Contaminant 5000
Unresolved Phase I/II/V Inorganic Chemical Rules violation cited in 2022 (contaminant 5000).
City · TRI 2024
Newark, New Jersey Pollution
12 TRI facilities inside the city limits and 1 public water system serving residents. In-city TRI releases more than doubled year over year (+120%). Toxic releases concentrations have more than halved since 2010.
FIPS 3451000 · population 307,355 · Essex County
Anomaly engine
Notable Signals
Contaminant 5000
Phase I/II/V Inorganic Chemical Rules health-based violation cited in 2022 (contaminant 5000).
Total TRI releases
Total TRI releases at Newark have more than halved since 2010 (through 2024).
Pollutant pathways
Newark 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 have fallen 22% since 2011.
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 more than halved 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 44% 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 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 have fallen 24% since 2010.
Top facilities · TRI 2024
Largest Emitters Inside The City
| Facility | Top chemical | Total releases | YoY |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chem Fluer/Firmenich INC | MethanolHealth riskAcutely toxic if ingested or inhaled. Metabolizes to formaldehyde and formic acid, causing blindness and metabolic acidosis. (EPA) | 177k lb | +158% |
| Amrod Corp | CopperHealth riskInhaled copper fumes cause metal-fume fever; chronic ingestion above EPA's 1.3 mg/L action level damages the liver. (EPA) | 9k lb | +2% |
| Aak USA INC Port NewarkAarhuskarlshamn USA | Nickel And Nickel CompoundsHealth riskNickel compounds are IARC Group 1 carcinogens; inhalation exposure raises lung and nasal cancer risk. (IARC) | 4k lb | -27% |
| Shell Oil Products US Newark TerminalShell Petroleum INC | Xylene (mixed isomers)Health riskEye, skin, and respiratory irritant; central-nervous-system effects from chronic exposure. (EPA) | 3k lb | +38% |
| Benjamin Moore & Co-NewarkBerkshire Hathaway INC | Zinc compoundsHealth riskGenerally low acute toxicity. Chronic high-dose exposure disrupts copper absorption and immune function. (ATSDR) | 2k lb | +37% |
| Cwc Industries INC | TolueneHealth riskCentral-nervous-system depressant. Chronic high exposure causes hearing loss and developmental effects. (EPA, ATSDR) | 885 lb | +3% |
| Doremus Terminal LLC | Methyl acrylate | 538 lb | +6% |
| Troy Chemical CorpTable Parent INC | MethanolHealth riskAcutely toxic if ingested or inhaled. Metabolizes to formaldehyde and formic acid, causing blindness and metabolic acidosis. (EPA) | 328 lb | -79% |
| Federal Bronze Casting Industry INC | CopperHealth riskInhaled copper fumes cause metal-fume fever; chronic ingestion above EPA's 1.3 mg/L action level damages the liver. (EPA) | 238 lb | -0% |
| New Jersey Galvanizing & Tinning Works | Zinc (fume or dust)Health riskGenerally low acute toxicity. Chronic high-dose exposure disrupts copper absorption and immune function. (ATSDR) | 43 lb | -7% |
Drinking water · SDWIS
Water Systems Serving Newark
1 unresolved violation on the SDWIS record across utilities serving this city.
1
Utilities serving
294,274
Population served
6
Health-based · 5yr
1
Unresolved
| Water system | PWSID | Population served | Health-based · 5yr | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Newark Water Department Municipal | NJ0714001 | 294,274 | 6 | 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 Newark
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diamond Alkali Co. | NPL FINAL | No | BenzeneHealth riskIARC Group 1 carcinogen. Long-term inhalation causes leukemia and bone-marrow disorders. (IARC, EPA) |
| Pierson'S Creek | NPL FINAL | No | — |
| Riverside Industrial Park | NPL FINAL | No | 1,4-DioxaneHealth riskIARC Group 2B possible carcinogen; persistent in groundwater, resists conventional treatment. EPA HRL 0.35 µg/L (10⁻⁶ cancer risk). (IARC, EPA) |
| White Chemical Corp. | NPL FINAL | No | 1,1,1-TrichloroethaneHealth riskMethyl chloroform. CNS depressant; ozone-depleting substance phased out under Montreal Protocol. EPA MCL 200 µg/L. (EPA, ATSDR) |
Equity context · ACS 2018-2022 · USEPA-clone EJ disparity
Who Lives In Newark
Newark, New Jersey (Census place block groups): 307,355 residents. City disparity score for pm2.5 (fine particulate) sits moderately above the reference (127). Why we surface this →
24.4%
Low-income
90.6%
People of color
6.6%
Under age 5
10.9%
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.48near the national median
- OzoneHealth riskGround-level ozone (smog) inflames the airways. Even short exposures trigger asthma attacks and worsen chronic lung and heart disease.58near 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.96in 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.65above 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.85in the highest 20% 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.74above 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.98in 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.71above 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.93in the highest 10% 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.100in 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.67above 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
| Indicator | Disparity score | Reading |
|---|---|---|
| PM2.5 (fine particulate) | 127 | moderately above the reference |
| Ozone | 133 | moderately above the reference |
| Nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) | 245 | severely above the reference burden |
| Diesel particulate | 243 | severely above the reference burden |
| Toxic releases (RSEI) | 162 | well above the reference burden |
| Traffic proximity | 216 | severely above the reference burden |
| Lead-paint risk (pre-1960 housing) | 167 | well above the reference burden |
| Superfund site proximity | 250 | severely above the reference burden |
| RMP-facility proximity | 170 | well above the reference burden |
| Hazardous-waste site proximity | 235 | severely above the reference burden |
| Underground storage tanks | 250 | severely above the reference burden |
| NPDES wastewater proximity | 153 | well above the reference burden |
| Drinking-water non-compliance | 3 | 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)
11.0%
CDC PLACES · 2025 release · BRFSS 2022-2023
COPD prevalence
7.1%
CDC PLACES · 2025 release · BRFSS 2022-2023
Coronary heart disease
6.0%
CDC PLACES · 2025 release · BRFSS 2022-2023
Diabetes (diagnosed)
14.6%
CDC PLACES · 2025 release · BRFSS 2022-2023
Frequent mental distress
20.0%
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 New Jersey 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.