Lorain, OH
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 Lorain in Ohio · Population: 314,588
TRI sites such as Ross Incineration Services Inc; Reworld Tron Corp; Basf Corp; SDWIS systems such as RURAL LORAIN CO. WATER A; ELYRIA WATER DEPARTMENT; LORAIN CITY PWS; NPL sites such as Republic Steel Corp. Quarry anchor Lorain, OH'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 Lorain include ELYRIA WATER DEPARTMENT; OBERLIN WATER DEPARTMENT; WELLINGTON VILLAGE PWS, while Ross Incineration Services Inc leads reported TRI pounds among local Form R filers. AQS median AQI 39 / peak 74 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 Lorain -- 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 Lorain, OH: EPA TRI 2023 reporting year
Same facilities, both years
+13.7%
36 facilities that filed in 2022 and 2023
Whole inventory
+13.7%
926.6 thousand lb → 1.1 million lb, every facility that filed
Between the two reporting years, 0 facilities filed for the first time and 3 stopped filing. Facilities entering or leaving the inventory are excluded from the same-facility comparison above.
- Lorain, OH's total reported releases rose from 926.6 thousand lb in 2022 to 1.1 million lb in 2023, based on EPA TRI filings.
- Lorain, OH's water releases rose from 325 lb in 2022 to 1.2 thousand lb in 2023, based on EPA TRI filings.
- Lorain, OH's land releases fell from 368 lb in 2022 to 0 lb in 2023, based on EPA TRI filings.
- Lorain, OH's off-site transfers rose from 840.6 thousand lb in 2022 to 970.8 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 | 216 (88%) | 29 | 0 | 74 |
| 2023 | 221 (91%) | 22 | 0 | 90 |
| 2022 | 228 (94%) | 14 | 1 | 115 |
| 2021 | 208 (68%) | 96 | 0 | 90 |
| 2020 | 289 (81%) | 68 | 0 | 155 |
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 Ohio, see the EPA's AirNow.gov.
Water Systems (19)
| System | System pop (SDWIS) | Violations |
|---|---|---|
| RURAL LORAIN CO. WATER A | 73,125 | 0 |
| ELYRIA WATER DEPARTMENT | 68,000 | 1 |
| LORAIN CITY PWS | 64,152 | 0 |
| NORTH RIDGEVILLE CITY PWS | 29,465 | 0 |
| AVON CITY PWS | 23,800 | 0 |
| AVON LAKE CITY PWS | 23,659 | 0 |
| AMHERST CITY PWS | 11,797 | 0 |
| SHEFFIELD LAKE CITY PWS | 9,108 | 0 |
| OBERLIN WATER DEPARTMENT | 8,600 | 4 |
| WELLINGTON VILLAGE PWS | 4,802 | 1 |
| MEDINA CO/SOUTHERN WATER DIST PWS | 4,708 | 0 |
| SHEFFIELD VILLAGE PWS | 4,165 | 0 |
| GRAFTON VILLAGE PWS | 2,769 | 1 |
| LAGRANGE VILLAGE PWS | 2,400 | 14 |
| SOUTH AMHERST VILLAGE PWS | 1,688 | 1 |
| PHEASANT RUN ASSOCIATION PWS | 1,550 | 0 |
| GREENWICH VILLAGE PWS | 1,476 | 1 |
| OAKWOOD MHP | 180 | 0 |
| NORTH PINE ESTATES | 50 | 0 |
TRI Facilities (44)
Superfund Sites (1)
| Site Name | Status | HRS Score |
|---|---|---|
| Republic Steel Corp. Quarry | Deleted NPL Site | 29.85 |
Cities in Lorain (14)
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the environmental risk level in Lorain, Ohio? ▼
Are there Superfund sites in Lorain? ▼
How many toxic release facilities are in Lorain? ▼
What is the air quality in Lorain? ▼
Is the drinking water safe in Lorain? ▼
What environmental agencies cover Lorain? ▼
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.