Total Sites
60,035
9 federal databases
Severity Density
1.33
Severity-weighted sites per sq mi
High-Severity Sites
816
Superfund NPL, PFAS detections + similar top-tier records
Data Sources
EPA, USGS
9 databases checked
Source Breakdown
Top Counties in Michigan
Wayne County carries Michigan's densest documented record — 18.33 severity-weighted sites per square mile across 8,975 records, most commonly Brownfields, including 224 high-severity sites. Density describes the county's record, not any single parcel.
| County | Sites | Density | Dominant Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wayne | 8,975 | 18.33 | Brownfields |
| Oakland | 6,189 | 8.95 | Brownfields |
| Macomb | 3,489 | 8.78 | Brownfields |
| Kent | 3,549 | 4.96 | Brownfields |
| Genesee | 2,057 | 3.89 | Brownfields |
| Washtenaw | 2,082 | 3.87 | Brownfields |
| Ingham | 1,660 | 3.61 | Underground Storage Tanks |
| Grand Traverse | 1,120 | 3.58 | Nitrate |
| Kalamazoo | 1,543 | 3.38 | Underground Storage Tanks |
| Ottawa | 1,292 | 2.79 | Brownfields |
Wayne
Sites
9K
Density
18.3
Source
BrownfieldsOakland
Sites
6K
Density
9.0
Source
BrownfieldsMacomb
Sites
3K
Density
8.8
Source
BrownfieldsKent
Sites
4K
Density
5.0
Source
BrownfieldsGenesee
Sites
2K
Density
3.9
Source
BrownfieldsWashtenaw
Sites
2K
Density
3.9
Source
BrownfieldsIngham
Sites
2K
Density
3.6
Source
Underground Storage TanksGrand Traverse
Sites
1K
Density
3.6
Source
NitrateKalamazoo
Sites
2K
Density
3.4
Source
Underground Storage TanksOttawa
Sites
1K
Density
2.8
Source
BrownfieldsAgricultural Pesticide Use in Michigan
In the 2019 federal survey estimates, Michigan's most-applied agricultural pesticides statewide were Glyphosate, Metolachlor & Metolachlor-S and Atrazine. These estimates describe agricultural land use across the state — context for what's in use around the region, not a reading on any garden's soil.
Pesticide data: USGS NAWQA Pesticide National Synthesis Project (EPest county-level use estimates). Latest available county estimates: 2019.
County-Level Detail in Michigan
The federal record isn't uniform across a state. Here's what's documented around Michigan's counties with the densest records — each read from that county's own sites, not the state average. Proximity is information, not a diagnosis; a soil test settles any near neighbor.
Is It Safe to Grow Food in Wayne County?
Federal record: HighWe checked the federal record around Wayne County — 8,975 documented sites across 6 of the 9 source types we track, 224 of them high-severity.
The most significant on record: 223 Superfund sites. Sites tracked in EPA's Superfund program — from assessment-stage CERCLIS entries to confirmed National Priorities List cleanup sites.
Wayne County carries one of the heavier federal records we track — 8,975 documented sites, most of them brownfields. That's a record of the area's history, not a verdict on any one yard: proximity to a documented site is information, not a diagnosis. Before food beds go in, a professional soil test tells you exactly what you're working with — and raised beds with clean imported soil grow well almost anywhere in the meantime.
Documented sites nearest the Wayne County center
- Remax Leading Edge — Brownfields · ~0.6 km from the county center
- Queen Street Mercury Spill — Superfund · ~0.6 km from the county center
- Sunoco Gas Station — Underground Storage Tanks · ~0.7 km from the county center
These are the closest documented sites to Wayne County's geographic center — a screening reference, not a reading on any specific address. Check your own Michigan parcel to see what's actually near you.
Is It Safe to Grow Food in Oakland County?
Federal record: HighWe checked the federal record around Oakland County — 6,189 documented sites across 6 of the 9 source types we track, 31 of them high-severity.
The most significant on record: 23 Superfund sites. Sites tracked in EPA's Superfund program — from assessment-stage CERCLIS entries to confirmed National Priorities List cleanup sites.
Oakland County carries one of the heavier federal records we track — 6,189 documented sites, most of them brownfields. That's a record of the area's history, not a verdict on any one yard: proximity to a documented site is information, not a diagnosis. Before food beds go in, a professional soil test tells you exactly what you're working with — and raised beds with clean imported soil grow well almost anywhere in the meantime.
Documented sites nearest the Oakland County center
- Kroger #d-675 — Underground Storage Tanks · ~0.1 km from the county center
- Woodward Detroit Cvs, Llc — Brownfields · ~0.1 km from the county center
- Waterford Twp Parks & Rec — Underground Storage Tanks · ~0.1 km from the county center
These are the closest documented sites to Oakland County's geographic center — a screening reference, not a reading on any specific address. Check your own Michigan parcel to see what's actually near you.
Is It Safe to Grow Food in Macomb County?
Federal record: HighWe checked the federal record around Macomb County — 3,489 documented sites across 6 of the 9 source types we track, 34 of them high-severity.
The most significant on record: 29 Superfund sites. Sites tracked in EPA's Superfund program — from assessment-stage CERCLIS entries to confirmed National Priorities List cleanup sites.
Macomb County carries one of the heavier federal records we track — 3,489 documented sites, most of them brownfields. That's a record of the area's history, not a verdict on any one yard: proximity to a documented site is information, not a diagnosis. Before food beds go in, a professional soil test tells you exactly what you're working with — and raised beds with clean imported soil grow well almost anywhere in the meantime.
Documented sites nearest the Macomb County center
- Landtec Investments Llc — Brownfields · ~0.1 km from the county center
- Walgreen Co — Brownfields · ~1.2 km from the county center
- South Macomb Disposal Authority (Landfills #9 And #9a) — Superfund · ~1.2 km from the county center
These are the closest documented sites to Macomb County's geographic center — a screening reference, not a reading on any specific address. Check your own Michigan parcel to see what's actually near you.
Check an Address in Michigan
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