Total TRI releases
Total TRI releases at Lackawanna County have more than three-quarters since 2010 (through 2024).
County · TRI 2024
Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania Pollution
8 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 fallen 47% since 2010.
FIPS 42069 · population 215,672
Anomaly engine
Notable Signals
Top facilities mapped
Where Chemicals Are Released In Lackawanna County
Each red dot is one of the top TRI facilities. Size reflects 2024 total releases. County boundary outlined in blue.
Pollutant pathways
Lackawanna 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 fallen 47% 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 37% 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 17% since 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 36% 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 26% 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 more than doubled since 2010.
Top facilities · 2024
Where The Chemical Releases Are Concentrated
| Facility | City | Top chemical | Total releases | YoY |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alleima USA LLCAlleima USA LLC | Clarks Summit | Nitric acidHealth riskStrong corrosive irritant to skin, eyes, and the respiratory tract. (NIOSH) | 17k lb | -61% |
| Canpack USGiorgi Global Holdings INC | Olyphant | Certain glycol ethersHealth riskReproductive toxicants; some cause testicular damage and developmental harm. (EPA) | 14k lb | +331% |
| Houghton Chemical CorpHoughton Chemical CORP | Scranton | Ethylene glycolHealth riskAcutely toxic if ingested. Metabolizes to compounds that cause kidney failure. (EPA) | 6k lb | +168% |
| United Gilsonite LaboratoriesSika CORP | Dunmore | Certain glycol ethersHealth riskReproductive toxicants; some cause testicular damage and developmental harm. (EPA) | 4k lb | — |
| Mitsubishi Chemical Advanced MaterialsMitsubishi Chemical America INC | Scranton | Zinc compoundsHealth riskGenerally low acute toxicity. Chronic high-dose exposure disrupts copper absorption and immune function. (ATSDR) | 593 lb | -21% |
| Fxi INC. - ArchbaldFxi INC | Archbald | Toluene diisocyanate (mixed isomers)Health riskSevere respiratory sensitizer; leading cause of occupational asthma; IARC Group 2B. (IARC, OSHA) | 466 lb | -4% |
| U.S. Army Scranton Army Ammunition PlantUS Department Of Defense | Scranton | CopperHealth riskInhaled copper fumes cause metal-fume fever; chronic ingestion above EPA's 1.3 mg/L action level damages the liver. (EPA) | 322 lb | +13% |
| Lockheed Martin - ArchbaldLockheed Martin CORP | Archbald | LeadHealth riskNeurotoxin. Even low childhood exposure impairs cognitive development; chronic adult exposure damages kidneys and the cardiovascular system. (EPA, ATSDR) | 8 lb | 0% |
Superfund / NPL sites
Federal Cleanup Sites In Lackawanna 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aladdin Plating | Chinchilla | DELETED | 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) |
| Lackawanna Refuse | Old Forge | DELETED | No | AcetoneHealth riskLow chronic toxicity; high acute exposure causes CNS depression and respiratory irritation. (EPA, NIOSH) |
| Lehigh Electric & Engineering Co. | Old Forge | DELETED | No | Polychlorinated Biphenyls (Pcbs)Health riskPCBs. IARC Group 1 carcinogen; immune, reproductive, and neurological effects; bioaccumulate in fish and breast milk. Banned in 1979; persist as legacy contamination. (IARC, EPA) |
| Taylor Borough Dump | Taylor | DELETED | No | 1,4-DichlorobenzeneHealth riskIARC Group 2B possible carcinogen; common in mothballs and air fresheners. EPA MCL 75 µg/L. (IARC, EPA) |
Equity context · ACS 2018-2022 · USEPA-clone EJ disparity
Who Lives In Lackawanna County
All block groups in Lackawanna County County, PA: 215,672 residents. County disparity score for pm2.5 (fine particulate) sits well below the reference (23). Why we surface this →
13.0%
Low-income
18.1%
People of color
5.4%
Under age 5
20.0%
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.21below the national median
- OzoneHealth riskGround-level ozone (smog) inflames the airways. Even short exposures trigger asthma attacks and worsen chronic lung and heart disease.17below 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.37below 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.32below 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.59near 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.50near 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.56near the national median
- 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.59near 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.33below 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.73above 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.85in 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.77above the national median
| Indicator | Disparity score | Reading |
|---|---|---|
| PM2.5 (fine particulate) | 23 | well below the reference |
| Ozone | 46 | well below the reference |
| Nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) | 43 | well below the reference |
| Diesel particulate | 36 | well below the reference |
| Toxic releases (RSEI) | 34 | well below the reference |
| Traffic proximity | 50 | well below the reference |
| Lead-paint risk (pre-1960 housing) | 77 | below the reference |
| Superfund site proximity | 0 | well below the reference |
| RMP-facility proximity | 57 | below the reference |
| Hazardous-waste site proximity | 33 | well below the reference |
| Underground storage tanks | 64 | below the reference |
| NPDES wastewater proximity | 73 | below the reference |
| Drinking-water non-compliance | 5 | well below the reference |
Source: Census ACS 2018-2022 (5-year) + USEPA-clone EJ blockgroup stats (raw indicators + EJ disparity mirror).
Browse
All 7 Lackawanna County Cities With TRI Data
Pollution trends and TRI 2024 pages for every tracked city in this county. Alphabetical.
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.