Caldwell, NC

Moderate Risk (40/100)

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.

Environmental data for Caldwell in North Carolina · Population: 80,618

TRI sites such as Shurtape Technologies Llc-Hudson Opp Plant; Teijin Automotive Technologies North Carolina Composites Ll; Rpm Wood Finishes Group Inc; SDWIS systems such as LENOIR, CITY OF; CALDWELL CO WATER SYSTEM-SE; CALDWELL COUNTY WATER--WEST anchor Caldwell, NC's EPA extract. Derived burden score 40/100 (Moderate 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 Caldwell include LENOIR, CITY OF; SAWMILLS, TOWN OF; GREEN MOUNTAIN PARK, while Shurtape Technologies Llc-Hudson Opp Plant leads reported TRI pounds among local Form R filers. AQS median AQI 40 / peak 87 in 2024.

Burden score 40/100 (Moderate 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 Caldwell -- 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 Caldwell, NC: EPA TRI 2023 reporting year

2022 → 2023

Same facilities, both years

-45.2%

6 facilities that filed in 2022 and 2023

Whole inventory

-45.2%

302.5 thousand lb → 165.7 thousand lb, every facility that filed

Between the two reporting years, 1 facility filed for the first time and 0 stopped filing. Facilities entering or leaving the inventory are excluded from the same-facility comparison above.

  • Caldwell, NC's total reported releases fell from 302.5 thousand lb in 2022 to 165.7 thousand lb in 2023, based on EPA TRI filings.
  • Caldwell, NC's off-site transfers fell from 40.3 thousand lb in 2022 to 10.9 thousand lb in 2023, based on EPA TRI filings.
  • Caldwell, NC's air releases fell from 262.2 thousand lb in 2022 to 154.8 thousand lb in 2023, based on EPA TRI filings.
  • Caldwell, NC's chemicals reported rose from 12 in 2022 to 13 in 2023, based on EPA TRI filings.
County population (Census ACS)
80,618
TRI Facilities
7
Water Systems
11
Superfund Sites
0
Total Releases
1.2M lbs

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 221 (93%) 16 0 87
2023 220 (90%) 25 0 97
2022 224 (91%) 21 0 74
2021 219 (90%) 24 0 77
2020 243 (100%) 0 0 50
2024 Good Air Quality: 93% of days
Median AQI: 40

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 (11)

System System pop (SDWIS) Violations
LENOIR, CITY OF 25,573 3
CALDWELL CO WATER SYSTEM-SE 15,710 0
CALDWELL COUNTY WATER--WEST 8,763 0
BATON WATER CORPORATION 7,874 0
GRANITE FALLS, TOWN OF 7,318 0
SAWMILLS, TOWN OF 5,524 2
GREEN MOUNTAIN PARK 1,194 1
RHODHISS, TOWN OF 867 3
CALDWELL COUNTY WATER--NORTH 287 0
CALDWELL COUNTY- ADDISON LANE 152 0
RHODHISS TOWN OF HENRY ST 70 1

TRI Facilities (7)

# Facility Total Releases
1 Shurtape Technologies Llc-Hudson Opp Plant 895.4K lbs
2 Teijin Automotive Technologies North Carolina Composites Ll 149.8K lbs
3 Rpm Wood Finishes Group Inc 88.2K lbs
4 Neptco Inc 45.5K lbs
5 Lenoir Mirror Co 27.8K lbs
6 Brenntag Midsouth Inc 847 lbs
7 Bemis Manufacturing 0 lbs

Cities in Caldwell (4)

Lenoir
5 facilities · 6 water
Hudson
2 facilities · 0 water
Granite Falls
0 facilities · 3 water
Rhodhiss
0 facilities · 2 water

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the environmental risk level in Caldwell, North Carolina?
Caldwell, NC has an environmental risk score of 40/100 (Moderate Risk), based on 7 TRI facilities, 0 Superfund sites, and 11 water systems on record. 5 water systems have health-based violations. Source: EPA TRI, SDWIS, and Superfund NPL.
Are there Superfund sites in Caldwell?
No Superfund National Priorities List (NPL) sites are currently registered in Caldwell, NC in the EPA database.
How many toxic release facilities are in Caldwell?
Caldwell, NC has 7 TRI-reporting facilities on record with the EPA Toxic Release Inventory, with a combined total of 1.2M lbs in reported toxic releases. TRI facilities self-report annual chemical release data to the EPA.
What is the air quality in Caldwell?
In 2024, Caldwell, NC recorded a median AQI of 40 and a peak AQI of 87. 93% of monitored days had "Good" air quality (AQI 0–50). Source: EPA Air Quality System (AQS) Annual AQI by County.
Is the drinking water safe in Caldwell?
Caldwell, NC has 11 EPA-regulated water systems. 5 systems have reported health-based violations (MCL exceedances). A past violation does not necessarily mean water is currently unsafe. For current water quality, contact your local water utility. Source: EPA SDWIS.
What environmental agencies cover Caldwell?
Environmental compliance in Caldwell, North Carolina is overseen by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) at the federal level and the North Carolina state environmental agency. Facilities report to the EPA Toxic Release Inventory, water systems are regulated under the Safe Drinking Water Act, and contaminated sites are managed under the Superfund program. Contact your state environmental agency for local concerns.

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.

Related

Data sourced from U.S. EPA environmental datasets. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainEnviro