PM2.5 annual mean
PM2.5 annual mean in El Paso County reached 10.8 µg/m³ in 2024, 20% above the EPA NAAQS of 9 µg/m³.
County · TRI 2024
El Paso County, Texas Pollution
10 top TRI facilities tracked here. PM2.5 annual mean (NAAQS 9 µg/m³ (annual)) rose meaningfully year over year (+23%). PM2.5 annual mean (NAAQS 9 µg/m³ (annual)) concentrations are roughly unchanged from 2010.
FIPS 48141 · population 863,832
Anomaly engine
Notable Signals
Ozone 8-hour 4th-highest daily max
Ozone 8-hour 4th-highest daily max in El Paso County reached 0.074 ppm in 2024, 5% above the EPA NAAQS of 0.07 ppm.
Top facilities mapped
Where Chemicals Are Released In El Paso County
Each red dot is one of the top TRI facilities. Size reflects 2024 total releases. County boundary outlined in blue.
Pollutant pathways
El Paso 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 are roughly unchanged from 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 23% 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 23% 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 15% 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Phelps Dodge Copper Products COFreeport-Mcmoran INC | El Paso | Selenium compounds | 272k lb | -9% |
| US Army 1St Armored Div & Fort Bliss RangesUS Department Of Defense | Fort Bliss | CopperHealth riskInhaled copper fumes cause metal-fume fever; chronic ingestion above EPA's 1.3 mg/L action level damages the liver. (EPA) | 200k lb | -20% |
| Western El Paso RefineryMarathon Petroleum CORP | El Paso | Hydrogen cyanideHealth riskAcutely lethal at high doses by blocking cellular respiration; chronic low-dose exposure damages the thyroid and nervous system. (EPA, ATSDR) | 145k lb | -2% |
| Eagle Family Foods Group LLC | El Paso | 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) | 145k lb | +6% |
| Southwire CO - El PasoSouthwire Co | El Paso | Antimony compoundsHealth 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) | 32k lb | +23% |
| Air System Components INCAir Distribution Technologies INC | El Paso | Certain glycol ethersHealth riskReproductive toxicants; some cause testicular damage and developmental harm. (EPA) | 8k lb | -24% |
| Global Alternative Fuels LLC | El Paso | MethanolHealth riskAcutely toxic if ingested or inhaled. Metabolizes to formaldehyde and formic acid, causing blindness and metabolic acidosis. (EPA) | 7k lb | -4% |
| Dal-Tile El Paso ManufacturingMohawk Industries INC | El Paso | Hydrogen fluoride | 3k lb | -37% |
| Nexpera - Borderland SarNexpera LLC | El Paso | Sulfuric acid (acid aerosols including mists, vapors, gas, fog, and other airborne forms of any particle size)Health riskAcid mists are an IARC Group 1 carcinogen via inhalation (laryngeal cancer) and corrosive on contact. (IARC) | 2k lb | -25% |
| Msd LLC | El Paso | LeadHealth riskNeurotoxin. Even low childhood exposure impairs cognitive development; chronic adult exposure damages kidneys and the cardiovascular system. (EPA, ATSDR) | 2k lb | — |
Equity context · ACS 2018-2022 · USEPA-clone EJ disparity
Who Lives In El Paso County
All block groups in El Paso County County, TX: 863,832 residents. County disparity score for pm2.5 (fine particulate) sits near the reference (93). Why we surface this →
19.5%
Low-income
88.8%
People of color
7.0%
Under age 5
12.5%
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.36below the national median
- OzoneHealth riskGround-level ozone (smog) inflames the airways. Even short exposures trigger asthma attacks and worsen chronic lung and heart disease.84in the highest 20% nationally
- 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.85in 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.45near 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.29below 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.56near 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.49near 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.81in the highest 20% 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.42near 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.64above 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.55near 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.77above the national median
| Indicator | Disparity score | Reading |
|---|---|---|
| PM2.5 (fine particulate) | 93 | near the reference |
| Ozone | 228 | severely above the reference burden |
| Nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) | 191 | well above the reference burden |
| Diesel particulate | 110 | near the reference |
| Toxic releases (RSEI) | 56 | below the reference |
| Traffic proximity | 128 | moderately above the reference |
| Lead-paint risk (pre-1960 housing) | 72 | below the reference |
| Superfund site proximity | 0 | well below the reference |
| RMP-facility proximity | 178 | well above the reference burden |
| Hazardous-waste site proximity | 88 | below the reference |
| Underground storage tanks | 125 | moderately above the reference |
| NPDES wastewater proximity | 84 | below the reference |
| Drinking-water non-compliance | 3 | 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)
8.6%
CDC PLACES · 2025 release · BRFSS 2022-2023
COPD prevalence
4.9%
CDC PLACES · 2025 release · BRFSS 2022-2023
Coronary heart disease
5.8%
CDC PLACES · 2025 release · BRFSS 2022-2023
Diabetes (diagnosed)
15.4%
CDC PLACES · 2025 release · BRFSS 2022-2023
Frequent mental distress
17.5%
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.
Browse
All 9 El Paso 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.