Essex, NJ
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 Essex in New Jersey · Population: 854,130
TRI sites such as Richards Manufacturing Co; Troy Chemical Corp; Chem Fluer/firmenich Inc; SDWIS systems such as NEWARK WATER DEPARTMENT; NJ AMERICAN WATER - SHORT HILLS; EAST ORANGE WATER COMMISSION; NPL sites such as Caldwell Trucking Co.; Diamond Alkali Co.; Glen Ridge Radium Site anchor Essex, NJ's EPA extract. Derived burden score 84/100 (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 Essex include NEWARK WATER DEPARTMENT; BLOOMFIELD WATER DEPARTMENT; BELLEVILLE WATER DEPT, while Richards Manufacturing Co leads reported TRI pounds among local Form R filers. AQS median AQI 44 / peak 97 in 2022.
Burden score 84/100 (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 Essex -- 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 Essex, NJ: EPA TRI 2023 reporting year
Same facilities, both years
-19.5%
23 facilities that filed in 2022 and 2023
Whole inventory
-18.1%
363.8 thousand lb → 297.9 thousand lb, every facility that filed
Between the two reporting years, 2 facilities filed for the first time and 0 stopped filing. Facilities entering or leaving the inventory are excluded from the same-facility comparison above.
- Essex, NJ's total reported releases fell from 363.8 thousand lb in 2022 to 292.8 thousand lb in 2023, based on EPA TRI filings.
- Essex, NJ's off-site transfers fell from 341.0 thousand lb in 2022 to 272.1 thousand lb in 2023, based on EPA TRI filings.
- Essex, NJ's air releases fell from 22.8 thousand lb in 2022 to 20.7 thousand lb in 2023, based on EPA TRI filings.
- Essex, NJ's chemicals reported rose from 43 in 2022 to 44 in 2023, based on EPA TRI filings.
Air Quality History (2020–2022)
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 177 (66%) | 92 | 0 | 97 |
| 2021 | 214 (59%) | 148 | 3 | 125 |
| 2020 | 226 (62%) | 139 | 1 | 127 |
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 New Jersey, see the EPA's AirNow.gov.
Water Systems (24)
| System | System pop (SDWIS) | Violations |
|---|---|---|
| NEWARK WATER DEPARTMENT | 294,274 | 26 |
| NJ AMERICAN WATER - SHORT HILLS | 217,230 | 0 |
| EAST ORANGE WATER COMMISSION | 75,000 | 0 |
| BLOOMFIELD WATER DEPARTMENT | 53,315 | 33 |
| BELLEVILLE WATER DEPT | 35,129 | 36 |
| ORANGE WATER DEPT | 30,134 | 1 |
| NUTLEY WATER DEPT | 29,500 | 14 |
| LIVINGSTON TWP DIV OF WATER | 27,391 | 1 |
| SOUTH ORANGE WATER DEPARTMENT | 16,964 | 0 |
| VERONA WATER DEPARTMENT | 13,641 | 13 |
| CEDAR GROVE WATER DEPT | 12,900 | 11 |
| NJ AMERICAN WATER - LITTLE FALLS | 11,247 | 0 |
| WEST CALDWELL WATER DEPARTMENT | 10,759 | 8 |
| CALDWELL WATER DEPT | 9,027 | 0 |
| FAIRFIELD WATER DEPT | 7,400 | 0 |
| NORTH CALDWELL WATER DEP | 6,000 | 0 |
| ROSELAND WATER DEPT | 5,300 | 0 |
| NJ AMERICAN WATER - BELVIDERE | 2,854 | 0 |
| ESSEX FELLS WATER HILLTOP SYSTEM | 354 | 0 |
| AWM FOUR SEASONS AT CHESTER | 280 | 0 |
| NJ AMERICAN WATER - TWIN LAKES | 250 | 0 |
| NORTH CALDWELL - HILLTOP | 208 | 0 |
| HUDSON VALLEY APARTMENTS | 150 | 0 |
| ASCOT PARK APTS | 125 | 0 |
TRI Facilities (29)
Superfund Sites (10)
| Site Name | Status | HRS Score |
|---|---|---|
| Caldwell Trucking Co. | NPL Site | 58.30 |
| Diamond Alkali Co. | NPL Site | 35.40 |
| Glen Ridge Radium Site | Deleted NPL Site | 49.14 |
| Montclair/West Orange Radium Site | Deleted NPL Site | 49.14 |
| Orange Valley Regional Ground Water Contamination | NPL Site | 50.00 |
| Pierson's Creek | NPL Site | 47.99 |
| Riverside Industrial Park | NPL Site | 50.00 |
| U.S. Radium Corp. | NPL Site | 37.79 |
| Unimatic Manufacturing Corporation | NPL Site | 50.00 |
| White Chemical Corp. | NPL Site | 0.00 |
Cities in Essex (22)
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the environmental risk level in Essex, New Jersey? ▼
Are there Superfund sites in Essex? ▼
How many toxic release facilities are in Essex? ▼
What is the air quality in Essex? ▼
Is the drinking water safe in Essex? ▼
What environmental agencies cover Essex? ▼
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.