PM2.5 annual mean
PM2.5 annual mean in Saginaw County reached 10.1 µg/m³ in 2010, 13% above the EPA NAAQS of 9 µg/m³.
County · TRI 2024
Saginaw County, Michigan Pollution
9 top TRI facilities tracked here. PM2.5 annual mean (NAAQS 9 µg/m³ (annual)) held roughly steady year over year (—). PM2.5 annual mean (NAAQS 9 µg/m³ (annual)) volumes here are too small to anchor a multi-year trend; YoY movement is still shown above.
FIPS 26145 · population 189,821
Multi-year history not yet ingested.
Anomaly engine
Notable Signals
Total TRI releases
Total TRI releases at Saginaw County have more than halved since 2010 (through 2024).
Top facilities mapped
Where Chemicals Are Released In Saginaw County
Each red dot is one of the top TRI facilities. Size reflects 2024 total releases. County boundary outlined in blue.
Pollutant pathways
Saginaw County 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.
Single-vintage exposure modeling — EPA cadence is multi-year, so no trend line yet.
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.
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) 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 fallen 23% 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 39% since 2010.
Top facilities · 2024
Where The Chemical Releases Are Concentrated
| Facility | City | Top chemical | Total releases | YoY |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Safety-Kleen Systems Saginaw (Sag)Clean Harbors INC | Saginaw | Ethylene glycolHealth riskAcutely toxic if ingested. Metabolizes to compounds that cause kidney failure. (EPA) | 51k lb | +63% |
| Hemlock Semiconductor Operations LLCCorning INC | Hemlock | 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) | 31k lb | +77% |
| Nexteer Automotive CorpPcm US Steering Holding LLC | Saginaw | Zinc compoundsHealth riskGenerally low acute toxicity. Chronic high-dose exposure disrupts copper absorption and immune function. (ATSDR) | 20k lb | -31% |
| Advanced Micronutrient Products INC | Reese | Zinc compoundsHealth riskGenerally low acute toxicity. Chronic high-dose exposure disrupts copper absorption and immune function. (ATSDR) | 8k lb | +17% |
| Orchid Orthopedic SolutionsOrchid Mps Holdings LLC | Bridgeport | ChromiumHealth riskHexavalent chromium (Cr-VI) is an IARC Group 1 carcinogen via inhalation, causing lung cancer; trivalent chromium is far less toxic. (IARC, EPA) | 2k lb | -20% |
| Ddp Specialty Electronic Materials US 9 Llc. (Hims)Dupont De Nemours INC | Hemlock | Xylene (mixed isomers)Health riskEye, skin, and respiratory irritant; central-nervous-system effects from chronic exposure. (EPA) | 449 lb | +8% |
| Plastatech Engineering LTDHolcim Participations (Us) INC | Saginaw | Antimony And Antimony CompoundsHealth riskInhaled antimony trioxide is an IARC Group 2B possible carcinogen; respiratory and cardiovascular effects from long-term exposure. EPA MCL 6 µg/L. (IARC, EPA) | 88 lb | -1% |
| Saginaw Metal Casting OperationsGeneral Motors LLC | Saginaw | CopperHealth riskInhaled copper fumes cause metal-fume fever; chronic ingestion above EPA's 1.3 mg/L action level damages the liver. (EPA) | 58 lb | -56% |
| Porex Technologies CorpFiltration Group CORP | Saint Charles | Toluene diisocyanate (mixed isomers)Health riskSevere respiratory sensitizer; leading cause of occupational asthma; IARC Group 2B. (IARC, OSHA) | 1 lb | 0% |
Equity context · ACS 2018-2022 · USEPA-clone EJ disparity
Who Lives In Saginaw County
All block groups in Saginaw County County, MI: 189,821 residents. County disparity score for pm2.5 (fine particulate) sits well below the reference (8). Why we surface this →
18.2%
Low-income
31.7%
People of color
5.8%
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.6below the national median
- OzoneHealth riskGround-level ozone (smog) inflames the airways. Even short exposures trigger asthma attacks and worsen chronic lung and heart disease.69above 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.40near 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.25below 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.48near 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.41near 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.72above 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.51near 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.42near 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.85in the highest 20% 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.64above 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.78above the national median
| Indicator | Disparity score | Reading |
|---|---|---|
| PM2.5 (fine particulate) | 8 | well below the reference |
| Ozone | 65 | below the reference |
| Nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) | 64 | below the reference |
| Diesel particulate | 44 | well below the reference |
| Toxic releases (RSEI) | 64 | below the reference |
| Traffic proximity | 60 | below the reference |
| Lead-paint risk (pre-1960 housing) | 93 | near the reference |
| Superfund site proximity | 101 | near the reference |
| RMP-facility proximity | 58 | below the reference |
| Hazardous-waste site proximity | 56 | below the reference |
| Underground storage tanks | 88 | below the reference |
| NPDES wastewater proximity | 81 | below the reference |
| Drinking-water non-compliance | 49 | 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 county'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)
12.2%
CDC PLACES · 2025 release · BRFSS 2022-2023
COPD prevalence
9.6%
CDC PLACES · 2025 release · BRFSS 2022-2023
Coronary heart disease
8.0%
CDC PLACES · 2025 release · BRFSS 2022-2023
Diabetes (diagnosed)
14.1%
CDC PLACES · 2025 release · BRFSS 2022-2023
Frequent mental distress
18.5%
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 Michigan 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.
Browse
All 11 Saginaw County Cities With TRI Data
Pollution trends and TRI 2024 pages for every tracked city in this county. Alphabetical.
- Birch Run pollution· 0 facilities
- Bridgeport pollution· 0 facilities
- Burt pollution· 0 facilities
- Chesaning pollution· 0 facilities
- Frankenmuth pollution· 0 facilities
- Freeland pollution· 0 facilities
- Hemlock pollution· 0 facilities
- Merrill pollution· 0 facilities
- Reese pollution· 0 facilities
- Saginaw pollution· 1 facility
- St. Charles pollution· 0 facilities
Sources.
- EPA Toxics Release Inventory · retrieved 2026-05-07.
All sources are federal public-domain datasets under 17 USC §105. We aggregate but do not relabel; the underlying observations remain attributable to EPA.