Paterson, New Jersey Pollution
6 TRI facilities inside the city limits and 0 public water systems serving residents. In-city TRI releases fell meaningfully year over year (-33%). Toxic releases concentrations have fallen 12% since 2010.
FIPS 3457000 · population 157,864 · Passaic County
Paterson 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 16% 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 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 are up 89% since 2013.
Greenhouse gases (GHGRP large emitters, through 2012)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.
Single-vintage exposure modeling — EPA cadence is multi-year, so no trend line yet.
Largest Emitters Inside The City
| Facility | Top chemical | Total releases | YoY |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crown Roll Leaf INC. | TolueneHealth riskCentral-nervous-system depressant. Chronic high exposure causes hearing loss and developmental effects. (EPA, ATSDR) | 17k lb | -33% |
| Microseal INC | TolueneHealth riskCentral-nervous-system depressant. Chronic high exposure causes hearing loss and developmental effects. (EPA, ATSDR) | 1k lb | -40% |
| Pariser Industries INC. | Certain glycol ethersHealth riskReproductive toxicants; some cause testicular damage and developmental harm. (EPA) | 1k lb | -21% |
| Little Falls Alloys | CopperHealth riskInhaled copper fumes cause metal-fume fever; chronic ingestion above EPA's 1.3 mg/L action level damages the liver. (EPA) | 23 lb | +132% |
| Okonite CO INCThe Okonite Co INC | CopperHealth riskInhaled copper fumes cause metal-fume fever; chronic ingestion above EPA's 1.3 mg/L action level damages the liver. (EPA) | 17 lb | -24% |
| Kirker Enterprises INCRpm International INC | n-Butyl alcoholHealth riskEye and respiratory irritant; high exposure causes hearing loss and central-nervous-system effects. (NIOSH) | 1 lb | — |
Who Lives In Paterson
Paterson, New Jersey (Census place block groups): 157,864 residents. City disparity score for pm2.5 (fine particulate) sits moderately above the reference (112). Why we surface this →
Low-income
People of color
Under age 5
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.42near the national median
- OzoneHealth riskGround-level ozone (smog) inflames the airways. Even short exposures trigger asthma attacks and worsen chronic lung and heart disease.53near 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.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.91in 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.80in 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.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.94in 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.49near 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.90in 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.66above 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.90in the highest 10% nationally
| Indicator | Disparity score | Reading |
|---|---|---|
| PM2.5 (fine particulate) | 112 | moderately above the reference |
| Ozone | 137 | moderately above the reference |
| Nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) | 251 | severely above the reference burden |
| Diesel particulate | 234 | severely above the reference burden |
| Toxic releases (RSEI) | 165 | well above the reference burden |
| Traffic proximity | 202 | severely above the reference burden |
| Lead-paint risk (pre-1960 housing) | 207 | severely above the reference burden |
| Superfund site proximity | 241 | severely above the reference burden |
| RMP-facility proximity | 126 | moderately above the reference |
| Hazardous-waste site proximity | 230 | severely above the reference burden |
| Underground storage tanks | 251 | severely above the reference burden |
| NPDES wastewater proximity | 169 | well above the reference burden |
| Drinking-water non-compliance | 228 | severely above the reference burden |
Source: Census ACS 2018-2022 (5-year) + USEPA-clone EJ blockgroup stats (raw indicators + EJ disparity mirror).
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)
CDC PLACES · 2025 release · BRFSS 2022-2023
COPD prevalence
CDC PLACES · 2025 release · BRFSS 2022-2023
Coronary heart disease
CDC PLACES · 2025 release · BRFSS 2022-2023
Diabetes (diagnosed)
CDC PLACES · 2025 release · BRFSS 2022-2023
Frequent mental distress
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.