Ten industrial facilities in Allegheny County emitted more than 1 million pounds of toxic pollutants in 2019 – contributing more than 60 percent of the air pollution from all industrial sources in the county. These toxic emissions included substances linked to cancer, birth defects, reproductive problems, heart disease and other ailments.
The Pittsburgh region has some of the worst air quality in the nation. A University of Pittsburgh study ranked Allegheny County in the 2 percent of U.S. counties with the highest cancer risk from air pollution.
The Toxic Ten – the 10 active facilities emitting the most-toxic air pollution in Allegheny County – contribute to the health risks posed by air pollution. It’s time for the Allegheny County Health Department to protect the health of Pittsburgh-area residents by taking common sense steps to clean up the Toxic Ten.