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Rutherford, NC

Moderate Risk (46/100)

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 Rutherford in North Carolina · Population: 64,850

TRI sites such as Befesa Zinc Metal LLC; Duke Energy Carolinas LLC - Rogers Energy Complex; Trelleborg Coated Systems US Inc; SDWIS systems such as FOREST CITY, TOWN OF; BROAD RIVER WATER AUTHORITY; ELLENBORO TOWN OF anchor Rutherford, NC's EPA extract. Derived burden score 46/100 (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 Rutherford include ELLENBORO TOWN OF; CONCORD COMM WATER SYSTEM; LAKE LURE, TOWN OF, while Befesa Zinc Metal LLC leads reported TRI pounds among local Form R filers. No AQS county monitors report here.

Burden score 46/100 (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 Rutherford -- 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 Rutherford, NC: EPA TRI 2023 reporting year

2022 → 2023

Same facilities, both years

-3.3%

6 facilities that filed in 2022 and 2023

Whole inventory

-3.3%

13.3 million lb → 12.9 million lb, every facility that filed

  • Rutherford, NC's total reported releases fell from 13.3 million lb in 2022 to 12.9 million lb in 2023, based on EPA TRI filings.
  • Rutherford, NC's land releases rose from 197.9 thousand lb in 2022 to 604.8 thousand lb in 2023, based on EPA TRI filings.
  • Rutherford, NC's air releases rose from 146.3 thousand lb in 2022 to 288.6 thousand lb in 2023, based on EPA TRI filings.
  • Rutherford, NC's water releases rose from 2.1 thousand lb in 2022 to 2.9 thousand lb in 2023, based on EPA TRI filings.
County population (Census ACS)
64,850
TRI Facilities
7
Water Systems
11
Superfund Sites
0
Total Releases
47.0M lbs

Water Systems (11)

System System pop (SDWIS) Violations
FOREST CITY, TOWN OF 21,521 0
BROAD RIVER WATER AUTHORITY 18,242 0
ELLENBORO TOWN OF 2,322 1
CONCORD COMM WATER SYSTEM 1,867 1
LAKE LURE, TOWN OF 1,176 1
BOSTIC, TOWN OF 953 0
HH WATER, LLC 770 1
LAKE LURE VILLAGE RESORT 226 4
FIREFLY COVE 99 1
CHIMNEY ROCK VILLAGE 94 2
COLONIAL MANOR REST HOME 27 3

TRI Facilities (7)

# Facility Total Releases
1 Befesa Zinc Metal LLC 43.1M lbs
2 Duke Energy Carolinas LLC - Rogers Energy Complex 3.7M lbs
3 Trelleborg Coated Systems US Inc 132.2K lbs
4 Danfoss Power Solutions II LLC 26.1K lbs
5 Aallied Die Casting of N.c. 15.2K lbs
6 Tri-City Concrete LLC 0 lbs
7 Westrock Converting 0 lbs

Cities in Rutherford (8)

Forest City
3 facilities · 1 water
Mooresboro
2 facilities · 3 water
Rutherfordton
2 facilities · 2 water
Lake Lure
0 facilities · 3 water
Bostic
0 facilities · 2 water
Chimney Rock
0 facilities · 1 water
Cliffside
0 facilities · 1 water
Ellenboro
0 facilities · 1 water

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the environmental risk level in Rutherford, North Carolina? ▼
Rutherford, NC has an environmental risk score of 46/100 (Moderate Risk), based on 7 TRI facilities, 0 Superfund sites, and 11 water systems on record. 8 water systems have health-based violations. Source: EPA TRI, SDWIS, and Superfund NPL.
Are there Superfund sites in Rutherford? ▼
No Superfund National Priorities List (NPL) sites are currently registered in Rutherford, NC in the EPA database.
How many toxic release facilities are in Rutherford? ▼
Rutherford, NC has 7 TRI-reporting facilities on record with the EPA Toxic Release Inventory, with a combined total of 47.0M lbs in reported toxic releases. TRI facilities self-report annual chemical release data to the EPA.
What is the air quality in Rutherford? ▼
Air quality monitoring data (EPA AQS) is not available for Rutherford, NC. This may indicate no EPA monitoring stations are located in the county. For regional air quality data, see the state environmental profile or visit EPA's AirNow.gov.
Is the drinking water safe in Rutherford? ▼
Rutherford, NC has 11 EPA-regulated water systems. 8 systems have reported health-based violations (MCL exceedances). A past violation does not necessarily mean water is currently unsafe. For current water quality, contact your local water utility. Source: EPA SDWIS.
What environmental agencies cover Rutherford? ▼
Environmental compliance in Rutherford, North Carolina is overseen by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) at the federal level and the North Carolina state environmental agency. Facilities report to the EPA Toxic Release Inventory, water systems are regulated under the Safe Drinking Water Act, and contaminated sites are managed under the Superfund program. Contact your state environmental agency for local concerns.

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.

Related Guides

Understanding EPA Data
How EPA collects and publishes environmental data
Environmental Justice
Who lives near polluters and environmental hazards
How to Check Environmental Quality
Step-by-step guide to checking your local environment

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

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Data sourced from U.S. EPA environmental datasets. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainEnviro