Tuscaloosa, AL
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 Tuscaloosa in Alabama · Population: 234,036
TRI sites such as Nucor Steel Tuscaloosa Inc; Hunt Refining Co a Corp; Mercedes-Benz U.S. International Inc.; SDWIS systems such as TUSCALOOSA WATER & SEWER; NORTHPORT WATER WORKS, CITY OF; CARROLLS CREEK, WATER AUTHORITY anchor Tuscaloosa, AL's EPA extract. Derived burden score 49/100 (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 Tuscaloosa include TUSCALOOSA WATER & SEWER; CARROLLS CREEK, WATER AUTHORITY, while Nucor Steel Tuscaloosa Inc leads reported TRI pounds among local Form R filers. AQS median AQI 37 / peak 125 in 2024.
Burden score 49/100 (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 Tuscaloosa -- 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 Tuscaloosa, AL: EPA TRI 2023 reporting year
Same facilities, both years
+117.4%
23 facilities that filed in 2022 and 2023
Whole inventory
+117.4%
1.1 million lb → 2.3 million lb, every facility that filed
- Tuscaloosa, AL's total reported releases rose from 1.1 million lb in 2022 to 2.3 million lb in 2023, based on EPA TRI filings.
- Tuscaloosa, AL's off-site transfers rose from 679.6 thousand lb in 2022 to 1.8 million lb in 2023, based on EPA TRI filings.
- Tuscaloosa, AL's water releases rose from 123.1 thousand lb in 2022 to 204.3 thousand lb in 2023, based on EPA TRI filings.
- Tuscaloosa, AL's land releases fell from 127 lb in 2022 to 53 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 | 318 (89%) | 39 | 2 | 125 |
| 2023 | 255 (70%) | 110 | 0 | 87 |
| 2022 | 240 (86%) | 40 | 0 | 87 |
| 2021 | 246 (88%) | 34 | 0 | 90 |
| 2020 | 247 (89%) | 31 | 0 | 97 |
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 Alabama, see the EPA's AirNow.gov.
Water Systems (8)
| System | System pop (SDWIS) | Violations |
|---|---|---|
| TUSCALOOSA WATER & SEWER | 166,524 | 6 |
| NORTHPORT WATER WORKS, CITY OF | 40,551 | 0 |
| CARROLLS CREEK, WATER AUTHORITY | 16,248 | 1 |
| CITIZENS WATER SERVICE, INC. | 15,096 | 0 |
| FOSTERS-RALPH WATER AUTHORITY | 6,015 | 0 |
| COKER WATER AUTHORITY | 5,118 | 0 |
| BERRY, TOWN OF | 4,887 | 0 |
| BUHL ELROD & HOLMAN WATER AUTHORITY | 3,648 | 0 |
TRI Facilities (25)
| # | Facility | Total Releases |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nucor Steel Tuscaloosa Inc | 8.7M lbs |
| 2 | Hunt Refining Co a Corp | 921.3K lbs |
| 3 | Mercedes-Benz U.S. International Inc. | 905.2K lbs |
| 4 | Smp Automotive Systems Alabama | 215.0K lbs |
| 5 | Phifer Inc | 175.0K lbs |
| 6 | Motherson Electroplating US LLC | 64.4K lbs |
| 7 | Abraservice LLC | 61.9K lbs |
| 8 | Southern Heat Exchanger Corp | 60.1K lbs |
| 9 | Elk Co of Texas LLC | 45.0K lbs |
| 10 | Ascorium N.a. Inc. | 30.5K lbs |
| 11 | Michelin N.a. Inc | 18.1K lbs |
| 12 | Hero Bx Alabama | 12.7K lbs |
| 13 | Merichem Technologies LLC Catalyst Plant | 6.3K lbs |
| 14 | Peco Foods Inc - Tuscaloosa Processing | 5.1K lbs |
| 15 | Warrior Met Coal LLC | 1.5K lbs |
| 16 | Hanna Steel Corp | 1.5K lbs |
| 17 | Cox Wood of Alabama | 1.4K lbs |
| 18 | Tms International LLC | 1.3K lbs |
| 19 | Southern Heat Exchanger Corp | 953 lbs |
| 20 | Black Warrior Roofing | 770 lbs |
| 21 | Ashton Lewis - Sullivan Inc. | 256 lbs |
| 22 | Warrior Asphalt Inc. | 43 lbs |
| 23 | Warrior Roofing Manufacturing Inc | 21 lbs |
| 24 | Ready Mix USA Llc-Tuscaloosa Facility | 0 lbs |
| 25 | Gaylord Chemical Co LLC | 0 lbs |
Cities in Tuscaloosa (10)
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the environmental risk level in Tuscaloosa, Alabama? ▼
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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.