Ozone 8-hour 4th-highest daily max
Ozone 8-hour 4th-highest daily max in Bergen County reached 0.078 ppm in 2024, 11% above the EPA NAAQS of 0.07 ppm.
County · TRI 2024
Bergen County, New Jersey Pollution
10 top TRI facilities tracked here. PM2.5 annual mean (NAAQS 9 µg/m³ (annual)) fell meaningfully year over year (-28%). PM2.5 annual mean (NAAQS 9 µg/m³ (annual)) concentrations have more than halved since 2010.
FIPS 34003 · population 953,243
Anomaly engine
Notable Signals
Top facilities mapped
Where Chemicals Are Released In Bergen County
Each red dot is one of the top TRI facilities. Size reflects 2024 total releases. County boundary outlined in blue.
Pollutant pathways
Bergen 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.
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 11% since 2014.
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 92% 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 more than halved since 2010.
Top facilities · 2024
Where The Chemical Releases Are Concentrated
| Facility | City | Top chemical | Total releases | YoY |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Givaudan Flavors CorpGivaudan US INC | South Hackensack | MethanolHealth riskAcutely toxic if ingested or inhaled. Metabolizes to formaldehyde and formic acid, causing blindness and metabolic acidosis. (EPA) | 65k lb | +19% |
| Architectural Window Manufacturing Corp | Rutherford | Xylene (mixed isomers)Health riskEye, skin, and respiratory irritant; central-nervous-system effects from chronic exposure. (EPA) | 41k lb | +45% |
| Bergen Generating StationArclight Energy Partners | Ridgefield | AmmoniaHealth riskSevere respiratory and eye irritant; high concentrations cause chemical burns to lung tissue. (EPA) | 15k lb | -13% |
| A. Zerega'S Sons INC.Winland Foods INC | Fair Lawn | Sulfuryl fluorideHealth riskAcutely toxic by inhalation; potent greenhouse gas. (EPA) | 14k lb | -14% |
| Stryker OrthopaedicsStryker CORP | Mahwah | Cobalt | 10k lb | -48% |
| Potters Industries LLCPotters Intermediate Holdings LP | Carlstadt | 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) | 9k lb | +123% |
| Biazzo Dairy Products INC. | Ridgefield | 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) | 6k lb | -25% |
| Fisher Scientific CO L.L. C.Thermo Fisher Scientific INC | Fair Lawn | DichloromethaneHealth riskIARC Group 2A probable carcinogen; central-nervous-system depressant; banned for most consumer paint-stripper uses. (IARC, EPA) | 3k lb | -16% |
| Houghton Chemical CorpHoughton Chemical CORP | Carlstadt | Ethylene glycolHealth riskAcutely toxic if ingested. Metabolizes to compounds that cause kidney failure. (EPA) | 3k lb | +49% |
| Polyurethane Specialties Co.In C.Polyurethane CORP Of America | Lyndhurst | Ethylene glycolHealth riskAcutely toxic if ingested. Metabolizes to compounds that cause kidney failure. (EPA) | 2k lb | +6% |
Superfund / NPL sites
Federal Cleanup Sites In Bergen County
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 | City | Status | Federal facility | Primary contaminant |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Curcio Scrap Metal, Inc. | Saddle Brook Twp | NPL FINAL | No | AntimonyHealth 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) |
| Fair Lawn Well Field | Fair Lawn | 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) |
| Garfield Ground Water Contamination | Garfield | NPL FINAL | No | ChromiumHealth riskHexavalent chromium (Cr-VI) is an IARC Group 1 carcinogen via inhalation, causing lung cancer; trivalent chromium is far less toxic. (IARC, EPA) |
| Lower Hackensack River | East Rutherford | NPL FINAL | No | — |
| Maywood Chemical Co. | Maywood | NPL FINAL | No | ArsenicHealth riskIARC Group 1 carcinogen via inhalation and ingestion. EPA MCL 10 µg/L; chronic exposure causes skin, lung, bladder cancer and cardiovascular disease. (IARC, EPA, ATSDR) |
| Quanta Resources | Edgewater | NPL FINAL | No | Benzo[A]PyreneHealth riskPAH; IARC Group 1 carcinogen; the prototypical PAH used to benchmark PAH-mixture cancer risk. EPA MCL 0.2 µg/L. (IARC, EPA) |
| Scientific Chemical Processing | East Rutherford | NPL FINAL | No | 1,2-DichloroethaneHealth riskIARC Group 2B possible carcinogen; liver and kidney toxic. EPA MCL 5 µg/L. (IARC, EPA) |
| Universal Oil Products (Chemical Division) | East Rutherford | NPL FINAL | No | 1,1,2,2-Tetrachloroethane |
| Ventron/Velsicol | Wood-Ridge | NPL FINAL | No | ArsenicHealth riskIARC Group 1 carcinogen via inhalation and ingestion. EPA MCL 10 µg/L; chronic exposure causes skin, lung, bladder cancer and cardiovascular disease. (IARC, EPA, ATSDR) |
| Industrial Latex Corp. | Wallington | DELETED | No | 1,1,1-TrichloroethaneHealth riskMethyl chloroform. CNS depressant; ozone-depleting substance phased out under Montreal Protocol. EPA MCL 200 µg/L. (EPA, ATSDR) |
Showing the top 10 sites by status priority. 2 additional NPL-relevant sites in Bergen County have entity pages — browse them via the host-county or host-city page rollups.
Equity context · ACS 2018-2022 · USEPA-clone EJ disparity
Who Lives In Bergen County
All block groups in Bergen County County, NJ: 953,243 residents. County disparity score for pm2.5 (fine particulate) sits below the reference (57). Why we surface this →
6.8%
Low-income
46.6%
People of color
5.5%
Under age 5
17.5%
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.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.61above 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.89in the highest 20% 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.92in 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.58near 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.80above 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.81in 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.97in 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.39below 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.85in 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.86in the highest 20% 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.89in the highest 20% nationally
| Indicator | Disparity score | Reading |
|---|---|---|
| PM2.5 (fine particulate) | 57 | below the reference |
| Ozone | 62 | below the reference |
| Nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) | 96 | near the reference |
| Diesel particulate | 100 | near the reference |
| Toxic releases (RSEI) | 58 | below the reference |
| Traffic proximity | 86 | below the reference |
| Lead-paint risk (pre-1960 housing) | 80 | below the reference |
| Superfund site proximity | 101 | near the reference |
| RMP-facility proximity | 38 | well below the reference |
| Hazardous-waste site proximity | 90 | below the reference |
| Underground storage tanks | 94 | near the reference |
| NPDES wastewater proximity | 69 | below the reference |
| Drinking-water non-compliance | 24 | 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)
8.0%
CDC PLACES · 2025 release · BRFSS 2022-2023
COPD prevalence
4.4%
CDC PLACES · 2025 release · BRFSS 2022-2023
Coronary heart disease
5.2%
CDC PLACES · 2025 release · BRFSS 2022-2023
Diabetes (diagnosed)
9.7%
CDC PLACES · 2025 release · BRFSS 2022-2023
Frequent mental distress
13.6%
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.
Browse
All 19 Bergen County Cities With TRI Data
Pollution trends and TRI 2024 pages for every tracked city in this county. Alphabetical.
- Carlstadt pollution· 3 facilities
- Elmwood Park pollution· 1 facility
- Fair Lawn pollution· 3 facilities
- Garfield pollution· 0 facilities
- Haworth pollution· 0 facilities
- Leonia pollution· 1 facility
- Little Ferry pollution· 1 facility
- Lodi pollution· 1 facility
- Maywood pollution· 1 facility
- Moonachie pollution· 1 facility
- Norwood pollution· 1 facility
- Oakland pollution· 0 facilities
- Park Ridge pollution· 0 facilities
- Ramsey pollution· 0 facilities
- Ridgefield pollution· 3 facilities
- Ridgewood pollution· 0 facilities
- Rutherford pollution· 1 facility
- Waldwick pollution· 0 facilities
- Wallington 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.