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Union, NJ

Moderate Risk (59/100)

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 Union in New Jersey · Population: 572,549

TRI sites such as Phillips 66 Co-Bayway Refinery; Cycle Chem Inc.; Infineum USA Lp-Bayway Chemical Plant; SDWIS systems such as RAHWAY WATER DEPARTMENT; WINFIELD MUTUAL HOUSING; TRIPLE BROOK MOBILE HOME; NPL sites such as Chemical Control; LCP Chemicals Inc. anchor Union, NJ's EPA extract. Derived burden score 59/100 (Moderate Risk) uses fixed national caps on density, log release volume, Superfund count, and health-flagged systems - not an official EPA rating.

Phillips 66 Co-Bayway Refinery; Cycle Chem Inc.; Infineum USA Lp-Bayway Chemical Plant are among the largest Form R filers reporting in Union; no SDWIS system here carries an active health-based flag. AQS median AQI 43 / peak 85 in 2024.

Burden score 59/100 (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 Union -- 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 Union, NJ: EPA TRI 2023 reporting year

2022 → 2023

Same facilities, both years

-20.7%

28 facilities that filed in 2022 and 2023

Whole inventory

-20.7%

4.2 million lb → 3.3 million lb, every facility that filed

  • Union, NJ's total reported releases fell from 4.2 million lb in 2022 to 3.3 million lb in 2023, based on EPA TRI filings.
  • Union, NJ's land releases rose from 0 lb in 2022 to 10.5 thousand lb in 2023, based on EPA TRI filings.
  • Union, NJ's off-site transfers fell from 421.8 thousand lb in 2022 to 303.4 thousand lb in 2023, based on EPA TRI filings.
  • Union, NJ's water releases fell from 3.4 million lb in 2022 to 2.6 million lb in 2023, based on EPA TRI filings.
County population (Census ACS)
572,549
TRI Facilities
33
Water Systems
3
Superfund Sites
2
Total Releases
18.8M lbs

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 229 (63%) 137 0 85
2023 163 (45%) 197 1 227
2022 191 (52%) 174 0 82
2021 157 (43%) 207 1 139
2020 198 (54%) 167 1 111
2024 Good Air Quality: 63% of days
Median AQI: 43

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 New Jersey, see the EPA's AirNow.gov.

Water Systems (3)

System System pop (SDWIS) Violations
RAHWAY WATER DEPARTMENT 27,300 0
WINFIELD MUTUAL HOUSING 1,600 0
TRIPLE BROOK MOBILE HOME 32 0

TRI Facilities (33)

# Facility Total Releases
1 Phillips 66 Co-Bayway Refinery 16.1M lbs
2 Cycle Chem Inc. 934.7K lbs
3 Infineum USA Lp-Bayway Chemical Plant 805.0K lbs
4 Cogen Technologies Linden Venture L.P. 277.4K lbs
5 Linden Generating Station 181.3K lbs
6 Nexpera - Morses Mill 130.0K lbs
7 Gulf Oil LP Linden Terminal 118.2K lbs
8 Paramount Metal Finishing 107.5K lbs
9 Citgo Petroleum Corp 31.5K lbs
10 Safety-Kleen Systems Inc 22.7K lbs
11 Pamarco Global Graphics 20.6K lbs
12 Acupowder International LLC 13.4K lbs
13 Phillips 66 Co Tremley Point Terminal 13.0K lbs
14 Synray Corp 12.4K lbs
15 Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC 8.7K lbs
16 Foremost Manufacturing Co Inc 8.2K lbs
17 Karnak Corp 4.4K lbs
18 Kerry Inc 3.6K lbs
19 Actavis Elizabeth LLC 2.3K lbs
20 Phelps Dodge Industries Inc DBA Freeport-McMoran Inc 1.5K lbs
21 Eto Sterilization 645 lbs
22 Idl Techniedge 30 lbs
23 Electrum Recovery Works Inc. 21 lbs
24 Fanwood Crushed Stone 8 lbs
25 Weldon Asphalt Co. 2 lbs
26 Solar Compounds Corp 2 lbs
27 American Products Co 0 lbs
28 Bodycote Thermal Processing 0 lbs
29 H&h Swiss Screw Machine Products Co 0 lbs
30 Papetti's Hygrade Egg Products Inc 0 lbs
31 Cleanslate Group LLC 0 lbs
32 Papettis Hygrade Egg Products Inc 0 lbs
33 Ronald Mark Associates Inc 0 lbs

Superfund Sites (2)

Site Name Status HRS Score
Chemical Control NPL Site 47.13
LCP Chemicals Inc. NPL Site 50.00

Cities in Union (10)

Linden
14 facilities · 0 water
Union
3 facilities · 0 water
Rahway
2 facilities · 1 water
Clark
2 facilities · 0 water
Hillside
2 facilities · 0 water
Kenilworth
2 facilities · 0 water
Roselle
2 facilities · 0 water
Watchung
1 facilities · 1 water
Cranford
0 facilities · 1 water
Winfield Twp
0 facilities · 1 water

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the environmental risk level in Union, New Jersey? ▼
Union, NJ has an environmental risk score of 59/100 (Moderate Risk), based on 33 TRI facilities, 2 Superfund sites, and 3 water systems on record. No water systems have current health-based violations. Source: EPA TRI, SDWIS, and Superfund NPL.
Are there Superfund sites in Union? ▼
Yes, Union, NJ has 2 Superfund sites on the EPA National Priorities List (NPL). Superfund sites are contaminated locations that require long-term cleanup under the EPA Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA).
How many toxic release facilities are in Union? ▼
Union, NJ has 33 TRI-reporting facilities on record with the EPA Toxic Release Inventory, with a combined total of 18.8M lbs in reported toxic releases. TRI facilities self-report annual chemical release data to the EPA.
What is the air quality in Union? ▼
In 2024, Union, NJ recorded a median AQI of 43 and a peak AQI of 85. 63% of monitored days had "Good" air quality (AQI 0–50). Source: EPA Air Quality System (AQS) Annual AQI by County.
Is the drinking water safe in Union? ▼
Union, NJ has 3 EPA-regulated water systems. No health-based violations are currently on record. For current water quality, contact your local water utility. Source: EPA SDWIS.
What environmental agencies cover Union? ▼
Environmental compliance in Union, New Jersey is overseen by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) at the federal level and the New Jersey 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