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Calhoun County, Alabama: environmental and disease records

Cancer mortality in Calhoun County is 179.4 deaths per 100,000 people per year against a U.S. rate of 143.2, a statistically significant excess. The strongest disease signals are Lung & bronchus deaths at 1.6 times the U.S. rate and Bladder deaths at 1.5 times the U.S. rate. Federal databases place 925 regulated facilities, sites and hazards inside the county, led by Industrial wastewater discharge (321), NPDES wastewater discharge permit (285), Rail grade crossing (92). EPA AirToxScreen estimates a lifetime cancer risk from outdoor air toxics of 30 in a million, driven mainly by formaldehyde.

Rates are age-adjusted per 100,000 people. A cancer signal is marked significant when the lower bound of its 95 percent confidence interval is above the U.S. rate. Facility counts use active federal records located inside the county boundary. Approximate county center: 33.7623, -85.8423.

How this county ranks in Alabama

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Cancer deaths and new cases versus the United States

Source: NCI and CDC State Cancer Profiles, both sexes, all ages. Sorted by the ratio of the county rate to the U.S. rate.

Cancer rates for Calhoun County compared with the United States
Cancer	Measure	County rate	U.S. rate	Times U.S.	95% interval	Years
Lung & bronchus	Deaths	48	30.2	1.59xSignificant	43.3 to 53.2	2020-2024
Bladder	Deaths	6	4.1	1.46xSignificant	4.4 to 8.1	2020-2024
Lung & bronchus	New cases	73.6	51.8	1.42xSignificant	67.6 to 80	2019-2023
Esophagus	New cases	6.5	4.6	1.41xSignificant	4.8 to 8.7	2019-2023
Liver & bile duct	New cases	12	8.7	1.38xSignificant	9.7 to 14.8	2019-2023
Kidney & renal pelvis	Deaths	4.5	3.4	1.32x	3.1 to 6.5	2020-2024
Kidney & renal pelvis	New cases	23.3	17.9	1.3xSignificant	19.7 to 27.4	2019-2023
Stomach	Deaths	3.4	2.7	1.26x	2.2 to 5.1	2020-2024
All cancer	Deaths	179.4	143.2	1.25xSignificant	169.7 to 189.4	2020-2024
Esophagus	Deaths	4.6	3.7	1.24x	3.2 to 6.6	2020-2024
Melanoma of the skin	Deaths	2.4	2	1.2x	1.4 to 4	2020-2024
Brain & nervous system	Deaths	5.2	4.4	1.18x	3.6 to 7.2	2020-2024
Liver & bile duct	Deaths	7.7	6.6	1.17x	5.9 to 9.9	2020-2024
Leukemia	Deaths	6.6	5.7	1.16x	4.8 to 8.9	2020-2024
Pancreas	New cases	15.4	13.9	1.11x	12.7 to 18.5	2019-2023
Pancreas	Deaths	12.5	11.3	1.11x	10.1 to 15.4	2020-2024
Bladder	New cases	20.6	18.7	1.1x	17.4 to 24.2	2019-2023
Brain & nervous system	New cases	6.8	6.2	1.1x	4.9 to 9.2	2019-2023
All cancer	New cases	495.9	453.4	1.09xSignificant	479.4 to 512.7	2019-2023
Melanoma of the skin	New cases	25.9	23.8	1.09x	22 to 30.3	2019-2023
Stomach	New cases	6.9	6.6	1.05x	5.2 to 9.1	2019-2023
Non-Hodgkin lymphoma	Deaths	4.6	4.8	0.96x	3.2 to 6.5	2020-2024
Thyroid	New cases	12.2	13	0.94x	9.5 to 15.4	2019-2023
Leukemia	New cases	12.7	14.5	0.88x	10 to 15.8	2019-2023
Non-Hodgkin lymphoma	New cases	15.4	18.5	0.83x	12.6 to 18.6	2019-2023

Mortality measures versus the U.S. county median

Source: County Health Rankings, built from CDC National Vital Statistics System death records. The comparison value is the median of all U.S. counties.

Mortality measures for Calhoun County
Measure	County	U.S. median	Difference	Unit
Premature death	14,259.6	9,842.6	+45%	years of life lost before age 75 per 100,000
Life expectancy	70.8	75.3	-6%	years
Child mortality	60.7	59.8	+1%	deaths under age 18 per 100,000
Infant mortality	6.7	6.2	+8%	deaths under age 1 per 1,000 live births
Injury deaths	99.1	96.9	+2%	deaths per 100,000
Drug overdose deaths	33.6	28.6	+17%	deaths per 100,000

Air toxics and air quality

EPA AirToxScreen 2020

Lifetime cancer risk from outdoor air toxics: 30 in a million. EPA treats 100 in a million as the upper end of acceptable risk and 1 in a million as the goal.

Formaldehyde25.52 per million
Carbon Tetrachloride2.88 per million
Acetaldehyde2.45 per million
Benzene1.04 per million

EPA Air Quality Index

No EPA air quality monitor reports daily AQI for this county.

Regulated facilities, sites and hazards by type

925 active records inside the county from EPA ECHO, TRI, Superfund, Brownfields, NPDES, EIA, FAA, FRA and corrections data.

Industrial wastewater discharge321
NPDES wastewater discharge permit285
Rail grade crossing92
Gas station (mapped facility)43
Air permit holder (minor source)40
Small hazardous waste generator32
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI)21
TRI reporting facility19
Brownfield property17
Large hazardous waste generator11
Major air pollution source10
Auto repair or body shop (mapped facility)6
Large greenhouse gas emitter6
Heliport4
Wastewater plant (mapped facility)4
Scrapyard (mapped facility)3
Hazardous waste transporter2
Landfill (mapped facility)2
Public airport1
Commercial airport1
Crematorium (mapped facility)1
Hydroelectric plant1
Gas power plant1
Solar power plant1
Superfund (NPL) site1

Highest-severity records

The 25 records with the highest Envyrofax severity in the county, with the agency identifier to cite in a records request.

Kronospan Usa, Eastaboga
TRI reporting facility. Penalties $608,000.
EPA FRS registry ID 110020900319 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 10
Anniston Army Depot (Southeast Industrial Area), Anniston
Superfund (NPL) site. Hazard Ranking System score 51.9. NPL Site.
EPA site ID AL3210020027 (U.S. EPA Superfund (SEMS/NPL)) Agency record
Severity 10
Us Army Anniston Army Depot, Anniston
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000368851 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 9.1
Kronospan Llc, Eastaboga
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Methanol, Formaldehyde, Phenol, Acetaldehyde and 2 more. Reports carcinogens. 261,130 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 3626WKRNSP1KRNS (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 8.7
Us Army National Guard Fort Mcclellan Ranges, Anniston
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Copper, Lead, Dinitrotoluene (mixed isomers), Lead And Lead Compounds. Reports carcinogens. 141,021 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 3620WFRTMCPBX52 (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 8.5
Carfair Composites Usa Inc - Anniston, Anniston
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Styrene. Reports carcinogens. 123,317 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 3620WCRLSN1861E (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 8.4
Solutia Inc Anniston Plant, Anniston
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Benzene, Cumene, Biphenyl. Reports carcinogens. 101,606 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 36201MNSNT300BI (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 8.3
U.S. Army - Anniston Army Depot, Anniston
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Zinc compounds, Toluene, n-Butyl alcohol, Lead And Lead Compounds and 4 more. Reports carcinogens. 59,730 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 36201SDDSR7FRAN (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 8.2
Solutia Inc Anniston Plant, Anniston
TRI reporting facility. Penalties $30,560.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000368806 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 8.1
Tyler Union Oxford, Anniston
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Xylene (mixed isomers), Lead, Nickel. Reports carcinogens. 41,833 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 3620WTYLRN18GRE (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 8
Tyler Union, Anniston
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Phenol, Naphthalene, Zinc compounds, Manganese And Manganese Compounds and 4 more. Reports carcinogens. 36,158 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 36201NNFND1501W (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 8
Tyler Union, Anniston
TRI reporting facility. Penalties $10,560.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000368815 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 7.8
Renaissance Manufacturing Group Anniston Llc, Anniston
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Copper, Copper And Copper Compounds, Lead. Reports carcinogens. 15,096 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 36206CNTRL260CE (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 7.7
Kronospan Usa, Eastaboga
Major air pollution source. Penalties $608,000.
EPA FRS registry ID 110020900319 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 7.5
Lee Brass, Anniston
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Copper, Zinc (fume or dust), Lead, Nickel and 1 more. Reports carcinogens. 6,132 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 36202LBRSSGOLDE (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 7.4
Fabarc Steel Supply Inc, Oxford
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Nickel And Nickel Compounds, Manganese And Manganese Compounds, Manganese compounds. Reports carcinogens. 5,000 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 36203FBRCS111ME (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 7.3
Southern Tool, Oxford
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Cobalt And Cobalt Compounds, Chromium and Chromium Compounds(except for chromite ore mined in the Transvaal Region), Nickel And Nickel Compounds. Reports carcinogens. 2,856 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 36201STHRNHIGHW (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 7.2
Kronospan Usa, Eastaboga
Large hazardous waste generator. Penalties $608,000.
EPA FRS registry ID 110020900319 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 7
Kronospan Usa, Eastaboga
NPDES wastewater discharge permit. Penalties $608,000.
EPA FRS registry ID 110020900319 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 7
M & H Valve Co, Anniston
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Manganese, Copper, Lead And Lead Compounds, Nickel and 2 more. Reports carcinogens. 679 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 36201MHVLV605WE (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 6.7
Us Army Anniston Army Depot, Anniston
Major air pollution source.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000368851 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 6.5
Kronospan Usa, Eastaboga
Large greenhouse gas emitter. Penalties $608,000.
EPA FRS registry ID 110020900319 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 6.5
Bae Systems Platforms & Services Lp, Anniston
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Manganese, Lead compounds, Lead And Lead Compounds, Nickel. Reports carcinogens. 297 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 36201FMCCR2101W (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 6.4
Gold Bond Building Products - Anniston, Oxford
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Thiabendazole, Lead compounds, Lead And Lead Compounds. 19,132 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 36202GLDBNUSHWY (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 6.3
Carfair Composites Usa, Inc., Anniston
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110066966304 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 6.3

Correctional facilities

Prisons, jails and corrections operations with an EPA facility record, and the drinking water and wastewater compliance attached to them.

No correctional facility with an EPA record is located in this county.

Discovery / public records

Records to request for Calhoun County

Alabama state cancer registry
Cancer incidence counts by census tract or ZIP code, by cancer type and year (de-identified). Any cancer cluster inquiries or investigations in Calhoun County, and their findings.
Alabama vital statistics office
Death certificate counts by cause of death and residence tract or ZIP code, and the years behind the mortality measures above.
Alabama health department, environmental epidemiology
Health consultations or assessments by ATSDR or the state health department covering the county, and any exposure investigations.
Alabama environmental agency and the U.S. EPA regional office
Compliance history, inspection reports, notices of violation, penalties and enforcement actions for each facility above, cited by EPA FRS registry ID.
Alabama drinking water program
Violation notices, sampling results and sanitary surveys for the public water systems serving the county, including any system serving a correctional facility.
Department of corrections or county sheriff
Water testing, grievances and environmental health inspections for the correctional facilities listed above.

Each Envyrofax address report includes a printable records request worksheet with the custodian and the exact request wording per finding.

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