New Hanover, NC
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 New Hanover in North Carolina · Population: 231,214
TRI sites such as Fortron Industries LLC; American Chrome & Chemicals; Corning Inc; SDWIS systems such as CFPUA-WILMINGTON; CAROLINA BEACH WATER SYSTEM; KURE BEACH WATER SYSTEM; NPL sites such as Horton Iron and Metal; New Hanover County Airport Burn Pit; Reasor Chemical Company anchor New Hanover, NC's EPA extract. Derived burden score 58/100 (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 New Hanover include KURE BEACH WATER SYSTEM; CFPUA - WRIGHTSVILLE BEACH; OYSTER POINT S/D, while Fortron Industries LLC leads reported TRI pounds among local Form R filers. AQS median AQI 39 / peak 97 in 2024.
Burden score 58/100 (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 New Hanover -- 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 New Hanover, NC: EPA TRI 2023 reporting year
Same facilities, both years
-28.0%
12 facilities that filed in 2022 and 2023
Whole inventory
-28.0%
3.9 million lb → 2.8 million lb, every facility that filed
- New Hanover, NC's total reported releases fell from 3.9 million lb in 2022 to 2.8 million lb in 2023, based on EPA TRI filings.
- New Hanover, NC's land releases fell from 1.5 million lb in 2022 to 823.6 thousand lb in 2023, based on EPA TRI filings.
- New Hanover, NC's water releases fell from 27.0 thousand lb in 2022 to 20.2 thousand lb in 2023, based on EPA TRI filings.
- New Hanover, NC's off-site transfers fell from 2.3 million lb in 2022 to 1.8 million 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 | 293 (81%) | 70 | 0 | 97 |
| 2023 | 237 (65%) | 124 | 1 | 142 |
| 2022 | 268 (74%) | 93 | 0 | 80 |
| 2021 | 286 (79%) | 74 | 0 | 93 |
| 2020 | 328 (92%) | 29 | 0 | 77 |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| CFPUA-WILMINGTON | 212,227 | 0 |
| CAROLINA BEACH WATER SYSTEM | 6,864 | 0 |
| KURE BEACH WATER SYSTEM | 5,484 | 4 |
| CFPUA - WRIGHTSVILLE BEACH | 5,300 | 5 |
| SILVER BLUFF NURSING HOME | 300 | 0 |
| NORTHSIDE MHP | 180 | 0 |
| SOUTH RIDGE MHP | 115 | 0 |
| OYSTER POINT S/D | 99 | 3 |
| SHADY HAVEN MHP | 46 | 0 |
| SIMMONS HEIGHTS APARTMENTS | 35 | 0 |
| HARVEST VIEW HOA | 25 | 0 |
TRI Facilities (15)
| # | Facility | Total Releases |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fortron Industries LLC | 10.8M lbs |
| 2 | American Chrome & Chemicals | 7.0M lbs |
| 3 | Corning Inc | 612.2K lbs |
| 4 | Stepan Co | 96.5K lbs |
| 5 | Wilbara LLC | 71.1K lbs |
| 6 | Gev Company/geh Nea/gnf-A | 54.0K lbs |
| 7 | Senneca Holdings (hmf Express) | 712 lbs |
| 8 | Gold Bond Building Products - Wilmington | 250 lbs |
| 9 | S&w Castle Hayne Plant | 38 lbs |
| 10 | S&w Wilmington Plant | 34 lbs |
| 11 | Argos Ready Mix Scotts Hill Concrete Plant | 1 lbs |
| 12 | Adams an Oldcastle Co - Castle Hayne | 0 lbs |
| 13 | Argos Sunnyvale Concrete Plant | 0 lbs |
| 14 | Sturdy Corp | 0 lbs |
| 15 | South Atlantic Services Inc | 0 lbs |
Superfund Sites (3)
| Site Name | Status | HRS Score |
|---|---|---|
| Horton Iron and Metal | NPL Site | 48.03 |
| New Hanover County Airport Burn Pit | Deleted NPL Site | 39.39 |
| Reasor Chemical Company | Deleted NPL Site | 32.14 |
Cities in New Hanover (4)
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the environmental risk level in New Hanover, North Carolina? ▼
Are there Superfund sites in New Hanover? ▼
How many toxic release facilities are in New Hanover? ▼
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Is the drinking water safe in New Hanover? ▼
What environmental agencies cover New Hanover? ▼
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.