Contaminant 0300
Unresolved Long Term 1 Enhanced SWTR violation cited in 2025 (contaminant 0300).
City · TRI 2024
Chicago, Illinois Pollution
64 TRI facilities inside the city limits and 3 public water systems serving residents. In-city TRI releases held roughly steady year over year (-4%). Toxic releases concentrations are up 49% since 2010.
FIPS 1714000 · population 2,721,914 · Cook County
Anomaly engine
Notable Signals
Contaminant 0300
Unresolved Long Term 1 Enhanced SWTR violation cited in 2025 (contaminant 0300).
Contaminant 8000
Unresolved Revised Total Coliform Rule violation cited in 2023 (contaminant 8000).
Contaminant 8000
Unresolved Revised Total Coliform Rule violation cited in 2023 (contaminant 8000).
Showing the 4 most editorially weighted signals out of 6. Lower-severity signals fold into the chemical breakdown and history charts below.
Pollutant pathways
Chicago 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 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 43% 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 23% 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) 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 more than doubled 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 36% since 2010.
Top facilities · TRI 2024
Largest Emitters Inside The City
| Facility | Top chemical | Total releases | YoY |
|---|---|---|---|
| A Finkl & Sons CO Dba Finkl Steel - ChicagoA Finkl & Sons Co | ManganeseHealth riskExcess inhalation can cause manganism, a Parkinson-like neurological disorder. (ATSDR) | 996k lb | +56% |
| Ingredion INC Argo PlantIngredion INC | n-HexaneHealth riskPeripheral neurotoxin. Chronic exposure causes numbness and paralysis in the extremities. (ATSDR) | 593k lb | -36% |
| Befesa Zinc US INC.Befesa Holding US INC | Zinc compoundsHealth riskGenerally low acute toxicity. Chronic high-dose exposure disrupts copper absorption and immune function. (ATSDR) | 334k lb | -39% |
| Clean Harbors Recycling Services Of Chicago LLCClean Harbors INC | MethanolHealth riskAcutely toxic if ingested or inhaled. Metabolizes to formaldehyde and formic acid, causing blindness and metabolic acidosis. (EPA) | 257k lb | +1237% |
| Ford Motor CO Chicago AssemblyFord Motor Co | n-Butyl alcoholHealth riskEye and respiratory irritant; high exposure causes hearing loss and central-nervous-system effects. (NIOSH) | 236k lb | +0% |
| Wheatland Tube CO - Chicago DivZekelman Industries INC | Xylene (mixed isomers)Health riskEye, skin, and respiratory irritant; central-nervous-system effects from chronic exposure. (EPA) | 147k lb | +2% |
| Ardagh Metal Beverage USA INC Re : Chicago PlantArdagh Holdings USA INC | Certain glycol ethersHealth riskReproductive toxicants; some cause testicular damage and developmental harm. (EPA) | 138k lb | -57% |
| Gatto Industrial Platers INC. | Zinc compoundsHealth riskGenerally low acute toxicity. Chronic high-dose exposure disrupts copper absorption and immune function. (ATSDR) | 120k lb | -6% |
| W R Grace & COW R Grace & Co | Molybdenum trioxideHealth riskIARC Group 2B possible carcinogen; respiratory irritant. (IARC) | 82k lb | -26% |
| Bway CorpBway Holding Co | Certain glycol ethersHealth riskReproductive toxicants; some cause testicular damage and developmental harm. (EPA) | 64k lb | +17% |
Drinking water · SDWIS
Water Systems Serving Chicago
18 unresolved violations on the SDWIS record across utilities serving this city.
3
Utilities serving
2,748,526
Population served
3
Health-based · 5yr
18
Unresolved
| Water system | PWSID | Population served | Health-based · 5yr | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blackhawk Estates Llc Private | IL0317765 | 1,238 | 3 | UNRESOLVED |
| Chicago Municipal | IL0316000 | 2,746,388 | 0 | UNRESOLVED |
| Willoway Terrace Mhp Private | IL0317595 | 900 | 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.
Superfund / NPL sites
Federal Cleanup Sites In Chicago
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Acme Steel Coke Plant | NPL FINAL | No | — |
| Lake Calumet Cluster | NPL FINAL | No | 1,1-DichloroethaneHealth riskSuspected carcinogen (EPA C/likely); CNS depressant. Common at solvent-contaminated sites as a degradation intermediate. (EPA, ATSDR) |
| Schroud Property | NPL FINAL | No | — |
Equity context · ACS 2018-2022 · USEPA-clone EJ disparity
Who Lives In Chicago
Chicago, Illinois (Census place block groups): 2,721,914 residents. City disparity score for pm2.5 (fine particulate) sits moderately above the reference (148). Why we surface this →
16.9%
Low-income
67.3%
People of color
5.2%
Under age 5
13.3%
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.77above the national median
- OzoneHealth riskGround-level ozone (smog) inflames the airways. Even short exposures trigger asthma attacks and worsen chronic lung and heart disease.91in the highest 10% nationally
- 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.98in the highest 5% nationally
- 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.94in the highest 10% 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.92in the highest 10% 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.93in the highest 10% nationally
- 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.86in the highest 20% nationally
- 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.92in 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.94in the highest 10% nationally
- 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.84in the highest 20% nationally
- 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.96in the highest 5% 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.94in the highest 10% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| PM2.5 (fine particulate) | 148 | moderately above the reference |
| Ozone | 159 | well above the reference burden |
| Nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) | 181 | well above the reference burden |
| Diesel particulate | 168 | well above the reference burden |
| Toxic releases (RSEI) | 170 | well above the reference burden |
| Traffic proximity | 166 | well above the reference burden |
| Lead-paint risk (pre-1960 housing) | 154 | well above the reference burden |
| Superfund site proximity | 157 | well above the reference burden |
| RMP-facility proximity | 162 | well above the reference burden |
| Hazardous-waste site proximity | 151 | well above the reference burden |
| Underground storage tanks | 156 | well above the reference burden |
| NPDES wastewater proximity | 172 | well above the reference burden |
| Drinking-water non-compliance | 0 | well 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)
10.2%
CDC PLACES · 2025 release · BRFSS 2022-2023
COPD prevalence
5.5%
CDC PLACES · 2025 release · BRFSS 2022-2023
Coronary heart disease
4.8%
CDC PLACES · 2025 release · BRFSS 2022-2023
Diabetes (diagnosed)
12.0%
CDC PLACES · 2025 release · BRFSS 2022-2023
Frequent mental distress
16.0%
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 Illinois 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.