Contaminant 7000
Unresolved Phase I/II/V Synthetic Organic Chemical Rules violation cited in 2025 (contaminant 7000).
City · TRI 2024
Corpus Christi, Texas Pollution
11 TRI facilities inside the city limits and 2 public water systems serving residents. In-city TRI releases fell meaningfully year over year (-31%). Toxic releases concentrations have more than doubled since 2010.
FIPS 4817000 · population 317,804 · Nueces County
Anomaly engine
Notable Signals
Total TRI releases
Total TRI releases at Corpus Christi have more than doubled since 2010 (through 2024).
Contaminant 0300
Long Term 1 Enhanced SWTR health-based violation cited in 2021 (contaminant 0300).
Contaminant 0300
Long Term 1 Enhanced SWTR health-based violation cited in 2021 (contaminant 0300).
Pollutant pathways
Corpus Christi 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 11% 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 are up 35% 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 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 doubled 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) concentrations have more than doubled since 2010.
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 96% 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 · TRI 2024
Largest Emitters Inside The City
| Facility | Top chemical | Total releases | YoY |
|---|---|---|---|
| Citgo Refining & Chemicals CO LP East PlantPdv Holding INC | Hydrogen cyanideHealth riskAcutely lethal at high doses by blocking cellular respiration; chronic low-dose exposure damages the thyroid and nervous system. (EPA, ATSDR) | 1.3M lb | -39% |
| Flint Hills Resources Corpus Christi LLC - East PlantKoch INC | 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) | 262k lb | +6% |
| Equistar Chemicals LPLyondellbasell Finance Co | EthyleneHealth riskSimple asphyxiant at high concentrations; precursor to many polymers; low direct toxicity. (NIOSH) | 220k lb | -19% |
| US Navy Naval Air Station Corpus ChristiUS Department Of Defense | 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) | 88k lb | +56% |
| Javelina COHoward Energy Partners | EthyleneHealth riskSimple asphyxiant at high concentrations; precursor to many polymers; low direct toxicity. (NIOSH) | 30k lb | -51% |
| Magellan Processing L.P.Oneok INC | MethanolHealth riskAcutely toxic if ingested or inhaled. Metabolizes to formaldehyde and formic acid, causing blindness and metabolic acidosis. (EPA) | 23k lb | -6% |
| Majek Boat Works | StyreneHealth riskIARC Group 2A probable carcinogen; central-nervous-system effects from inhalation. (IARC, EPA) | 19k lb | -2% |
| Citgo Refining & Chemicals CO Lp-Deep Sea TerminalPdv Holding INC | n-HexaneHealth riskPeripheral neurotoxin. Chronic exposure causes numbness and paralysis in the extremities. (ATSDR) | 2k lb | -91% |
| Univar Solutions USAUnivar Solutions USA INC | Ethylene glycolHealth riskAcutely toxic if ingested. Metabolizes to compounds that cause kidney failure. (EPA) | 1k lb | — |
| Hep Javelina Smr LLCHoward Energy Partners | AmmoniaHealth riskSevere respiratory and eye irritant; high concentrations cause chemical burns to lung tissue. (EPA) | 442 lb | -32% |
Drinking water · SDWIS
Water Systems Serving Corpus Christi
1 unresolved violation on the SDWIS record across utilities serving this city.
2
Utilities serving
325,435
Population served
6
Health-based · 5yr
1
Unresolved
| Water system | PWSID | Population served | Health-based · 5yr | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| City Of Corpus Christi Municipal | TX1780003 | 318,387 | 6 | Returned to compliance |
| Corpus Christi Naval Air Station Federal | TX1780017 | 7,048 | 0 | 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 Corpus Christi
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brine Service Company | NPL FINAL | No | 3-Methylphenol (M-Cresol) |
Equity context · ACS 2018-2022 · USEPA-clone EJ disparity
Who Lives In Corpus Christi
Corpus Christi, Texas (Census place block groups): 317,804 residents. City disparity score for pm2.5 (fine particulate) sits well above the reference burden (162). Why we surface this →
17.3%
Low-income
71.9%
People of color
6.9%
Under age 5
14.5%
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.81in the highest 20% nationally
- OzoneHealth riskGround-level ozone (smog) inflames the airways. Even short exposures trigger asthma attacks and worsen chronic lung and heart disease.51near 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.74above 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.21below 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.85in the highest 20% nationally
- 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.52near 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.61above 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.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.73above 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.52near 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.29below 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) | 162 | well above the reference burden |
| Ozone | 12 | well below the reference |
| Nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) | 146 | moderately above the reference |
| Diesel particulate | 49 | well below the reference |
| Toxic releases (RSEI) | 159 | well above the reference burden |
| Traffic proximity | 103 | near the reference |
| Lead-paint risk (pre-1960 housing) | 92 | near the reference |
| Superfund site proximity | 35 | well below the reference |
| RMP-facility proximity | 96 | near the reference |
| Hazardous-waste site proximity | 101 | near the reference |
| Underground storage tanks | 129 | moderately above the reference |
| NPDES wastewater proximity | 56 | below the reference |
| Drinking-water non-compliance | 0 | 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)
9.5%
CDC PLACES · 2025 release · BRFSS 2022-2023
COPD prevalence
6.2%
CDC PLACES · 2025 release · BRFSS 2022-2023
Coronary heart disease
6.5%
CDC PLACES · 2025 release · BRFSS 2022-2023
Diabetes (diagnosed)
15.9%
CDC PLACES · 2025 release · BRFSS 2022-2023
Frequent mental distress
16.8%
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 Texas 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.