County · TRI 2024

Caroline County, Virginia Pollution

3 top TRI facilities tracked here. Ozone 8-hour 4th-highest daily max (NAAQS 0.070 ppm (8-hour)) fell meaningfully year over year (-17%). Ozone 8-hour 4th-highest daily max (NAAQS 0.070 ppm (8-hour)) concentrations have fallen 31% since 2010.

FIPS 51033 · population 31,181

OZONE 8-HOUR 4TH-HIGHEST DAILY MAX (NAAQS 0.070 PPM (8-HOUR)) · 20102024
Bar chart of annual values from 2010 to 2024, in ppm. Most recent year (2024): 0 ppm.0 ppm'10'12'14'16'18'20'22'240 ppm
Anomaly engine

Notable Signals

LONG-ARC IMPROVEMENT · LONG-ARC SHIFT

Total TRI releases

Total TRI releases at Caroline County have more than halved since 2010 (through 2024).

Top facilities mapped

Where Chemicals Are Released In Caroline County

Each red dot is one of the top TRI facilities. Size reflects 2024 total releases. County boundary outlined in blue.

STYLE3 TRI facilities · Caroline County
Pollutant pathways

Caroline County Pollutant Multi-Year Trends

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.

0.054 ppm · -17% YoY · -31% since 2010

Ozone 8-hour 4th-highest daily max (NAAQS 0.070 ppm (8-hour)) concentrations have fallen 31% 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.

2.3 ppb · +2% YoY · -79% since 2010

NO₂ annual mean (NAAQS 53 ppb (annual)) concentrations have more than halved 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.

30.3 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.

1.59 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.

0.14 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.

94 lb · -26% YoY · since 2010

TRI air releases (5.1 fugitive + 5.2 stack) volumes here are too small to anchor a multi-year trend; YoY movement is still shown above.

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.

2k lb · -22% YoY · since 2010

TRI water releases (5.3) volumes here are too small to anchor a multi-year trend; YoY movement is still shown above.

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.

43k lb · -17% YoY · -56% since 2010

TRI land + off-site releases concentrations have more than halved 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.

0.5M metric tons CO₂e · -6% YoY · -4% since 2010

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

Top facilities · 2024

Where The Chemical Releases Are Concentrated

FacilityCityTop chemicalTotal releasesYoY
US Army Fort Ap HillUS Department Of DefenseBowling GreenCopperHealth riskInhaled copper fumes cause metal-fume fever; chronic ingestion above EPA's 1.3 mg/L action level damages the liver. (EPA)45k lb-13%
Ladysmith Combustion Turbine StationDominion Energy INCWoodfordPolycyclic aromatic compoundsHealth riskPAH class includes IARC Group 1 carcinogens (e.g., benzo[a]pyrene); long-term exposure raises cancer risk. (IARC, EPA)0 lb
Oldcastle Apg Mid-Atlantic Milford VaCrh Americas INCMilfordLead And Lead CompoundsHealth riskNeurotoxin. Even low childhood exposure impairs cognitive development; chronic adult exposure damages kidneys and the cardiovascular system. (EPA, ATSDR)0 lb+1550%
Equity context · ACS 2018-2022 · USEPA-clone EJ disparity

Who Lives In Caroline County

All block groups in Caroline County County, VA: 31,181 residents. County disparity score for pm2.5 (fine particulate) sits well below the reference (13). Why we surface this →

POPULATION SHARE
11.6%

Low-income

POPULATION SHARE
37.5%

People of color

POPULATION SHARE
6.1%

Under age 5

POPULATION SHARE
16.4%

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.11below the national median
  • OzoneHealth riskGround-level ozone (smog) inflames the airways. Even short exposures trigger asthma attacks and worsen chronic lung and heart disease.6below 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.14below 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.31below 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.64above 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.13below 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.47near 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.28below 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.14below 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.41near 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.90in the highest 10% 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.76above the national median
EJ disparity scores · population-weighted across county block groups (100 = national reference; higher = greater disparate burden)
IndicatorDisparity scoreReading
PM2.5 (fine particulate)13well below the reference
Ozone25well below the reference
Nitrogen dioxide (NO₂)16well below the reference
Diesel particulate38well below the reference
Toxic releases (RSEI)43well below the reference
Traffic proximity18well below the reference
Lead-paint risk (pre-1960 housing)43well below the reference
Superfund site proximity3well below the reference
RMP-facility proximity8well below the reference
Hazardous-waste site proximity9well below the reference
Underground storage tanks42well below the reference
NPDES wastewater proximity85below the reference
Drinking-water non-compliance0well 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)

BRFSS 2023
11.1%
+6% vs Virginia mean+11% vs US mean

CDC PLACES · 2025 release · BRFSS 2022-2023

COPD prevalence

BRFSS 2023
7.4%
+17% vs Virginia mean+16% vs US mean

CDC PLACES · 2025 release · BRFSS 2022-2023

Coronary heart disease

BRFSS 2023
6.7%
+8% vs Virginia mean+6% vs US mean

CDC PLACES · 2025 release · BRFSS 2022-2023

Diabetes (diagnosed)

BRFSS 2023
14.0%
+9% vs Virginia mean+15% vs US mean

CDC PLACES · 2025 release · BRFSS 2022-2023

Frequent mental distress

BRFSS 2023
17.4%
+10% vs Virginia mean+10% 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 Virginia 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 2 Caroline County Cities With TRI Data

Pollution trends and TRI 2024 pages for every tracked city in this county. Alphabetical.

Sources.

All sources are federal public-domain datasets under 17 USC §105. We aggregate but do not relabel; the underlying observations remain attributable to EPA.