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Arkansas County, Arkansas: environmental and disease records

Cancer mortality in Arkansas County is 219.1 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 2.1 times the U.S. rate. Federal databases place 268 regulated facilities, sites and hazards inside the county, led by Industrial wastewater discharge (121), Rail grade crossing (49), NPDES wastewater discharge permit (49). 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: 34.2447, -91.3937.

How this county ranks in Arkansas

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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 Arkansas County compared with the United States
Cancer	Measure	County rate	U.S. rate	Times U.S.	95% interval	Years
Lung & bronchus	Deaths	63.2	30.2	2.09xSignificant	49.9 to 79.3	2020-2024
Pancreas	New cases	22.9	13.9	1.65xSignificant	14.7 to 34.5	2019-2023
Lung & bronchus	New cases	84.3	51.8	1.63xSignificant	68.8 to 102.7	2019-2023
All cancer	Deaths	219.1	143.2	1.53xSignificant	193 to 248.1	2020-2024
Pancreas	Deaths	17	11.3	1.5x	10.2 to 27	2020-2024
Kidney & renal pelvis	New cases	26.4	17.9	1.47x	17.8 to 38.2	2019-2023
Leukemia	New cases	20.5	14.5	1.41x	13.1 to 31	2019-2023
Liver & bile duct	New cases	12	8.7	1.38x	6.8 to 20.3	2019-2023
All cancer	New cases	520.2	453.4	1.15xSignificant	478.5 to 564.9	2019-2023
Melanoma of the skin	New cases	20.9	23.8	0.88x	13 to 32.2	2019-2023
Bladder	New cases	14.9	18.7	0.8x	8.5 to 24.6	2019-2023
Non-Hodgkin lymphoma	New cases	14.7	18.5	0.79x	8.6 to 24	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 Arkansas County
Measure	County	U.S. median	Difference	Unit
Premature death	17,354.8	9,842.6	+76%	years of life lost before age 75 per 100,000
Life expectancy	68.7	75.3	-9%	years
Child mortality	105.4	59.8	+76%	deaths under age 18 per 100,000
Infant mortality	n/a	6.2	n/a	deaths under age 1 per 1,000 live births
Injury deaths	119.9	96.9	+24%	deaths per 100,000
Drug overdose deaths	n/a	28.6	n/a	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.

Formaldehyde23.58 per million
Carbon Tetrachloride2.94 per million
Acetaldehyde2.34 per million
Benzene0.68 per million

EPA Air Quality Index 2025

Monitored on 121 days: 64 good, 0 unhealthy for sensitive groups or worse. Median AQI 48, peak 77.

Regulated facilities, sites and hazards by type

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

Industrial wastewater discharge121
Rail grade crossing49
NPDES wastewater discharge permit49
Air permit holder (minor source)19
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI)7
Gas station (mapped facility)5
TRI reporting facility5
Public airport3
Small hazardous waste generator3
Heliport2
Major air pollution source1
EPA air quality monitor1
Large greenhouse gas emitter1
Biomass power plant1
Solar power plant1

Highest-severity records

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

Riceland Foods Inc. - Soy Div, Stuttgart
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: n-Hexane, Cyclohexane. 2,737,199 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 72160RCLNDHWY79 (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 7.9
Riceland Foods, Inc. - Soy Division, Stuttgart
TRI reporting facility. Penalties $89,278.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000743535 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 7.6
Blue Seal Petroleum, De Witt
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Toluene, Xylene (mixed isomers), Benzene, n-Hexane and 3 more. Reports carcinogens. 1,661 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 7204WBLSLP21NGR (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 7
Riceland Foods Inc. - Stuttgart Rice Div, Stuttgart
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Sulfuryl fluoride. 120,625 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 72160RCLND1STCO (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 6.9
Industrial Iron Works Inc, Dewitt
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Manganese, Chromium, Nickel, Copper. Reports carcinogens. 197 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 72042NDSTR1503S (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 6.3
Riceland Foods - Stuttgart Rice Division, Stuttgart
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110007348478 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 6.1
STUTTGART, Stuttgart
EPA air quality monitor.
Record ID 050010011 (U.S. EPA AirData)
Severity 6.1
Stuttgart Wwtp, Stuttgart
NPDES wastewater discharge permit. Penalties $6,000.
EPA FRS registry ID 110025040024 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 5.5
Pgr Holdings, Inc., Dewitt
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110017385131 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 4.7
Riceland Foods, Inc. - Soy Division, Stuttgart
Major air pollution source. Penalties $89,278.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000743535 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 4.5
Timber Producers Dewitt Sawmill Div, Dewitt
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Lead. Reports carcinogens.
TRI facility ID 7204WTMBRP49SCT (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 4.5
Blue Seal Petroleum, Stuttgart
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: n-Hexane, Ethylbenzene, Benzene, Toluene and 3 more. Reports carcinogens.
TRI facility ID 7216WBLSLP192SP (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 4.5
Riceland Foods, Inc. - Soy Division, Stuttgart
NPDES wastewater discharge permit. Penalties $89,278.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000743535 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 4
Lennox Industries, Stuttgart
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110003395497 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 4
Timber Producers Dewitt Sawmill Division, Dewitt
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110070049775 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 4
Almyra Wwtp, Almyra
NPDES wastewater discharge permit. Penalties $1,000.
EPA FRS registry ID 110039695345 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 3.8
Riceland Foods, Inc. - Soy Division, Stuttgart
Large greenhouse gas emitter. Penalties $89,278.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000743535 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 3.5
Ems Class 1 Landfill, Dewitt
NPDES wastewater discharge permit.
EPA FRS registry ID 110025043977 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 3.3
Stuttgart, City Of, Stuttgart
NPDES wastewater discharge permit.
EPA FRS registry ID 110064595219 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 3
Lennox Industries Inc., Stuttgart
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Copper.
TRI facility ID 72160LNNXN200LE (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 3
St. Charles, City Of, Saint Charles
NPDES wastewater discharge permit.
EPA FRS registry ID 110009125428 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 2.8
Dewitt, City Of - Dewitt Wastewater Treatment Facility, De Witt
Industrial wastewater discharge. No Violation Identified.
NPDES permit AR0021431: (U.S. EPA NPDES)
Severity 2.7
Riceland Foods Cogeneration Plant, Stuttgart
Biomass power plant.
Record ID 56079 (U.S. Energy Information Administration)
Severity 2.5
Riceland Foods, Inc. - Soy Division, Stuttgart
Small hazardous waste generator. Penalties $89,278.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000743535 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 2.5
University Of Arkansas Rice Research & Extension Center, Stuttgart
NPDES wastewater discharge permit.
EPA FRS registry ID 110010064937 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 2.5

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 Arkansas County

Arkansas 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 Arkansas County, and their findings.
Arkansas vital statistics office
Death certificate counts by cause of death and residence tract or ZIP code, and the years behind the mortality measures above.
Arkansas health department, environmental epidemiology
Health consultations or assessments by ATSDR or the state health department covering the county, and any exposure investigations.
Arkansas 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.
Arkansas 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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