City · TRI 2024

Texas City, Texas Pollution

13 TRI facilities inside the city limits and 2 public water systems serving residents. In-city TRI releases held roughly steady year over year (+5%). Toxic releases concentrations are up 33% since 2010.

FIPS 4872392 · population 53,084 · Galveston County

IN-CITY TRI RELEASES · 20102024
Bar chart of annual values from 2010 to 2024, in lb. Most recent year (2024): 11.0M.11.0M'10'12'14'16'18'20'22'2411.0M
Anomaly engine

Notable Signals

UNRESOLVED VIOLATION · SDWIS VIOLATION

Contaminant 8000

Unresolved Revised Total Coliform Rule violation cited in 2023 (contaminant 8000).

EPA SDWIS record

HEALTH-BASED · 5-YEAR WINDOW · SDWIS VIOLATION

Contaminant 8000

Revised Total Coliform Rule health-based violation cited in 2023 (contaminant 8000).

EPA SDWIS record

HEALTH-BASED · 5-YEAR WINDOW · SDWIS VIOLATION

Contaminant 5200

Phase I/II/V Inorganic Chemical Rules health-based violation cited in 2024 (contaminant 5200).

EPA SDWIS record

Pollutant pathways

Texas City Pollutant Multi-Year Trends

CRITERIA AIRSINCE 2010

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.

7.03 µg/m³ · -28% YoY · -39% since 2010

PM2.5 annual mean (NAAQS 9 µg/m³ (annual)) concentrations have fallen 39% since 2010.

CRITERIA AIRSINCE 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.

18.70 µg/m³ · -15% YoY · -45% since 2010

PM2.5 24-hour 98th percentile (NAAQS 35 µg/m³ (24-hour)) concentrations have fallen 45% since 2010.

CRITERIA AIRSINCE 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.

0.078 ppm · -4% YoY · -15% since 2010

Ozone 8-hour 4th-highest daily max (NAAQS 0.070 ppm (8-hour)) concentrations have fallen 15% since 2010.

CRITERIA AIRSINCE 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.

2.9 ppb · +7% YoY · -31% since 2010

NO₂ annual mean (NAAQS 53 ppb (annual)) concentrations have fallen 31% since 2010.

HAZARDOUS AIR2020 VINTAGE

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.

31.0 per million · 2020 vintage

Single-vintage exposure modeling — EPA cadence is multi-year, so no trend line yet.

HAZARDOUS AIR2020 VINTAGE

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.

1.51 µg/m³ · 2020 vintage

Single-vintage exposure modeling — EPA cadence is multi-year, so no trend line yet.

HAZARDOUS AIR2020 VINTAGE

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.

0.12 µg/m³ · 2020 vintage

Single-vintage exposure modeling — EPA cadence is multi-year, so no trend line yet.

TRI AIRSINCE 2010

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.

1.6M lb · +2% YoY · -9% since 2010

TRI air releases (5.1 fugitive + 5.2 stack) concentrations are roughly unchanged from 2010.

TRI WATERSINCE 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.

1.8M lb · +40% YoY · +215% since 2010

TRI water releases (5.3) concentrations have more than doubled since 2010.

TRI LANDSINCE 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.

7.6M lb · -1% YoY · +27% since 2010

TRI land + off-site releases concentrations are up 27% since 2010.

GHGSINCE 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.

110.0M metric tons CO₂e · -8% YoY · -1% since 2010

Greenhouse gases (GHGRP large emitters, through 2023) concentrations are roughly unchanged from 2010.

Top facilities · TRI 2024

Largest Emitters Inside The City

FacilityTop chemicalTotal releasesYoY
Blanchard Refining CO LLCMarathon Petroleum CORPHydrogen sulfideHealth riskAcutely toxic at high concentrations (paralyzes the olfactory nerve, then respiratory failure); chronic low-level exposure causes eye and respiratory irritation. (NIOSH)7.6M lb+12%
Isp Technologies INCAshland LLCNitrate 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)1.5M lb-28%
Valero Refining-Texas LPValero Energy CORPNitrate 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)1.5M lb+17%
Union Carbide Corp Texas City PlantDow INCPropionaldehyde101k lb+8%
Ineos Styrolution America LLCIneos Styrolution America LLCStyreneHealth riskIARC Group 2A probable carcinogen; central-nervous-system effects from inhalation. (IARC, EPA)59k lb+5%
Linde INC Texas City SmrLinde INCAmmoniaHealth riskSevere respiratory and eye irritant; high concentrations cause chemical burns to lung tissue. (EPA)46k lb+18%
Air Products Industrial Gases LLCAir Products & Chemicals INCAmmoniaHealth riskSevere respiratory and eye irritant; high concentrations cause chemical burns to lung tissue. (EPA)42k lb+59016%
Bp Amoco Chemical CompanyBp Products North America INCm-Xylene36k lb-44%
Ineos Acetyls Chemicals Texas CityIneos US Petrochem LLCMethanolHealth riskAcutely toxic if ingested or inhaled. Metabolizes to formaldehyde and formic acid, causing blindness and metabolic acidosis. (EPA)14k lb+31%
Gca Ammonia Processing PlantGulf Coast Ammonia LLCAmmoniaHealth riskSevere respiratory and eye irritant; high concentrations cause chemical burns to lung tissue. (EPA)6k lb
Drinking water · SDWIS

Water Systems Serving Texas City

1 unresolved violation on the SDWIS record across utilities serving this city.

SDWIS · 5-YR WINDOW
2

Utilities serving

SDWIS · 5-YR WINDOW
54,357

Population served

SDWIS · 5-YR WINDOW
4

Health-based · 5yr

SDWIS · 5-YR WINDOW
1

Unresolved

Water systemPWSIDPopulation servedHealth-based · 5yrStatus
City Of Texas City MunicipalTX084000854,3573UNRESOLVED
Gulf Coast Water Authority Tx City MunicipalTX084015301Returned to compliance

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 Texas City

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.

Methodology →

SiteStatusFederal facilityPrimary contaminant
Malone Service Co - Swan Lake PlantNPL FINALNo1,1,2,2-Tetrachloroethane
Tex-Tin Corp.NPL FINALNo1,2-DichloroethaneHealth riskIARC Group 2B possible carcinogen; liver and kidney toxic. EPA MCL 5 µg/L. (IARC, EPA)
Equity context · ACS 2018-2022 · USEPA-clone EJ disparity

Who Lives In Texas City

Texas City, Texas (Census place block groups): 53,084 residents. City disparity score for pm2.5 (fine particulate) sits moderately above the reference (141). Why we surface this →

POPULATION SHARE
15.4%

Low-income

POPULATION SHARE
63.0%

People of color

POPULATION SHARE
6.3%

Under age 5

POPULATION SHARE
15.3%

Over age 64

NATIONAL PERCENTILE · vs all US block groups (population-weighted; ranked against the national EJScreen indicator distribution)

  • 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.74above the national median
  • OzoneHealth riskGround-level ozone (smog) inflames the airways. Even short exposures trigger asthma attacks and worsen chronic lung and heart disease.67above 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.35below 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.40near 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.98in the highest 5% 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.34below 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.52near 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.81in the highest 20% 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.98in the highest 5% nationally
  • 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.69above 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.70above 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.79above 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.93in the highest 10% nationally
EJ disparity scores · population-weighted across city block groups (100 = national reference; higher = greater disparate burden)
IndicatorDisparity scoreReading
PM2.5 (fine particulate)141moderately above the reference
Ozone31well below the reference
Nitrogen dioxide (NO₂)68below the reference
Diesel particulate77below the reference
Toxic releases (RSEI)184well above the reference burden
Traffic proximity66below the reference
Lead-paint risk (pre-1960 housing)78below the reference
Superfund site proximity140moderately above the reference
RMP-facility proximity174well above the reference burden
Hazardous-waste site proximity126moderately above the reference
Underground storage tanks119moderately above the reference
NPDES wastewater proximity57below the reference
Drinking-water non-compliance168well above the reference burden

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)

BRFSS 2023
10.7%
+13% vs Texas mean+7% vs US mean

CDC PLACES · 2025 release · BRFSS 2022-2023

COPD prevalence

BRFSS 2023
7.3%
+21% vs Texas mean+20% vs US mean

CDC PLACES · 2025 release · BRFSS 2022-2023

Coronary heart disease

BRFSS 2023
6.6%
+8% vs Texas mean+9% vs US mean

CDC PLACES · 2025 release · BRFSS 2022-2023

Diabetes (diagnosed)

BRFSS 2023
15.0%
+10% vs Texas mean+29% vs US mean

CDC PLACES · 2025 release · BRFSS 2022-2023

Frequent mental distress

BRFSS 2023
18.6%
+13% vs Texas mean+15% vs US mean

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.