Methodology
How the score works
The Envyrofax score runs from 0 to 100. It is a weighted average of nine category scores. Each category starts at 100, and every record found near the property adds penalty points based on what the record is, how severe it is and how far away it is. Penalty points convert to a score with diminishing returns (100 × e-P/50), so one Superfund site next door weighs more than a street full of small permit holders.
Principles
- Missing data is never scored as safe. A category without data is left out of the score and lowers Data Completeness instead.
- Every finding shows its source agency and the date of the data, so you can check it yourself.
- Distance matters. A site next door counts far more than the same site five miles away.
- Not every record is equal. A Superfund site is weighted far above a small shop that files hazardous waste paperwork.
- Envyrofax reports what is around a property. It is not a health diagnosis, an inspection, or a guarantee that a home is safe.
The nine categories
| Category | Weight | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Water Quality | 20% | Drinking water violations, PFAS testing, lead rule violations, wastewater and sewer overflow outfalls nearby. |
| Air Quality | 15% | Measured PM2.5 and ozone, unhealthy air days, major air permits, power plants and highway traffic nearby. |
| Toxic & Industrial | 15% | Superfund sites, toxic chemical releases, hazardous waste handlers and brownfields. |
| Flood & Water Risk | 15% | FEMA flood zone, recorded floods and flash floods, wetlands and elevation. |
| Natural Hazards | 10% | Wildfire hazard, earthquakes, tornadoes, hurricanes and hail history. |
| Soil & Ground | 10% | Drainage, hydric soils, flooding and ponding frequency, shrink-swell and septic limits. |
| Radon | 5% | EPA radon zone for the county. Only a test shows a home's actual level. |
| Infrastructure Exposure | 5% | Airports, active rail lines and crossings, interstates and large energy facilities. |
| Environmental Amenities | 5% | Parks, protected land and open water nearby. This category can only add to the picture. |
Distance bands and penalty points
Points per record by distance from the property. Records other than Superfund sites and airports are then multiplied by a severity modifier from 0.5 to 2 (compliance history, releases, penalties), and each record type has a cap so volume alone cannot dominate.
| Record | <1/4 mi | 1/4-1/2 | 1/2-1 | 1-3 | 3-5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Superfund (NPL) site | -30 | -25 | -18 | -8 | -3 |
| Proposed Superfund site | -25 | -20 | -14 | -6 | -2 |
| Former Superfund site (cleanup completed) | -6 | -4 | -2 | 0 | 0 |
| Toxic chemical release facility (TRI) | -12 | -8 | -5 | -2 | 0 |
| Large hazardous waste generator | -8 | -5 | -3 | -1 | 0 |
| Small hazardous waste generator | -3 | -2 | -1 | 0 | 0 |
| Hazardous waste transporter | -2 | -1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Brownfield property | -8 | -5 | -3 | -1 | 0 |
| Combined sewer overflow outfall | -8 | -6 | -4 | -1 | 0 |
| Sewage treatment discharge | -5 | -3 | -2 | 0 | 0 |
| Industrial wastewater discharge | -5 | -3 | -2 | 0 | 0 |
| Major air pollution source | -10 | -7 | -4 | -1 | 0 |
| Large greenhouse gas emitter | -5 | -3 | -2 | -1 | 0 |
| Coal power plant | -15 | -12 | -8 | -4 | -2 |
| Oil-fired power plant | -6 | -4 | -2 | -1 | 0 |
| Gas power plant | -6 | -4 | -2 | -1 | 0 |
| Biomass power plant | -5 | -3 | -2 | 0 | 0 |
| Nuclear power plant | -20 | -15 | -10 | -5 | -2 |
| Commercial airport | -40 | -30 | -20 | -8 | -2 |
| Public airport | -12 | -8 | -4 | -1 | 0 |
| Rail grade crossing | -3 | -1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Body Scan
The Body Scan maps each exposure found near an address to the organ systems that public health agencies link it to: fine particles and ozone to the lungs and heart (EPA Integrated Science Assessments), radon to lung cancer (EPA, IARC Group 1), PFAS in tap water to the kidneys, liver, thyroid and child development (EPA, ATSDR), lead to the brain and kidneys (CDC, ATSDR), and industrial chemicals from Toxics Release Inventory reports to the organs named in ATSDR and IARC assessments (for example benzene and leukemia). Each link is weighted by distance and severity and rolled up to a Clear, Low, Elevated or High level per organ system.
Next to it, the Body Scan shows the census tract's chronic disease rates from CDC PLACES (asthma, COPD, cancer, heart disease, stroke, diabetes and more) against the population-weighted national average, and the county's modeled air toxics cancer risk from EPA AirToxScreen. These are community-level associations, not a diagnosis. Smoking, age, genetics and access to care all matter, and conditions you select are never sent or stored.
Grades
90+
Excellent
80+
Very Good
70+
Good
60+
Fair
50+
Elevated Concern
0+
Significant Concern
Questions
- What is Envyrofax?
- Envyrofax is an environmental report for any U.S. address. Enter an address and it checks the surrounding area against millions of government records, including Superfund sites, toxic chemical releases, hazardous waste handlers, drinking water violations and PFAS tests, measured air quality, FEMA flood zones, soil conditions, radon zones, earthquakes, storms and nearby infrastructure. You get an overall score from 0 to 100, a score for each category and every underlying fact with its source.
- Where does the data come from?
- Every record comes from a U.S. government source: the EPA (ECHO, Toxics Release Inventory, Superfund, Brownfields, SDWIS drinking water, UCMR 5 PFAS testing, AirData, ATTAINS, radon zones), FEMA (National Flood Hazard Layer and National Risk Index), NOAA (Storm Events Database), USGS (earthquakes and elevation), USDA (SSURGO soils), the Department of Transportation and the Energy Information Administration. The Data Sources page lists each dataset, its agency, its record count and the date of the data.
- Can Envyrofax tell me if my environment made me sick?
- No. The Body Scan shows which organ systems government and scientific agencies (EPA, CDC, ATSDR, IARC, WHO) link to the exposures found near an address, and compares the neighborhood's chronic disease rates from CDC PLACES with the national average. Those are associations and community-level rates, not a diagnosis, and many other factors such as smoking, age and genetics matter. Share the report with a doctor if you have concerns.
- Does a good score mean a home is safe?
- No. Envyrofax reports what public records show around a property. It is not a home inspection, a Phase I environmental site assessment, legal advice or a health diagnosis. A lack of records is reported as "no adverse records found in the datasets searched", never as proof that a location is free of problems. Radon, lead paint and private well water can only be confirmed by testing the home itself.
- How is the Envyrofax score calculated?
- Nine categories are scored separately: Water Quality (20%), Air Quality (15%), Toxic and Industrial (15%), Flood and Water Risk (15%), Natural Hazards (10%), Soil and Ground (10%), Radon (5%), Infrastructure Exposure (5%) and Environmental Amenities (5%). Each record adds penalty points based on what it is and how far away it is, so a Superfund site next door counts far more than a small hazardous waste generator five miles away. Categories without data are left out and lower the Data Completeness figure instead of counting as safe.
- How far around a property does Envyrofax look?
- Facilities and sites are searched out to 5 miles and reported in distance bands: within 500 feet, 1/4 mile, 1/2 mile, 1 mile, 3 miles and 5 miles. Earthquakes are counted within 50 miles, highways and railroads within 1 mile, and the flood zone, soil and elevation are read at the exact property location.
- What does an Envyrofax report cost?
- Scanning an address is free and shows the overall score, every category score, the number of findings in each distance band and a map. Unlocking the full report with every finding, name, distance and detail is $19.99 for one address, or $24.99 per month for unlimited reports. Pro plans for real estate agents, investors and property managers are $79 per month.
- How current is the data?
- Each dataset refreshes on its agency's schedule: EPA ECHO facility and compliance data weekly, drinking water data quarterly, Toxics Release Inventory and air quality data annually, earthquakes weekly, storm events monthly. Flood zones, soils and hazard ratings are read live from the agency services when you scan. The Data Sources page shows the as-of date for each one.
- Which addresses does Envyrofax cover?
- All 50 states, Washington D.C. and Puerto Rico. Coverage is national because the underlying datasets are national. A few layers, such as FEMA flood maps and USDA soil surveys, have gaps in some rural areas; when a layer has no data for an address, the report says so and the Data Completeness figure drops.