PlainEnviro

EPA TRI Chemical

Cobalt

CAS Number: 7440-48-4

Total releases
2.6M lbs
Number of facilities
464
Carcinogen
Yes
PBT substance
No
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Carcinogen

According to the EPA Toxics Release Inventory, Cobalt (CAS 7440-48-4) is disclosed by 464 Form R facilities totaling 2.6M lbs of reported releases. The TRI extract marks this chemical with a carcinogen classification flag. TRI pounds are self-reported disclosure totals, not a measured public-health risk score.

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Cobalt (CAS 7440-48-4) is a chemical tracked by the EPA Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) program under Section 313 of the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act. The TRI requires industrial facilities above specified threshold quantities to disclose annual manufacturing, processing, and otherwise-used volumes, along with quantities released to air, water, land, and off-site transfers.

The carcinogen flag above reflects an assessment from EPA, the International Agency for Research on Cancer, or the National Toxicology Program, not a TRI-specific determination. The largest individual disclosure in the current dataset comes from FREEPORT-MCMORAN SIERRITA INC in AZ at 423.0K lbs.

TRI volumes are self-reported estimates, not measured stack emissions, and each pound counts equally regardless of chemical toxicity, so total pounds should not be equated with total risk. Inclusion of a chemical or facility in the TRI does not itself establish a health hazard; it documents the public right-to-know record. Consult EPA's IRIS (Integrated Risk Information System) and the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry for health-effect summaries.

MIXED pathway mix

Cobalt: how the 2.6M lbs splits

2.6M lbs across all reported pathways

  • Land Disposal1.7M lbs66.8%
  • Off-site Transfers795.0K lbs31.1%
  • Air Releases48.4K lbs1.9%
  • Water Discharges3.8K lbs0.1%

Cobalt's 2.6M lbs Form-R total is MIXED, with land disposal making up 66.8% of the bar. Next segment: off-site transfers at 31.1%.

Trend & Where It's Reported

Reported Release Trend

Between 2019 and 2023, cumulative annual Cobalt releases across all reporting facilities increased by 16% (464.0K lbs → 538.0K lbs). Year-to-year swings reflect facility openings/closures and reporting changes as much as underlying activity.

Geographic Concentration

Reporting for Cobalt is dispersed: Arizona accounts for 23.1% of the reported total (6 facilities). Next: Missouri.

  • Arizona 589.2K lbs
  • Missouri 230.4K lbs
  • Alabama 206.9K lbs
  • California 175.7K lbs
  • Colorado 175.0K lbs
Industry Sources

Reporting for Cobalt is concentrated by industry: Metal Mining facilities account for 38.9% of the reported total (6 facilities). Next: Hazardous Waste.

  • Metal Mining 993.1K lbs
  • Hazardous Waste 573.9K lbs
  • Primary Metals 280.5K lbs
  • Transportation Equipment 206.9K lbs
  • Machinery 161.8K lbs

Which facilities release the most of this chemical?

Facilities with the largest reported releases of Cobalt. Up to 50 shown.

# Facility Release (lbs)
1 Freeport-McMoran Sierrita Inc
423.0K lbs
2 Missouri Cobalt
229.2K lbs
3 Freeport-McMoran Bagdad Inc
133.0K lbs
4 Climax Molybdenum Co-Climax Mine
124.0K lbs
5 Chemical Waste Management Inc
123.1K lbs
6 Chemical Waste Management
116.8K lbs
7 General Carbide Corp
101.0K lbs
8 Chemical Waste Management of the Northwest Inc.
100.0K lbs
9 US Ecology Idaho Inc.
92.6K lbs
10 Ge Aerospace Auburn
88.7K lbs
11 Cannon-Muskegon
83.2K lbs
12 Ge Aerospace Additive Technology Center
78.0K lbs
13 US Ecology Nevada Inc.
75.2K lbs
14 Stryker Orthopaedics
69.1K lbs
15 Bayer Cropscience LP
54.5K lbs
16 Climax Molybdenum Co Henderson Mill
51.0K lbs
17 Alcoa Warrick Newco LLC
45.2K lbs
18 Clean Harbors Environmental Services Inc
36.7K lbs
19 Asarco LLC Mission Complex
32.9K lbs
20 U.S. Army Fort Bragg
31.1K lbs
21 L.e. Jones Co LLC
29.6K lbs
22 Ge (greenville) Gas Turbines L.L.C.
25.8K lbs
23 Scrubgrass Generating Plant
20.8K lbs
24 Cpp-Cleveland
20.7K lbs
25 Kyger Creek Station
19.8K lbs
26 Tenneco Inc.
15.1K lbs
27 Tecomet
14.7K lbs
28 Clean Harbors Buttonwillow LLC
13.8K lbs
29 Nnsa Y-12 National Security Complex
11.8K lbs
30 Ati Ladish Llc.
11.8K lbs
31 Vickery Environmental Inc.
11.4K lbs
32 Pratt & Whitney - Hmi Metal Powders
11.3K lbs
33 Press Forge Co
11.1K lbs
34 Winsert Inc
9.7K lbs
35 Pratt & Whitney
9.2K lbs
36 Orchid Orthopedic Solutions Oregon Inc
9.1K lbs
37 Pcc Structurals Inc Deer Creek Annex
8.4K lbs
38 Irwin Industrial Tools DBA Lenox Tools
8.4K lbs
39 Vibrantz Corp
8.3K lbs
40 Hitchiner Countergravity Cast Operations (vco/dco/mct)
7.8K lbs
41 Ellwood Texas Forge
7.1K lbs
42 Chevron Products Co Richmond Refinery
7.0K lbs
43 Stoody Company
7.0K lbs
44 Pratt & Whitney
6.6K lbs
45 Howmet Corp - Plants 1& 3
6.3K lbs
46 Solar Turbines Inc Harbor Drive
6.1K lbs
47 Kennametal Stellite
6.1K lbs
48 Gleason Cutting Tools Corp
5.9K lbs
49 Ticona Polymers Inc
5.6K lbs
50 Shultz Steel Co
5.6K lbs

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Cobalt in the EPA TRI? ▼
Cobalt (CAS Number: 7440-48-4) is a chemical tracked by the EPA Toxic Release Inventory (TRI) program. The TRI extract marks it with a carcinogen classification flag based on EPA/IARC/NTP listings. 464 facilities in the United States report releasing this chemical to the EPA.
How much Cobalt is disclosed in U.S. TRI filings? ▼
U.S. facilities have reported a total of 2.6M lbs of Cobalt releases to the EPA Toxic Release Inventory across 464 facilities. Release quantities are self-reported estimates covering air, water, land, and off-site transfers. They are disclosure totals, not toxicity-weighted harm scores.
How does EPA TRI classify Cobalt? ▼
Cobalt carries a carcinogen classification flag in the TRI database (drawn from EPA, IARC, or NTP listings). TRI classification flags document inventory listing status; they are not a site-specific exposure or health diagnosis. For health-effect summaries see EPA IRIS and ATSDR toxicological profiles.
Which facilities disclose the most Cobalt? ▼
Freeport-McMoran Sierrita Inc in AZ reports the largest disclosed release of Cobalt in this dataset, at 423.0K lbs. Most reporting facilities for this chemical fall under metal mining. Release data is self-reported annually to the EPA under the TRI program. View the full list of 464 facilities on this page.
What is the CAS number for Cobalt? ▼
The CAS (Chemical Abstracts Service) Registry Number for Cobalt is 7440-48-4. CAS numbers are unique numerical identifiers assigned to every chemical substance described in the open scientific literature. This identifier is used to search scientific databases and regulatory filings.

Related Guides

Understanding TRI Data
How the Toxic Release Inventory works
Biggest Polluters in America
Which facilities release the most toxics
How to Check Environmental Quality
Step-by-step guide to checking your local environment

Health Information

Carcinogen Classification: This chemical is classified as a known or suspected carcinogen by the EPA under the Toxic Release Inventory program. This classification is based on evaluations by agencies including the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), the National Toxicology Program (NTP), and the EPA itself.

Data comes from the EPA Toxic Release Inventory (TRI) program. Release quantities are self-reported by facilities and may represent estimates. The total shown aggregates reports across all facilities and reporting years.

PlainEnviro presents this data without advocacy framing. The presence of a chemical in the TRI database does not by itself indicate a health risk at current exposure levels. For health-related questions about specific chemical exposures, consult your local health agency or a toxicologist.

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Data sourced from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainEnviro

Disclaimer: This information is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. Data is sourced from the EPA Toxic Release Inventory (TRI). Consult a qualified professional before making decisions based on this data.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.