North Carolina reported 753 facilities releasing 55M lbs of toxic chemicals in the most recent EPA Toxic Release Inventory dataset, ranking #13 nationally out of 50 states. The dominant release pathway is air, accounting for 36.8% of the state total. North Carolina’s leading TRI industry is Chemicals, contributing 21.1% of all state releases. Use the map below to explore facilities by location, or filter by air, water, or land discharges.
North Carolina’s Toxic Release Profile
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Total Releases | 55M lbs |
| Reporting Facilities | 753 |
| National Rank | #13 of 50 states |
| Air Releases | 20.2M lbs (36.8%) |
| Water Releases | 9.7M lbs (17.7%) |
| Land Releases | 7.9M lbs (14.3%) |
Top Industries in North Carolina
| Industry | Total Releases | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Chemicals | 11.6M lbs | 21.1% |
| Electric Utilities | 10.5M lbs | 19.1% |
| Food | 10.5M lbs | 19% |
| Paper | 9.2M lbs | 16.7% |
| Primary Metals | 5.4M lbs | 9.8% |
| Plastics and Rubber | 1.3M lbs | 2.3% |
| Other | 1.2M lbs | 2.3% |
| Wood Products | 1.2M lbs | 2.1% |
| Fabricated Metals | 1.1M lbs | 2.1% |
| Transportation Equipment | 913K lbs | 1.7% |
| Nonmetallic Mineral Product | 489K lbs | 0.9% |
| Tobacco | 292K lbs | 0.5% |
| Electrical Equipment | 255K lbs | 0.5% |
| Textiles | 189K lbs | 0.3% |
| Chemical Wholesalers | 182K lbs | 0.3% |
| Petroleum | 144K lbs | 0.3% |
| Printing | 121K lbs | 0.2% |
| Machinery | 99K lbs | 0.2% |
| Furniture | 90K lbs | 0.2% |
| Hazardous Waste | 77K lbs | 0.1% |
| Computers and Electronic Products | 52K lbs | 0.1% |
| Textile Product | 43K lbs | 0.1% |
| Miscellaneous Manufacturing | 22K lbs | 0% |
| Petroleum Bulk Terminals | 6K lbs | 0% |
| Leather | 750 lbs | 0% |
Top Facilities in North Carolina
| Facility | City | Industry | Total Releases |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCS PHOSPHATE CO INC | AURORA | Chemicals | 4.9M lbs |
| SMITHFIELD-TAR HEEL | TAR HEEL | Food | 4.8M lbs |
| CPI USA NORTH CAROLINA LLC | SOUTHPORT | Electric Utilities | 4.4M lbs |
| AMERICAN ZINC PRODUCTS LLC | MOORESBORO | Primary Metals | 3.6M lbs |
| INTERNATIONAL PAPER RIEGELWOOD MILL | RIEGELWOOD | Paper | 3.3M lbs |
About the Data
Data sourced from the EPA Toxic Release Inventory (TRI) program. Facilities in covered industry sectors that manufacture, process, or use listed chemicals above threshold quantities must report annually. The map uses the most recent available EPA TRI dataset. Release volumes reflect regulatory reporting quantities and are not direct measures of health hazard or human exposure. For the full national picture and all-state rankings, visit the US Toxic Release Inventory Map.
Explore Neighboring States
- Georgia Toxic Release Map
- South Carolina Toxic Release Map
- Tennessee Toxic Release Map
- Virginia Toxic Release Map
For the complete national dataset and all-state rankings, visit the US Toxic Release Inventory Map.
