Buncombe, NC
Transparent derived index from EPA TRI / SDWIS / Superfund extracts: not an official EPA rating. Fixed caps: facilities ≤25 pts (50+ = max), log10 releases ≤25 pts, Superfund ≤25 pts (5/site), health-violation systems ≤15 pts (3/system), high-chemical facilities ≤10 pts. Bands: High ≥60, Moderate ≥30. See methodology. This is a different measure than the EJ Screening score for this county, which ranks it by percentile against other tracked counties rather than against these fixed caps.
Environmental data for Buncombe in North Carolina · Population: 271,790
TRI sites such as Duke Energy Progress Llc-Asheville Steam Electric Plant; Day International Inc; Dave Steel Co Inc; SDWIS systems such as BLACK MOUNTAIN, TOWN OF; WEAVERVILLE, TOWN OF; BILTMORE FOREST, TOWN OF; NPL sites such as Blue Ridge Plating Company; Chemtronics, Inc.; CTS of Asheville, Inc. anchor Buncombe, NC's EPA extract. Derived burden score 73/100 (High Risk) uses fixed national caps on density, log release volume, Superfund count, and health-flagged systems - not an official EPA rating.
Health-flagged SDWIS rows in Buncombe include BLACK MOUNTAIN, TOWN OF; BILTMORE FOREST, TOWN OF; MONTREAT WATER SYSTEM, while Duke Energy Progress Llc-Asheville Steam Electric Plant leads reported TRI pounds among local Form R filers. AQS median AQI 43 / peak 81 in 2024.
Burden score 73/100 (High Risk) is the only weighted composite on this page. The tables below list every TRI facility, SDWIS system, and Superfund site EPA has on record for Buncombe -- not just the names called out above -- reproducing the disclosure history as filed, not a current-safety verdict. Extract current as of 2026-08-25.
Release-over-release change
What changed for Buncombe, NC: EPA TRI 2023 reporting year
Same facilities, both years
-31.7%
16 facilities that filed in 2022 and 2023
Whole inventory
-28.8%
207.6 thousand lb → 147.8 thousand lb, every facility that filed
Between the two reporting years, 2 facilities filed for the first time and 2 stopped filing. Facilities entering or leaving the inventory are excluded from the same-facility comparison above.
- Buncombe, NC's total reported releases fell from 207.6 thousand lb in 2022 to 141.7 thousand lb in 2023, based on EPA TRI filings.
- Buncombe, NC's off-site transfers rose from 4.5 thousand lb in 2022 to 12.2 thousand lb in 2023, based on EPA TRI filings.
- Buncombe, NC's air releases fell from 203.1 thousand lb in 2022 to 129.5 thousand lb in 2023, based on EPA TRI filings.
- Buncombe, NC's chemicals reported fell from 15 in 2022 to 14 in 2023, based on EPA TRI filings.
Air Quality History (2020–2024)
EPA Air Quality Index (AQI) data showing how many days per year fall into each air quality category.
| Year | Good | Moderate | Unhealthy (SG) | Max AQI |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 245 (67%) | 120 | 0 | 81 |
| 2023 | 261 (72%) | 104 | 0 | 99 |
| 2022 | 291 (80%) | 74 | 0 | 74 |
| 2021 | 278 (76%) | 87 | 0 | 81 |
| 2020 | 329 (91%) | 34 | 0 | 97 |
Source: EPA Air Quality System (AQS) Annual AQI by County AQI categories: Good (0-50), Moderate (51-100), Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups (101-150), Unhealthy (151-200), Very Unhealthy (201-300), Hazardous (301+)
For real-time air quality readings and pollutant breakdowns in North Carolina, see the EPA's AirNow.gov.
Water Systems (22)
| System | System pop (SDWIS) | Violations |
|---|---|---|
| BLACK MOUNTAIN, TOWN OF | 11,976 | 2 |
| WEAVERVILLE, TOWN OF | 8,359 | 0 |
| BILTMORE FOREST, TOWN OF | 1,356 | 1 |
| ROYAL GORGE WATER UTILITY | 950 | 0 |
| MONTREAT WATER SYSTEM | 798 | 3 |
| NORTHVIEW MHP | 516 | 1 |
| CHRISTMOUNT CHRISTIAN ASSEMBLY | 250 | 1 |
| CEDAR HILL | 244 | 0 |
| MOUNT PISGAH ACADEMY | 210 | 4 |
| YMCA-BLUE RIDGE ASSEMBLY | 200 | 3 |
| COUNTRY PLACE S/D | 160 | 0 |
| WAIGHTSTILL MOUNTAIN | 155 | 2 |
| RANGEVIEW ACRES MHP | 150 | 0 |
| STRAWBERRY HILL | 109 | 0 |
| WEDGEFIELD ACRES MHP | 100 | 0 |
| STARVIEW HEIGHTS EXTENSION | 94 | 0 |
| AVALON ACRES MHP | 65 | 1 |
| RECOVERY VENTURES CORPORATION | 64 | 0 |
| SHANNA APARTMENTS | 60 | 2 |
| LAURELWOOD MHP | 60 | 0 |
| UNDER THE BLUE RIDGE | 50 | 2 |
| BRIDGE CREEK | 25 | 0 |
TRI Facilities (25)
Superfund Sites (3)
| Site Name | Status | HRS Score |
|---|---|---|
| Blue Ridge Plating Company | NPL Site | 38.67 |
| Chemtronics, Inc. | NPL Site | 30.16 |
| CTS of Asheville, Inc. | NPL Site | 38.40 |
Cities in Buncombe (10)
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the environmental risk level in Buncombe, North Carolina? ▼
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What does this county environmental profile show?
This county environmental profile rolls up EPA Toxics Release Inventory facility reports, Safe Drinking Water Information System public-water-system filings, and Superfund National Priorities List sites for the county boundary defined by the U.S. Census Bureau. Facility counts reflect facilities with a reporting address inside the county, not where downstream environmental effects may be observed. Population figures are from the most recent Census ACS 5-year estimate. The county detail page is updated whenever the upstream EPA programs publish revised data; see the methodology page for the documented ingest cadence and the editorial choices governing how aggregations are computed.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.