How to Search Environmental Databases (Start Here)
Federal environmental databases track pollution, toxic releases, hazardous waste sites, water quality, and environmental enforcement. The EPA maintains most of these.
What this page covers: EPA Envirofacts, Toxic Release Inventory (TRI), Superfund site data, water quality, and enforcement records. What it does not cover: State environmental permits or local impact reports.
Where to start: For toxic chemical releases near a location, use EPA TRI. For contaminated sites, use the Superfund search. For broad environmental data by location, use EPA Envirofacts.
Common mistake: TRI data is self-reported by facilities — it shows what they report releasing, not necessarily what is in the environment.
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Chemical Spills & Accidents
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Right-to-Know Network database of NRC (National Response Center) tracking of chemical spills accidents.
Enviromapper for EnviroFacts
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EPA database and interactive map of hazardous waste, impaired water bodies, air emissions, toxic release sites, etc.
Environmental Maps
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EPA interactive environmental and demographic maps. Simply type your Zip code or choose your state or city.
EPA Enforcement & Compliance History (ECHO)
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U.S. Environmental Protection Agency database of hazardous waste enforcement and compliance histories.
Hazardous Substance Releases | ATSDR
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ATSDR (Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry) information on the release of hazardous substances from Superfund sites, emergency events.
Hazardous Waste Handlers | RCRIS
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Database of hazardous waste handlers by geographic area, facility, or industry.
Household Product Ingredients
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National Institute of Health/National Library of Medicine database of Household Product ingredients.
Household Products
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National Institute of Health/National Library of Medicine database of household products.
Nuclear Waste Shipment Routes
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Find out how far from the proposed routes for the shipping of radioactive nuclear waste to Yucca Mountain in Nevada.
Pollution Locator
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Search by county, state, or community and view reports on environmental issues such as air pollutants, lead hazards, smog and particulates, etc.
Radon Zones
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Interactive EPA map of Radon Zones. Select your state and view color coded counties marking lowest to highest radon potential.
Recycling Facilities
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Database of recycling facilities by type of material as well as city & state.
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Renewable Energy Publications
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National Renewable Energy Laboratory publications database.
Risk Management Plans
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Database risk management plans from industrial facilities with extremely hazardous substances.
Superfund Hazardous Waste Sites (SEMS)
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EPA Superfund Enterprise Management System (SEMS) database.
Toxic Release Query
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EPA toxic release inventory of facilities, toxic chemical releases to the environment, chemical transfers, source reduction and recycling, and.
Toxic Releases
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Right-to-Know Network Spills and Accidents database of toxic chemical spills by name, state, or substance.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Can I check environmental contamination near an address? ▼
Yes. EPA Envirofacts lets you search by zip code or address. For known contaminated sites, use the Superfund search.
What is the Toxic Release Inventory? ▼
A federal database of self-reported toxic chemical releases by about 21,000 industrial facilities covering over 650 chemicals.
What is a Superfund site? ▼
A contaminated location identified by the EPA for cleanup under CERCLA. The National Priorities List tracks the most serious sites.
Other Federal Databases
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