Total Sites
28,130
9 federal databases
Severity Density
0.94
Severity-weighted sites per sq mi
High-Severity Sites
671
Superfund NPL, PFAS detections + similar top-tier records
Data Sources
EPA, USGS
9 databases checked
Source Breakdown
Top Counties in Tennessee
Shelby County carries Tennessee's densest documented record — 6.47 severity-weighted sites per square mile across 3,578 records, most commonly Underground Storage Tanks, including 70 high-severity sites. Density describes the county's record, not any single parcel.
| County | Sites | Density | Dominant Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shelby | 3,578 | 6.47 | Underground Storage Tanks |
| Davidson | 2,216 | 5.59 | Underground Storage Tanks |
| Hamilton | 1,594 | 3.94 | Underground Storage Tanks |
| Knox | 1,498 | 3.86 | Underground Storage Tanks |
| Hamblen | 361 | 3.08 | Underground Storage Tanks |
| Sullivan | 754 | 2.33 | Underground Storage Tanks |
| Washington | 539 | 2.12 | Underground Storage Tanks |
| Madison | 676 | 1.70 | Underground Storage Tanks |
| Rutherford | 692 | 1.55 | Underground Storage Tanks |
| Bradley | 358 | 1.53 | Underground Storage Tanks |
Shelby
Sites
4K
Density
6.5
Source
Underground Storage TanksDavidson
Sites
2K
Density
5.6
Source
Underground Storage TanksHamilton
Sites
2K
Density
3.9
Source
Underground Storage TanksKnox
Sites
1K
Density
3.9
Source
Underground Storage TanksHamblen
Sites
361
Density
3.1
Source
Underground Storage TanksSullivan
Sites
754
Density
2.3
Source
Underground Storage TanksWashington
Sites
539
Density
2.1
Source
Underground Storage TanksMadison
Sites
676
Density
1.7
Source
Underground Storage TanksRutherford
Sites
692
Density
1.6
Source
Underground Storage TanksBradley
Sites
358
Density
1.5
Source
Underground Storage TanksAgricultural Pesticide Use in Tennessee
In the 2019 federal survey estimates, Tennessee'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 Tennessee
The federal record isn't uniform across a state. Here's what's documented around Tennessee'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 Shelby County?
Federal record: HighWe checked the federal record around Shelby County — 3,578 documented sites across 7 of the 9 source types we track, 70 of them high-severity.
The most significant on record: 68 Superfund sites. Sites tracked in EPA's Superfund program — from assessment-stage CERCLIS entries to confirmed National Priorities List cleanup sites.
Shelby County carries one of the heavier federal records we track — 3,578 documented sites, most of them underground storage tanks. 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 Shelby County center
- Cadillac Of Memphis — Brownfields · ~0.2 km from the county center
- Super Lo Gas — Underground Storage Tanks · ~0.2 km from the county center
- Sam's Club #8292 — Brownfields · ~0.2 km from the county center
These are the closest documented sites to Shelby County's geographic center — a screening reference, not a reading on any specific address. Check your own Tennessee parcel to see what's actually near you.
Is It Safe to Grow Food in Davidson County?
Federal record: HighWe checked the federal record around Davidson County — 2,216 documented sites across 7 of the 9 source types we track, 15 of them high-severity.
The most significant on record: 12 Superfund sites. Sites tracked in EPA's Superfund program — from assessment-stage CERCLIS entries to confirmed National Priorities List cleanup sites.
Davidson County carries one of the heavier federal records we track — 2,216 documented sites, most of them underground storage tanks. 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 Davidson County center
- U.t. Experiment Station — Underground Storage Tanks · ~0.1 km from the county center
- Rollins Leasing Corp — Underground Storage Tanks · ~0.1 km from the county center
- Hardison Seed Co — Underground Storage Tanks · ~0.2 km from the county center
These are the closest documented sites to Davidson County's geographic center — a screening reference, not a reading on any specific address. Check your own Tennessee parcel to see what's actually near you.
Check an Address in Tennessee
Read your Tennessee parcel
See exact proximity distances to contamination sources for your specific parcel — plus soil, sun, drainage, and 1,112 plant recommendations.
Three things about your exact spot that zone averages miss:
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