Philadelphia, PA
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 Philadelphia in Pennsylvania · Population: 1,582,432
TRI sites such as Advansix Resins & Chemicals LLC; Philadelphia Energy Solutions Refining Philadelphia Refinery; Hanwha Philly Shipyard Inc; SDWIS systems such as PHILADELPHIA WATER DEPARTMENT; NPL sites such as Enterprise Avenue; Franklin Slag Pile (MDC); Metal Banks anchor Philadelphia, PA's EPA extract. Derived burden score 67/100 (High Risk) uses fixed national caps on density, log release volume, Superfund count, and health-flagged systems - not an official EPA rating.
Advansix Resins & Chemicals LLC; Philadelphia Energy Solutions Refining Philadelphia Refinery; Hanwha Philly Shipyard Inc are among the largest Form R filers reporting in Philadelphia; no SDWIS system here carries an active health-based flag. AQS median AQI 52 / peak 136 in 2024.
Burden score 67/100 (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 Philadelphia -- 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 Philadelphia, PA: EPA TRI 2023 reporting year
Same facilities, both years
-6.9%
26 facilities that filed in 2022 and 2023
Whole inventory
-5.8%
349.0 thousand lb → 328.9 thousand lb, every facility that filed
Between the two reporting years, 1 facility filed for the first time and 2 stopped filing. Facilities entering or leaving the inventory are excluded from the same-facility comparison above.
- Philadelphia, PA's total reported releases fell from 348.7 thousand lb in 2022 to 324.8 thousand lb in 2023, based on EPA TRI filings.
- Philadelphia, PA's water releases fell from 250 lb in 2022 to 113 lb in 2023, based on EPA TRI filings.
- Philadelphia, PA's air releases fell from 225.1 thousand lb in 2022 to 182.0 thousand lb in 2023, based on EPA TRI filings.
- Philadelphia, PA's off-site transfers rose from 123.4 thousand lb in 2022 to 142.7 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 | 173 (47%) | 183 | 10 | 136 |
| 2023 | 83 (23%) | 268 | 9 | 331 |
| 2022 | 155 (42%) | 206 | 4 | 113 |
| 2021 | 137 (38%) | 217 | 9 | 153 |
| 2020 | 212 (58%) | 149 | 5 | 119 |
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 Pennsylvania, see the EPA's AirNow.gov.
Water Systems (1)
| System | System pop (SDWIS) | Violations |
|---|---|---|
| PHILADELPHIA WATER DEPARTMENT | 1,600,000 | 0 |
TRI Facilities (34)
Superfund Sites (4)
| Site Name | Status | HRS Score |
|---|---|---|
| Enterprise Avenue | Deleted NPL Site | 40.80 |
| Franklin Slag Pile (MDC) | NPL Site | 50.20 |
| Metal Banks | NPL Site | 33.23 |
| Publicker Industries Inc. | Deleted NPL Site | 59.06 |
Cities in Philadelphia (1)
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the environmental risk level in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania? ▼
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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.