EPA TRI Facility · Primary Metals

Cleveland-Cliffs Steel LLC

East Chicago, IN · Parent: Cleveland-Cliffs Inc

Total releases
18.4M lbs
Chemicals reported
40
Carcinogens
8
Primary pathway
Off-site Transfers
Verify at EPA TRI →

Cleveland-Cliffs Steel LLC has reported 18.4M lbs of toxic releases across 40 chemicals to the EPA Toxic Release Inventory, based on annual facility disclosures from 2019 through 2023. Of the chemicals reported, 8 are classified as carcinogens, representing 20% of the facility's chemical profile. The facility operates in the Primary Metals sector. The primary release pathway is off-site transfers, accounting for 90% of total releases. All release data shown below is self-reported to the EPA under the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA) Section 313.

#109 of 25,902 TRI facilities nationwide by total reported releases - among the top 0.4% of reporting sites by volume. Ranking reflects reported pounds, not toxicity or health risk.

Cleveland-Cliffs Steel LLC files annual Form R disclosures to the EPA Toxics Release Inventory under EPCRA Section 313, classified under NAICS 331110 (Primary Metals). Across 5 years of records spanning 2019–2023, the site has disclosed 18.4M lbs in cumulative toxic releases across 40 distinct chemicals, 8 of which (20%) carry a carcinogenic classification.

The dominant release pathway is off-site transfers at 16.6M lbs (90.1% of total volume), followed by air releases at 5.0%. Between 2019 and 2023, reported totals decreased by 48% - from 6.8M lbs to 3.5M lbs. The facility is operated under parent company Cleveland-Cliffs Inc.

TRI Form R values are self-reported estimates, not measured stack emissions, and treat every pound of reported chemical equally regardless of toxicity. Inclusion in the TRI database does not establish a health risk to nearby residents; it documents the annual reporting record that Cleveland-Cliffs Steel LLC has filed with the EPA under federal community right-to-know requirements.

Quick Facts

Industry
Primary Metals
NAICS Code
331110
Total Releases
18.4M lbs
Chemicals Reported
40
Latest Report Year
2023

Compare this facility

See how Cleveland-Cliffs Steel LLC stacks up against nearby facilities and the typical reporter.

Total reported releases
Cleveland-Cliffs Steel LLC
18.4M lbs
Uss Gary Works
77.4M lbs

76% less than the comparison

Chemicals reported
Cleveland-Cliffs Steel LLC
40
Uss Gary Works
36

About the same as the comparison

Comparison reflects reported pounds and chemical counts, not toxicity or health risk. Averages cover facilities reporting any release.

How does this facility release toxic chemicals?

How Cleveland-Cliffs Steel LLC releases toxic chemicals into the environment. Total: 18.4M lbs.

Off-site Transfers 16.6M lbs (90.1%)
Air Releases 926.1K lbs (5.0%)
Water Discharges 889.6K lbs (4.8%)
Land Disposal 0 lbs (<0.1%)
View 5-Year Emissions Trend →

Emissions Trend Summary

From 2019 to 2023, total releases decreased by 48% (6.8M lbs to 3.5M lbs).

Reported total releases by year

Cleveland-Cliffs Steel LLC - annual TRI totals

million lbs

What this shows Year-over-year reported totals. TRI figures are self-reported estimates and can swing with production levels, waste-rock handling and reporting changes, not only with emissions controls.

Source EPA Toxics Release Inventory (TRI)
Year Total Chemicals
2019 6.8M lbs 27
2020 2.2M lbs 27
2021 1.7M lbs 27
2022 4.1M lbs 26
2023 3.5M lbs 23

Chemical Releases

Aggregated across all reporting years (2019–2023). 8 of 40 chemicals are carcinogens. Sorted by total release volume.

Chemical Total Flags
Zinc compounds 13.4M lbs -
Manganese compounds 1.0M lbs -
Manganese And Manganese Compounds 833.6K lbs -
Nitrate compounds (water dissociable; reportable only when in aqueous solution) 642.0K lbs -
Lead compounds 602.9K lbs -
Lead And Lead Compounds 464.6K lbs -
Ammonia 313.7K lbs -
Hydrogen sulfide 295.9K lbs -
n-Hexane 171.0K lbs -
Diethanolamine 120.0K lbs -
Chromium compounds (except for chromite ore mined in the Transvaal Region) 71.5K lbs -
Cyanide compounds 55.4K lbs -
Nonylphenol Ethoxylates 50.0K lbs -
Chromium and Chromium Compounds(except for chromite ore mined in the Transvaal Region) 45.2K lbs -
Barium compounds (except for barium sulfate (CAS No. 7727-43-7)) 40.8K lbs -
Vanadium compounds 38.8K lbs -
Copper compounds 38.3K lbs -
Barium And Barium Compounds 30.6K lbs -
Copper And Copper Compounds 25.5K lbs -
Nickel compounds 20.5K lbs Carcinogen
Cadmium compounds 19.0K lbs Carcinogen
Hydrochloric acid (acid aerosols including mists, vapors, gas, fog, and other airborne forms of any particle size) 18.6K lbs -
Cadmium And Cadmium Compounds 12.9K lbs Carcinogen
Carbonyl sulfide 12.6K lbs -
Nickel And Nickel Compounds 5.8K lbs Carcinogen
Phenol 5.3K lbs -
Polycyclic aromatic compounds 2.5K lbs Carcinogen
Selenium compounds 640 lbs -
Antimony And Antimony Compounds 629 lbs -
Beryllium compounds 450 lbs Carcinogen
Selenium And Selenium Compounds 383 lbs -
Antimony compounds 370 lbs -
Beryllium And Beryllium Compounds 220 lbs Carcinogen
Mercury compounds 147 lbs -
Mercury And Mercury Compounds 111 lbs -
Chlorine 20 lbs -
Aluminum (fume or dust) 15 lbs -
Benzo[g,h,i]perylene 11 lbs -
Dioxin and dioxin-like compounds 7 lbs Carcinogen
Sodium nitrite 0 lbs -

Location

Coordinates
41.6542, -87.4468
ZIP Code
46312
EPA Facility ID
46312NLNDS3210W

About TRI Data

Data as of 2023 reporting year. Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Toxic Release Inventory.

Data comes from the EPA Toxic Release Inventory (TRI) program. Facilities that manufacture, process, or otherwise use listed toxic chemicals above threshold amounts are required to report annually to the EPA.

Release quantities are self-reported by the facility and may represent estimates rather than exact measurements. "Total releases" includes releases to air, water, land, and off-site transfers for disposal. Quantities shown here are aggregated across all available reporting years.

PlainEnviro presents this data without advocacy framing. The presence of a facility in the TRI database does not by itself indicate a health risk. For site-specific health questions, consult your local environmental or health agency.

Frequently Asked Questions

What chemicals does Cleveland-Cliffs Steel LLC release?
Cleveland-Cliffs Steel LLC has reported releases of 40 chemicals to the EPA Toxic Release Inventory, totaling 18.4M lbs. 8 of these (20%) are classified as carcinogens.
What industry is Cleveland-Cliffs Steel LLC in?
Cleveland-Cliffs Steel LLC is classified under the "Primary Metals" industry (NAICS code 331110), located in East Chicago, IN.
How long has Cleveland-Cliffs Steel LLC reported to the TRI?
Cleveland-Cliffs Steel LLC has EPA Toxic Release Inventory data spanning 5 years, from 2019 to 2023.
How does Cleveland-Cliffs Steel LLC release toxic chemicals?
The primary release pathway for Cleveland-Cliffs Steel LLC is off-site transfers, accounting for 90.1% of total releases (16.6M lbs). Secondary pathway: air releases (5.0%).
Are emissions from Cleveland-Cliffs Steel LLC increasing or decreasing?
From 2019 to 2023, total releases decreased by 48%, from 6.8M lbs to 3.5M lbs.
Is Cleveland-Cliffs Steel LLC a health risk?
The presence of a facility in the TRI database does not by itself indicate a health risk. Release quantities are self-reported estimates. For site-specific health questions, consult your local environmental or health agency.
Does Cleveland-Cliffs Steel LLC release carcinogens?
Yes, Cleveland-Cliffs Steel LLC reports 8 chemicals classified as carcinogens, representing 20% of all chemicals reported by this facility. Carcinogen classification is based on EPA and IARC assessments.

What to do with this facility's data

Use this facility profile as a starting point, then check how it compares.

  • See whether releases reported by Cleveland-Cliffs Steel LLC are rising or falling over time. View trends
  • This facility ranks #109 of 25,902 TRI facilities nationwide by total reported releases - among the top 0.4% of reporting sites by volume. Ranking reflects reported pounds, not toxicity or health risk. See the full rankings
  • Check Indiana's statewide profile for the full picture: total facilities, water systems, and Superfund sites. View Indiana profile

TRI release totals are self-reported estimates submitted to the EPA, not independently measured stack emissions; a high rank reflects reported volume, not necessarily local health risk.

Related

Sources & how this page was built

Every figure on this page traces to public, federal-government data on Cleveland-Cliffs Steel LLC. The records below are the primary sources; our methodology explains how they are joined, computed, and verified.

Retrieved and formatted by PlainEnviro Editorial. TRI release totals are self-reported estimates, not measured stack emissions.

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the Toxics Release Inventory has required annual industrial disclosure since its creation under the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act in October 1986, and this facility's record is drawn from PlainEnviro's database of more than 25,000 EPA-tracked facilities through the 2023 reporting year; see our methodology for full source citations and refresh cadence.