Thallium
Unresolved Lead and Copper Rule violation cited in 2025 (thallium).
City · TRI 2024
East Helena, Montana Pollution
1 TRI facilities inside the city limits and 18 public water systems serving residents. In-city TRI releases rose meaningfully year over year (+15%). Toxic releases concentrations are roughly unchanged from 2010.
FIPS 3023125 · population 1,829 · Lewis and Clark County
Anomaly engine
Notable Signals
Thallium
Unresolved Lead and Copper Rule violation cited in 2025 (thallium).
Contaminant 8000
Unresolved Revised Total Coliform Rule violation cited in 2024 (contaminant 8000).
Contaminant 8000
Unresolved Revised Total Coliform Rule violation cited in 2024 (contaminant 8000).
Showing the 4 most editorially weighted signals out of 10. Lower-severity signals fold into the chemical breakdown and history charts below.
Pollutant pathways
East Helena 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 37% 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 38% 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 up 18% since 2011.
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 are roughly unchanged from 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 volumes here are too small to anchor a multi-year trend; YoY movement is still shown above.
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 49% since 2010.
Top facilities · TRI 2024
Largest Emitters Inside The City
| Facility | Top chemical | Total releases | YoY |
|---|---|---|---|
| American Chemet CorpAmerican Chemet CORP | Copper And Copper CompoundsHealth riskInhaled copper fumes cause metal-fume fever; chronic ingestion above EPA's 1.3 mg/L action level damages the liver. (EPA) | 14k lb | +15% |
Drinking water · SDWIS
Water Systems Serving East Helena
50 unresolved violations on the SDWIS record across utilities serving this city.
18
Utilities serving
6,797
Population served
11
Health-based · 5yr
50
Unresolved
| Water system | PWSID | Population served | Health-based · 5yr | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Broadwater Estates Hoa Private | MT0004697 | 40 | 5 | UNRESOLVED |
| Mcdonald Trailer Ct Private | MT0000402 | 75 | 2 | UNRESOLVED |
| East Helena City Of Municipal | MT0000196 | 2,114 | 1 | UNRESOLVED |
| Bahny Brae Subdivision Private | MT0003196 | 35 | 1 | UNRESOLVED |
| Skyview Water And Sewer Utility Private | MT0004039 | 400 | 2 | Returned to compliance |
Showing the 5 systems with recorded health-based or unresolved violations. 13 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.
Superfund / NPL sites
Federal Cleanup Sites In East Helena
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| East Helena Site | NPL FINAL | No | LeadHealth riskNeurotoxin. Even low childhood exposure impairs cognitive development; chronic adult exposure damages kidneys and the cardiovascular system. (EPA, ATSDR) |
Equity context · ACS 2018-2022 · USEPA-clone EJ disparity
Who Lives In East Helena
East Helena, Montana (Census place block groups): 1,829 residents. City disparity score for pm2.5 (fine particulate) sits well below the reference (3). Why we surface this →
11.3%
Low-income
12.2%
People of color
2.5%
Under age 5
15.0%
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.2below the national median
- OzoneHealth riskGround-level ozone (smog) inflames the airways. Even short exposures trigger asthma attacks and worsen chronic lung and heart disease.18below 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.76above 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.14below 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.20below 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.24below 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.65above 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.99in the highest 5% 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.42near 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.51near 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.75above 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.91in 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.92in the highest 10% nationally
| Indicator | Disparity score | Reading |
|---|---|---|
| PM2.5 (fine particulate) | 3 | well below the reference |
| Ozone | 87 | below the reference |
| Nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) | 97 | near the reference |
| Diesel particulate | 21 | well below the reference |
| Toxic releases (RSEI) | 26 | well below the reference |
| Traffic proximity | 34 | well below the reference |
| Lead-paint risk (pre-1960 housing) | 70 | below the reference |
| Superfund site proximity | 129 | moderately above the reference |
| RMP-facility proximity | 54 | below the reference |
| Hazardous-waste site proximity | 66 | below the reference |
| Underground storage tanks | 93 | near the reference |
| NPDES wastewater proximity | 117 | moderately above the reference |
| Drinking-water non-compliance | 117 | moderately above 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)
12.2%
CDC PLACES · 2025 release · BRFSS 2022-2023
COPD prevalence
7.2%
CDC PLACES · 2025 release · BRFSS 2022-2023
Coronary heart disease
6.0%
CDC PLACES · 2025 release · BRFSS 2022-2023
Diabetes (diagnosed)
9.6%
CDC PLACES · 2025 release · BRFSS 2022-2023
Frequent mental distress
19.0%
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 Montana 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.