Charleston, SC
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 Charleston in South Carolina · Population: 414,711
TRI sites such as Kapstone Paper & Packaging Corp; Ingevity South Carolina LLC Charleston Chemical Plant; Lanxess Corp; SDWIS systems such as KIAWAH ISLAND UTILITY (SC1010008); ISLE OF PALMS W/S COMM (SC1010004); EDISTO BEACH TOWN OF (SC1510006); NPL sites such as Geiger (C & M Oil); Koppers Co., Inc. (Charleston Plant); Macalloy Corporation anchor Charleston, SC's EPA extract. Derived burden score 79/100 (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 Charleston include HARBOR ISLAND (SC0750013); BURBAGE MHP (SC1060063); WA BURBAGE TRAILER PARK 1 (1060014), while Kapstone Paper & Packaging Corp leads reported TRI pounds among local Form R filers. AQS median AQI 43 / peak 77 in 2024.
Burden score 79/100 (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 Charleston -- 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 Charleston, SC: EPA TRI 2023 reporting year
Same facilities, both years
-41.9%
26 facilities that filed in 2022 and 2023
Whole inventory
-41.9%
1.6 million lb → 940.7 thousand lb, every facility that filed
Between the two reporting years, 3 facilities filed for the first time and 2 stopped filing. Facilities entering or leaving the inventory are excluded from the same-facility comparison above.
- Charleston, SC's total reported releases fell from 1.6 million lb in 2022 to 940.5 thousand lb in 2023, based on EPA TRI filings.
- Charleston, SC's off-site transfers fell from 492.7 thousand lb in 2022 to 219.8 thousand lb in 2023, based on EPA TRI filings.
- Charleston, SC's air releases fell from 1.1 million lb in 2022 to 694.5 thousand lb in 2023, based on EPA TRI filings.
- Charleston, SC's water releases fell from 29.7 thousand lb in 2022 to 21.4 thousand lb 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 | 269 (73%) | 97 | 0 | 77 |
| 2023 | 212 (58%) | 153 | 0 | 93 |
| 2022 | 209 (57%) | 156 | 0 | 84 |
| 2021 | 197 (54%) | 168 | 0 | 93 |
| 2020 | 264 (72%) | 101 | 1 | 117 |
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 South Carolina, see the EPA's AirNow.gov.
Water Systems (16)
| System | System pop (SDWIS) | Violations |
|---|---|---|
| KIAWAH ISLAND UTILITY (SC1010008) | 9,550 | 0 |
| ISLE OF PALMS W/S COMM (SC1010004) | 9,530 | 0 |
| EDISTO BEACH TOWN OF (SC1510006) | 5,848 | 0 |
| FOLLY BEACH CITY OF (1010005) | 5,086 | 0 |
| SULLIVANS ISLAND TOWN OF (1010003) | 2,521 | 0 |
| HARBOR ISLAND (SC0750013) | 1,039 | 1 |
| CALLAWASSIE ISLAND (SC0750041) | 900 | 0 |
| AWENDAW TOWN OF (SC1010504) | 713 | 0 |
| KOKOMO PALMS MHP (SC4360037) | 280 | 0 |
| BURBAGE MHP (SC1060063) | 171 | 2 |
| JERICHO TRAILER PARK (1060061) | 103 | 0 |
| FISHING CREEK POA (SC1550002) | 98 | 0 |
| WA BURBAGE TRAILER PARK 1 (1060014) | 81 | 2 |
| DEWEES UTILITIES (SC1050011) | 55 | 22 |
| CRESTHAVEN MHP (SC4060001) | 37 | 1 |
| WINDWOOD FARM HOME (SC1070963) | 33 | 2 |
TRI Facilities (35)
Superfund Sites (3)
| Site Name | Status | HRS Score |
|---|---|---|
| Geiger (C & M Oil) | Deleted NPL Site | 32.25 |
| Koppers Co., Inc. (Charleston Plant) | NPL Site | 50.00 |
| Macalloy Corporation | NPL Site | 50.00 |
Cities in Charleston (15)
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the environmental risk level in Charleston, South Carolina? ▼
Are there Superfund sites in Charleston? ▼
How many toxic release facilities are in Charleston? ▼
What is the air quality in Charleston? ▼
Is the drinking water safe in Charleston? ▼
What environmental agencies cover Charleston? ▼
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.