Knox, TN
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 Knox in Tennessee · Population: 487,401
TRI sites such as Nyrstar- Immel Mine; Explore Industries USA Inc; Rohm & Haas Chemicals LLC - Knoxville Site; SDWIS systems such as NORTHEAST KNOX U.D.; GREEN MEADOW ESTATES OF ROCKFORD LLC; COUNTRY ACRES FARM; NPL sites such as Smokey Mountain Smelters anchor Knox, TN's EPA extract. Derived burden score 52/100 (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 Knox include GREEN MEADOW ESTATES OF ROCKFORD LLC, while Nyrstar- Immel Mine leads reported TRI pounds among local Form R filers. AQS median AQI 48 / peak 105 in 2024.
Burden score 52/100 (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 Knox -- 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 Knox, TN: EPA TRI 2023 reporting year
Same facilities, both years
-5.9%
18 facilities that filed in 2022 and 2023
Whole inventory
-6.1%
1.7 million lb → 1.6 million 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.
- Knox, TN's total reported releases fell from 1.7 million lb in 2022 to 1.6 million lb in 2023, based on EPA TRI filings.
- Knox, TN's water releases rose from 452 lb in 2022 to 1.2 thousand lb in 2023, based on EPA TRI filings.
- Knox, TN's air releases fell from 751.2 thousand lb in 2022 to 615.2 thousand lb in 2023, based on EPA TRI filings.
- Knox, TN's off-site transfers fell from 29.9 thousand lb in 2022 to 25.4 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 | 205 (56%) | 160 | 1 | 105 |
| 2023 | 162 (44%) | 199 | 4 | 149 |
| 2022 | 185 (51%) | 180 | 0 | 77 |
| 2021 | 153 (42%) | 207 | 5 | 150 |
| 2020 | 233 (64%) | 133 | 0 | 91 |
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 Tennessee, see the EPA's AirNow.gov.
Water Systems (3)
| System | System pop (SDWIS) | Violations |
|---|---|---|
| NORTHEAST KNOX U.D. | 27,941 | 0 |
| GREEN MEADOW ESTATES OF ROCKFORD LLC | 250 | 6 |
| COUNTRY ACRES FARM | 119 | 0 |
TRI Facilities (24)
| # | Facility | Total Releases |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nyrstar- Immel Mine | 5.8M lbs |
| 2 | Explore Industries USA Inc | 3.2M lbs |
| 3 | Rohm & Haas Chemicals LLC - Knoxville Site | 297.5K lbs |
| 4 | Cemex Construction Materials Atlantic LLC | 141.9K lbs |
| 5 | Cmc Steel Tennessee | 97.9K lbs |
| 6 | G & B Specialties Inc. D/b/a Unitrac Railroad Materials | 21.2K lbs |
| 7 | Darling Ingredients Knoxville Facility | 13.9K lbs |
| 8 | Mplx Terminals LLC - Knoxville Tn LP Terminal | 12.0K lbs |
| 9 | Corechem Inc. | 9.0K lbs |
| 10 | Schick Manufacturing Inc | 2.9K lbs |
| 11 | Exedy America Corp | 557 lbs |
| 12 | Bam Inc. | 517 lbs |
| 13 | Lambcon Ready Mix | 110 lbs |
| 14 | Marathon Petroleum Co - Knoxville Tn Asp Terminal | 37 lbs |
| 15 | Fulton Bellows LLC | 18 lbs |
| 16 | Woodstream Corp | 14 lbs |
| 17 | Safety-Kleen Systems Knoxville (kno) | 4 lbs |
| 18 | Ready Mix USA Llc-Neyland Drive Plant | 0 lbs |
| 19 | Kelvion Products Inc. - Knoxville | 0 lbs |
| 20 | Tru Halls | 0 lbs |
| 21 | Chevron Phillips Chemical Co Performance Pipe Div | 0 lbs |
| 22 | Hudson Materials Co | 0 lbs |
| 23 | Smyrna Ready Mix Concrete LLC Plant 47 | 0 lbs |
| 24 | Smyrna Ready Mix Plant 31 | 0 lbs |
Superfund Sites (1)
| Site Name | Status | HRS Score |
|---|---|---|
| Smokey Mountain Smelters | NPL Site | 50.00 |
Cities in Knox (4)
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the environmental risk level in Knox, Tennessee? ▼
Are there Superfund sites in Knox? ▼
How many toxic release facilities are in Knox? ▼
What is the air quality in Knox? ▼
Is the drinking water safe in Knox? ▼
What environmental agencies cover Knox? ▼
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.