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Polk County, Arkansas: environmental and disease records

Cancer mortality in Polk County is 140.8 deaths per 100,000 people per year against a U.S. rate of 143.2. The strongest disease signals are Liver & bile duct deaths at 1.9 times the U.S. rate. Federal databases place 200 regulated facilities, sites and hazards inside the county, led by Industrial wastewater discharge (63), Rail grade crossing (53), NPDES wastewater discharge permit (44). 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: 34.4552, -94.1985.

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 Polk County compared with the United States
Cancer	Measure	County rate	U.S. rate	Times U.S.	95% interval	Years
Liver & bile duct	Deaths	12.6	6.6	1.91xSignificant	7.1 to 20.9	2020-2024
Lung & bronchus	New cases	73.4	51.8	1.42xSignificant	60.8 to 88.3	2019-2023
Liver & bile duct	New cases	11.9	8.7	1.37x	7.2 to 19.3	2019-2023
Lung & bronchus	Deaths	38.4	30.2	1.27x	29.6 to 49.5	2020-2024
Kidney & renal pelvis	New cases	21.9	17.9	1.22x	14.4 to 32.3	2019-2023
Thyroid	New cases	15.6	13	1.2x	8.3 to 26.4	2019-2023
Melanoma of the skin	New cases	24.1	23.8	1.01x	16.3 to 34.8	2019-2023
All cancer	Deaths	140.8	143.2	0.98x	122.2 to 161.8	2020-2024
All cancer	New cases	422.3	453.4	0.93x	388.4 to 458.6	2019-2023
Pancreas	New cases	12.7	13.9	0.91x	7.8 to 20.4	2019-2023
Bladder	New cases	16.4	18.7	0.88x	10.7 to 24.8	2019-2023
Non-Hodgkin lymphoma	New cases	14.8	18.5	0.8x	9.2 to 23.3	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 Polk County
Measure	County	U.S. median	Difference	Unit
Premature death	13,274.8	9,842.6	+35%	years of life lost before age 75 per 100,000
Life expectancy	72.2	75.3	-4%	years
Child mortality	88.3	59.8	+48%	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	103.6	96.9	+7%	deaths per 100,000
Drug overdose deaths	17.1	28.6	-40%	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.

Formaldehyde21.49 per million
Carbon Tetrachloride2.85 per million
Acetaldehyde1.97 per million
Pahpom0.7 per million

EPA Air Quality Index 2025

Monitored on 302 days: 234 good, 1 unhealthy for sensitive groups or worse. Median AQI 41, peak 119.

Regulated facilities, sites and hazards by type

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

Industrial wastewater discharge63
Rail grade crossing53
NPDES wastewater discharge permit44
Air permit holder (minor source)9
Gas station (mapped facility)9
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI)5
TRI reporting facility4
Small hazardous waste generator3
EPA air quality monitor2
Brownfield property2
Large hazardous waste generator2
Commercial airport1
Large greenhouse gas emitter1
Superfund (NPL) site1
Wastewater plant (mapped facility)1

Highest-severity records

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

Mid-South Wood Products, Mena
Superfund (NPL) site. Hazard Ranking System score 45.9. NPL Site.
EPA site ID ARD092916188 (U.S. EPA Superfund (SEMS/NPL)) Agency record
Severity 10
Tyson Poultry Inc. - Grannis Processing Plant, Grannis
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Nitrate compounds (water dissociable; reportable only when in aqueous solution), Ammonia, Peracetic acid. 844,120 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 71944TYSNFHIGHW (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 7.5
Tyson Foods - Grannis Processing Plant, Grannis
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110002045402 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 6.4
Sterling Machinery Co., Mena
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Nickel, Chromium, Cobalt, Manganese and 2 more. Reports carcinogens. 205 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 71953STRLN104PO (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 6.3
MENA, Mena
EPA air quality monitor.
Record ID 051130002 (U.S. EPA AirData)
Severity 6.1
Rose Aircraft Finishes, Mena
Large hazardous waste generator.
EPA FRS registry ID 110033003201 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 6
Goodner-Crider Aircraft Painting, Mena
Large hazardous waste generator. Penalties $5,000.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000749227 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 5.8
Nidec Motor Corp, Mena
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Copper, Lead. Reports carcinogens. 6 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 71953SLCTR401NO (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 5.1
Hatfield Lumber Company, Inc, Hatfield
TRI reporting facility. Penalties $41,376.
EPA FRS registry ID 110003398788 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 5
Hatfield Lumber Co, Hatfield
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Copper compounds, Arsenic compounds, Chromium compounds (except for chromite ore mined in the Transvaal Region). Reports carcinogens.
TRI facility ID 71945HTFLD20MAR (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 4.5
Goodner-Crider Aircraft Painting, Mena
NPDES wastewater discharge permit. Penalties $5,000.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000749227 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 4.3
Nidec Motor Corp, Mena
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000451430 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 4
Sterling Machinery Co, Mena
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000451449 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 4
Goodner-Crider Aircraft Painting, Mena
Air permit holder (minor source). Penalties $5,000.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000749227 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 3.8
Arkansas Department Of Parks, Heritage And Tourism-Queen Wilhelmina State Park, Mena
NPDES wastewater discharge permit.
EPA FRS registry ID 110010065981 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 3.5
Mena Wastewater Treatment Facility, Mena
NPDES wastewater discharge permit.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000525469 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 3.3
Tammy Cox, Mena
NPDES wastewater discharge permit.
EPA FRS registry ID 110060375491 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 3.3
Red River Ready Mix Llc, Mena
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Lead compounds.
TRI facility ID 7195WMNRDY181PL (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 3
Mena Airport Gas Station, Mena
Brownfield property.
EPA FRS registry ID 110071975289 (U.S. EPA Brownfields (ACRES)) Agency record
Severity 3
Mena Manor, Mena
Brownfield property.
EPA FRS registry ID 110071983282 (U.S. EPA Brownfields (ACRES)) Agency record
Severity 3
Hatfield Wwtp, Hatfield
NPDES wastewater discharge permit.
EPA FRS registry ID 110055978937 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 3
Mena, City Of, Mena
NPDES wastewater discharge permit.
EPA FRS registry ID 110064624367 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 3
Tyson Foods - Grannis Processing Plant, Grannis
Large greenhouse gas emitter.
EPA FRS registry ID 110002045402 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 2.5
Hatfield Lumber Company, Inc, Hatfield
Small hazardous waste generator. Penalties $41,376.
EPA FRS registry ID 110003398788 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 2.5
Hatfield Lumber Company, Inc, Hatfield
NPDES wastewater discharge permit. Penalties $41,376.
EPA FRS registry ID 110003398788 (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 Polk 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 Polk 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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