TRI air releases
TRI air releases at West Virginia have more than halved since 2010 (through 2024).
State · TRI 2024
West Virginia Pollution
138 TRI facilities, 430 public water systems, and 14 Superfund / NPL sites across 37 counties. Statewide TRI releases fell modestly year over year (-6%). Toxic releases concentrations have more than halved since 2010.
FIPS 54 · population 1,793,716 · 55 counties total
Anomaly engine
Notable Signals At The State Level
Total TRI releases
Total TRI releases at West Virginia have more than halved since 2010 (through 2024).
TRI land + off-site releases
TRI land + off-site releases at West Virginia have more than halved since 2010 (through 2024).
Where the burden sits
County-Level TRI Choropleth
A color-shaded map of pollution data. Darker counties report more pounds of toxic chemicals released to the EPA's Toxics Release Inventory (TRI).
Shaded by total reported releases for 2024. Counties without a published page render as “no TRI data”. Red dots mark this state's top emitters.
Statewide pollutant pathways
West Virginia 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 more than halved 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 more than halved 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 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) concentrations are roughly unchanged from 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 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 are roughly unchanged from 2010.
| County | Population | Facilities | Total releases | YoY | Top chemical |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Putnam CountyFIPS 54079 | 57,347 | 4 | 3.6M lb | +15% | Arsenic compoundsHealth riskIARC Group 1 carcinogen via inhalation and ingestion. EPA MCL 10 µg/L; chronic exposure causes skin, lung, bladder cancer and cardiovascular disease. (IARC, EPA, ATSDR) |
| Harrison CountyFIPS 54033 | 65,862 | 7 | 3.4M lb | -6% | 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) |
| Mason CountyFIPS 54053 | 25,488 | 4 | 1.8M lb | -39% | Manganese compoundsHealth riskExcess inhalation can cause manganism, a Parkinson-like neurological disorder. (ATSDR) |
| Marshall CountyFIPS 54051 | 30,509 | 12 | 1.7M lb | +60% | 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) |
| Monongalia CountyFIPS 54061 | 105,988 | 5 | 1.4M lb | -15% | 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) |
| Wood CountyFIPS 54107 | 84,272 | 4 | 1.1M lb | +1% | 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) |
| Grant CountyFIPS 54023 | 11,034 | 2 | 949k lb | +18% | Barium And Barium CompoundsHealth riskSoluble barium compounds are toxic if ingested, affecting the heart, kidneys, and nervous system. Insoluble forms (e.g. barium sulfate) are far less toxic. (EPA) |
| Kanawha CountyFIPS 54039 | 179,895 | 18 | 780k lb | +4% | 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) |
| Pleasants CountyFIPS 54073 | 7,622 | 5 | 651k lb | -62% | 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) |
| Upshur CountyFIPS 54097 | 23,875 | 2 | 499k lb | +31% | Chromium and Chromium Compounds(except for chromite ore mined in the Transvaal Region)Health riskHexavalent chromium (Cr-VI) is an IARC Group 1 carcinogen via inhalation, causing lung cancer; trivalent chromium is far less toxic. (IARC, EPA) |
| Facility | City | Top chemical | Total releases | YoY |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| American Electric Power Amos PlantAmerican Electric Power | Winfield | Arsenic compoundsHealth riskIARC Group 1 carcinogen via inhalation and ingestion. EPA MCL 10 µg/L; chronic exposure causes skin, lung, bladder cancer and cardiovascular disease. (IARC, EPA, ATSDR) | 3.6M lb | +15% |
| Harrison Power StationFirstenergy CORP | Haywood | 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) | 3.4M lb | -6% |
| Felman Production INC | Letart | Manganese compoundsHealth riskExcess inhalation can cause manganism, a Parkinson-like neurological disorder. (ATSDR) | 1.1M lb | -52% |
| Chemours Washington WorksThe Chemours Co | Washington | 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) | 1.0M lb | +1% |
| Mount Storm Power StationDominion Energy INC | Mount Storm | Barium And Barium CompoundsHealth riskSoluble barium compounds are toxic if ingested, affecting the heart, kidneys, and nervous system. Insoluble forms (e.g. barium sulfate) are far less toxic. (EPA) | 949k lb | +18% |
| American Electric Power Kammer/Mitchell PlantAmerican Electric Power | Moundsville | Barium compounds (except for barium sulfate (CAS No. 7727-43-7))Health riskSoluble barium compounds are toxic if ingested, affecting the heart, kidneys, and nervous system. Insoluble forms (e.g. barium sulfate) are far less toxic. (EPA) | 925k lb | +23% |
| Fort Martin Power StationFirstenergy CORP | Maidsville | 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) | 848k lb | -24% |
| Mountaineer PlantAmerican Electric Power | New Haven | Barium compounds (except for barium sulfate (CAS No. 7727-43-7))Health riskSoluble barium compounds are toxic if ingested, affecting the heart, kidneys, and nervous system. Insoluble forms (e.g. barium sulfate) are far less toxic. (EPA) | 688k lb | +1% |
| CovestroCovestro LLC | Proctor | 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) | 593k lb | +505% |
| Chemours Belle PlantThe Chemours Co | Belle | 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) | 506k lb | -3% |
Water utilities to watch
Largest Water Systems With Unresolved Health-Based Violations
Sorted to surface utilities serving the most people that still have an active health-based SDWIS violation on the record. Systems in compliance with no unresolved issues fall to the bottom of the ranking.
| Water system | PWSID | Population served | Health-based · 5yr | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Parkersburg Utility Board Municipal | WV3305407 | 34,251 | 6 | UNRESOLVED |
| Wheeling Municipal | WV3303516 | 29,899 | 3 | UNRESOLVED |
| Logan County Psd - Northern Regional Municipal | WV3302364 | 16,921 | 6 | UNRESOLVED |
| Martinsburg City Of Municipal | WV3300212 | 16,250 | 1 | UNRESOLVED |
| Charles Town Utilities Municipal | WV3301905 | 15,220 | 7 | UNRESOLVED |
| St Albans Water Municipal | WV3302031 | 13,758 | 2 | UNRESOLVED |
| Lewisburg Municipal | WV3301307 | 12,065 | 12 | UNRESOLVED |
| Union Williams P S D Municipal | WV3305410 | 7,883 | 4 | UNRESOLVED |
| Frankfort Psd Municipal | WV3302928 | 6,747 | 7 | UNRESOLVED |
| Raleigh County Psd Arnett Municipal | WV3304140 | 6,663 | 21 | UNRESOLVED |
Superfund / NPL sites
Federal Cleanup Sites In West Virginia
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Allegany Ballistics Laboratory (Usnavy) | Mineral County | NPL FINAL | FEDERAL | TrichloroetheneHealth riskTCE. IARC Group 1 carcinogen — kidney cancer; suspected liver cancer and non-Hodgkin lymphoma. EPA MCL 5 µg/L; common DNAPL groundwater plume contaminant. (IARC, EPA, ATSDR) |
| Big John Salvage - Hoult Road | Fairmont | NPL FINAL | No | — |
| Fike Chemical, Inc. | Nitro | NPL FINAL | No | AldrinHealth riskMetabolizes to dieldrin in the body. EPA classifies as 'probable human carcinogen'; banned in the US in 1987. (EPA, ATSDR) |
| Hanlin-Allied-Olin | Moundsville | NPL FINAL | No | ArsenicHealth riskIARC Group 1 carcinogen via inhalation and ingestion. EPA MCL 10 µg/L; chronic exposure causes skin, lung, bladder cancer and cardiovascular disease. (IARC, EPA, ATSDR) |
| North 25Th Street Glass And Zinc | Clarksburg | NPL FINAL | No | — |
| Paden City Groundwater | Paden City | NPL FINAL | No | — |
| Ravenswood Pce | Ravenswood | NPL FINAL | No | TetrachloroetheneHealth riskPCE / 'perc'. IARC Group 2A probable carcinogen; central-nervous-system effects; common dry-cleaning solvent and DNAPL plume contaminant. EPA MCL 5 µg/L. (IARC, EPA) |
| Shaffer Equipment/Arbuckle Creek Area | Oak Hill | NPL FINAL | 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) |
| Sharon Steel Corp (Fairmont Coke Works) | Fairmont | NPL FINAL | No | AluminumHealth riskInhaled aluminum fumes can cause lung scarring (aluminosis); high cumulative exposure has been linked to neurological effects. (NIOSH) |
| Vienna Tetrachloroethene | Vienna | NPL FINAL | No | 1,2-DichloroethaneHealth riskIARC Group 2B possible carcinogen; liver and kidney toxic. EPA MCL 5 µg/L. (IARC, EPA) |
Showing the top 10 sites by status priority. 4 additional NPL-relevant sites in West Virginia have entity pages — browse them via the host-county or host-city page rollups.
Equity context · ACS 2018-2022 · USEPA-clone EJ disparity
Statewide Population Characteristics
All West Virginia block groups: 1,793,716 residents. Statewide disparity score for pm2.5 (fine particulate) sits well below the reference (18). Why we surface this →
State-level percentiles are aggregated from block-group EJScreen data. The EJ pattern within the state will be sharper at the county level — drill down for the meaningful spatial detail.
16.8%
Low-income
9.3%
People of color
5.5%
Under age 5
20.4%
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.15below the national median
- OzoneHealth riskGround-level ozone (smog) inflames the airways. Even short exposures trigger asthma attacks and worsen chronic lung and heart disease.22below 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.19below 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.23below 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.87in 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.24below 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.67above 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.57near 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.58near 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.40below 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.62above 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.91in 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.97in the highest 5% nationally
| Indicator | Disparity score | Reading |
|---|---|---|
| PM2.5 (fine particulate) | 18 | well below the reference |
| Ozone | 40 | well below the reference |
| Nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) | 23 | well below the reference |
| Diesel particulate | 25 | well below the reference |
| Toxic releases (RSEI) | 48 | well below the reference |
| Traffic proximity | 22 | well below the reference |
| Lead-paint risk (pre-1960 housing) | 59 | below the reference |
| Superfund site proximity | 14 | well below the reference |
| RMP-facility proximity | 36 | well below the reference |
| Hazardous-waste site proximity | 25 | well below the reference |
| Underground storage tanks | 46 | well below the reference |
| NPDES wastewater proximity | 71 | below the reference |
| Drinking-water non-compliance | 75 | below the reference |
Source: Census ACS 2018-2022 (5-year) + USEPA-clone EJ blockgroup stats (raw indicators + EJ disparity mirror). EJ disparity scores via the USEPA-clone GitHub mirror after EPA deprecated the public EJScreen tool in 2025; demographics from Census ACS.
Browse
All 37 West Virginia Counties With TRI Data
Pollution trends and TRI 2024 pages for every tracked county. Alphabetical.
- Berkeley County pollution· 9 facilities
- Braxton County pollution· 2 facilities
- Brooke County pollution· 5 facilities
- Cabell County pollution· 8 facilities
- Doddridge County pollution· 2 facilities
- Fayette County pollution· 1 facility
- Gilmer County pollution· 1 facility
- Grant County pollution· 2 facilities
- Hancock County pollution· 4 facilities
- Hardy County pollution· 2 facilities
- Harrison County pollution· 7 facilities
- Jackson County pollution· 2 facilities
- Jefferson County pollution· 2 facilities
- Kanawha County pollution· 18 facilities
- Lewis County pollution· 3 facilities
- Marion County pollution· 3 facilities
- Marshall County pollution· 12 facilities
- Mason County pollution· 4 facilities
- Mercer County pollution· 1 facility
- Mineral County pollution· 2 facilities
- Monongalia County pollution· 5 facilities
- Monroe County pollution· 2 facilities
- Nicholas County pollution· 3 facilities
- Ohio County pollution· 4 facilities
- Pendleton County pollution· 1 facility
- Pleasants County pollution· 5 facilities
- Preston County pollution· 2 facilities
- Putnam County pollution· 4 facilities
- Raleigh County pollution· 2 facilities
- Randolph County pollution· 2 facilities
- Roane County pollution· 1 facility
- Tucker County pollution· 1 facility
- Tyler County pollution· 3 facilities
- Upshur County pollution· 2 facilities
- Wayne County pollution· 5 facilities
- Wetzel County pollution· 2 facilities
- Wood County pollution· 4 facilities
Sources.
- EPA Toxics Release Inventory · retrieved 2026-05-07.