SCORECARD: Information on pollution in your own community

Checkout Scorecard to find out who is polluting in your community! All you have to do is enter your zip code, and you will be provided with a list of the biggest polluters in your area and a list of the toxins most commonly released in your area, along with lots of other interesting information.


I ran a search on Cortland, NY (13045) and discovered that PALL CORP. PALL TRINITY MICRO DIV., BUCKBEE-MEARS CORTLAND, and CORTLAND LINE CO. INC. are the three big polluters in Cortland County.

The top three chemicals that are released into the area and are suspected to have the following human health hazards:

1. TERT-BUTYL ALCOHOL @ 17,499 pounds

• Developmental toxicant
• Kidney toxicant
• Neurotoxicant

2. METHYL ETHYL KETONE @ 12,080 pounds

• Cardiovascular or Blood Toxicant
• Developmental Toxicant
• Gastrointestinal or Liver Toxicant 
• Kidney Toxicant
• Neurotoxicant
• Reproductive Toxicant
• Respiratory Toxicant
• Skin or Sense Organ Toxicant

3. HYDROCHLORIC ACID @ 11,309 pounds

• Gastrointestinal or Liver Toxicant
• Immunotoxicant
• Musculoskeletal Toxicant
• Respiratory Toxicant
• Skin or Sense Organ Toxicant

I also ran a search on my hometown of Hancock, NY (13783) in Delaware County. It turns out that the biggest polluter in the area is Norbord of Deposit, NY. As a child, I used to think that the place was a cloud factory as billowy whiteness ceaselessly flowed from its smokestack. As I grew older I realized that the smokestack actually released steam instead of clouds... but it seems I may have been mistaken both times. Here is a map of toxic chemical releases at Norbord.