance |
| Makawao Municipal | HI0000213 | 29,868 | 1 | In compliance |
| North Kona Municipal | HI0000131 | 29,581 | 0 | UNRESOLVED |
Superfund / NPL sites
Federal Cleanup Sites In Hawaii
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Del Monte Corp. (Oahu Plantation) | Kunia | NPL FINAL | No | 1,2,3-Trichloropropane |
| Naval Computer And Telecommunications Area Master Station Eastern Pacific | Wahiawa | NPL FINAL | FEDERAL | Polychlorinated Biphenyls (Pcbs)Health riskPCBs. IARC Group 1 carcinogen; immune, reproductive, and neurological effects; bioaccumulate in fish and breast milk. Banned in 1979; persist as legacy contamination. (IARC, EPA) |
| Pearl Harbor Naval Complex | Pearl Harbor | NPL FINAL | FEDERAL | 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) |
| Schofield Barracks (Usarmy) | Wheeler AFB | DELETED | FEDERAL | Carbon TetrachlorideHealth riskIARC Group 2B possible carcinogen; liver toxic. EPA MCL 5 µg/L. Banned for most uses since 1986. (IARC, EPA) |
Equity context · ACS 2018-2022 · USEPA-clone EJ disparity
Statewide Population Characteristics
All Hawaii block groups: 1,455,271 residents. Statewide disparity score for nitrogen dioxide (no₂) sits below the reference (52). 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.
9.6%
Low-income
79.0%
People of color
5.9%
Under age 5
19.3%
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.25below 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.28below 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.41near 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.74above 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.51near 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.88in 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.46near 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.73above 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.99in the highest 5% 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.76above the national median
| Indicator | Disparity score | Reading |
|---|---|---|
| Nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) | 52 | below the reference |
| Diesel particulate | 45 | well below the reference |
| Toxic releases (RSEI) | 57 | below the reference |
| Traffic proximity | 108 | near the reference |
| Lead-paint risk (pre-1960 housing) | 62 | below the reference |
| Superfund site proximity | 80 | below the reference |
| RMP-facility proximity | 12 | well below the reference |
| Hazardous-waste site proximity | 57 | below the reference |
| Underground storage tanks | 88 | below the reference |
| NPDES wastewater proximity | 105 | near the reference |
| Drinking-water non-compliance | 1 | 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 4 Hawaii Counties With TRI Data
Pollution trends and TRI 2024 pages for every tracked county. Alphabetical.
Sources.
- EPA Toxics Release Inventory · retrieved 2026-05-07.