CA / county FIPS 06037 / county research

Los Angeles County, California: environmental and disease records

Cancer mortality in Los Angeles County is 127 deaths per 100,000 people per year against a U.S. rate of 143.2. The strongest disease signals are Stomach deaths at 1.7 times the U.S. rate and Thyroid deaths at 1.2 times the U.S. rate. Federal databases place 32,865 regulated facilities, sites and hazards inside the county, led by Small hazardous waste generator (15,530), NPDES wastewater discharge permit (7,975), Large hazardous waste generator (3,295). 18 correctional facilities operate in the county. EPA AirToxScreen estimates a lifetime cancer risk from outdoor air toxics of 40 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: 34.2658, -118.1426.

How this county ranks in California

View on the heat map Scan an address in this county

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 Los Angeles County compared with the United States
Cancer	Measure	County rate	U.S. rate	Times U.S.	95% interval	Years
Stomach	Deaths	4.7	2.7	1.74xSignificant	4.5 to 4.9	2020-2024
Stomach	New cases	9.4	6.6	1.42xSignificant	9.1 to 9.6	2019-2023
Thyroid	Deaths	0.6	0.5	1.2xSignificant	0.6 to 0.7	2020-2024
Liver & bile duct	Deaths	7.9	6.6	1.2xSignificant	7.6 to 8.1	2020-2024
Childhood cancer (under 15)	Deaths	2.2	1.9	1.16x	1.9 to 2.5	2020-2024
Liver & bile duct	New cases	9.6	8.7	1.1xSignificant	9.4 to 9.9	2019-2023
Thyroid	New cases	12.8	13	0.98x	12.5 to 13.1	2019-2023
Brain & nervous system	Deaths	4.2	4.4	0.95x	4.1 to 4.4	2020-2024
Childhood cancer (under 15)	New cases	15.4	16.4	0.94x	14.6 to 16.2	2019-2023
Non-Hodgkin lymphoma	Deaths	4.5	4.8	0.94x	4.3 to 4.6	2020-2024
Non-Hodgkin lymphoma	New cases	17.3	18.5	0.94x	17 to 17.7	2019-2023
Leukemia	Deaths	5.3	5.7	0.93x	5.1 to 5.5	2020-2024
Pancreas	New cases	12.8	13.9	0.92x	12.5 to 13.1	2019-2023
Pancreas	Deaths	10.4	11.3	0.92x	10.1 to 10.6	2020-2024
All cancer	Deaths	127	143.2	0.89x	126 to 127.9	2020-2024
Leukemia	New cases	12.8	14.5	0.88x	12.5 to 13.2	2019-2023
Brain & nervous system	New cases	5.4	6.2	0.87x	5.2 to 5.6	2019-2023
All cancer	New cases	388.7	453.4	0.86x	387 to 390.3	2019-2023
Kidney & renal pelvis	Deaths	2.9	3.4	0.85x	2.8 to 3.1	2020-2024
Kidney & renal pelvis	New cases	14.6	17.9	0.82x	14.3 to 14.9	2019-2023
Bladder	Deaths	3.2	4.1	0.78x	3.1 to 3.4	2020-2024
Bladder	New cases	13.8	18.7	0.74x	13.5 to 14.2	2019-2023
Esophagus	New cases	3.1	4.6	0.67x	2.9 to 3.2	2019-2023
Lung & bronchus	Deaths	19.7	30.2	0.65x	19.4 to 20.1	2020-2024
Esophagus	Deaths	2.3	3.7	0.62x	2.2 to 2.5	2020-2024
Lung & bronchus	New cases	31.9	51.8	0.62x	31.4 to 32.3	2019-2023
Melanoma of the skin	Deaths	1.2	2	0.6x	1.1 to 1.3	2020-2024
Melanoma of the skin	New cases	13.6	23.8	0.57x	13.2 to 13.9	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 Los Angeles County
Measure	County	U.S. median	Difference	Unit
Premature death	6,746.4	9,842.6	-31%	years of life lost before age 75 per 100,000
Life expectancy	79.4	75.3	+6%	years
Child mortality	35	59.8	-41%	deaths under age 18 per 100,000
Infant mortality	3.9	6.2	-37%	deaths under age 1 per 1,000 live births
Injury deaths	53	96.9	-45%	deaths per 100,000
Drug overdose deaths	23	28.6	-20%	deaths per 100,000

Air toxics and air quality

EPA AirToxScreen 2020

Lifetime cancer risk from outdoor air toxics: 40 in a million. EPA treats 100 in a million as the upper end of acceptable risk and 1 in a million as the goal.

Formaldehyde24.75 per million
Carbon Tetrachloride2.88 per million
Benzene2.75 per million
Acetaldehyde2.24 per million

EPA Air Quality Index 2025

Monitored on 365 days: 39 good, 98 unhealthy for sensitive groups or worse. Median AQI 74, peak 201.

Regulated facilities, sites and hazards by type

32,865 active records inside the county from EPA ECHO, TRI, Superfund, Brownfields, NPDES, EIA, FAA, FRA and corrections data.

Small hazardous waste generator15,530
NPDES wastewater discharge permit7,975
Large hazardous waste generator3,295
Industrial wastewater discharge1,658
Hazardous waste transporter1,340
Rail grade crossing1,070
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI)379
Brownfield property329
TRI reporting facility308
Major air pollution source273
Air permit holder (minor source)221
Heliport130
Solar power plant125
Large greenhouse gas emitter65
Gas power plant48
Correctional facility (prison or jail)18
Hydroelectric plant17
Superfund (NPL) site17
EPA air quality monitor16
Commercial airport15
Biomass power plant10
Other power plant8
Battery storage plant7
Public airport6
Oil-fired power plant2
Pumped storage plant1
Wind power plant1
Proposed Superfund 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.

Chevron El Segundo Refinery, El Segundo
TRI reporting facility. Penalties $1,078,634.
EPA FRS registry ID 110002899908 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 10
Jet Propulsion Laboratory (NASA), Pasadena
Superfund (NPL) site. Hazard Ranking System score 50. NPL Site.
EPA site ID CA9800013030 (U.S. EPA Superfund (SEMS/NPL)) Agency record
Severity 10
Montrose Chemical Corp., Torrance
Superfund (NPL) site. Hazard Ranking System score 32.1. NPL Site.
EPA site ID CAD008242711 (U.S. EPA Superfund (SEMS/NPL)) Agency record
Severity 10
Jervis B. Webb Co., South Gate
Superfund (NPL) site. Hazard Ranking System score 45.8. NPL Site.
EPA site ID CAD008339467 (U.S. EPA Superfund (SEMS/NPL)) Agency record
Severity 10
Del Amo, Los Angeles
Superfund (NPL) site. Hazard Ranking System score 47.1. NPL Site.
EPA site ID CAD029544731 (U.S. EPA Superfund (SEMS/NPL)) Agency record
Severity 10
Omega Chemical Corporation, Whittier
Superfund (NPL) site. Hazard Ranking System score 30.9. NPL Site.
EPA site ID CAD042245001 (U.S. EPA Superfund (SEMS/NPL)) Agency record
Severity 10
Cooper Drum Company, South Gate
Superfund (NPL) site. Hazard Ranking System score 50. NPL Site.
EPA site ID CAD055753370 (U.S. EPA Superfund (SEMS/NPL)) Agency record
Severity 10
San Gabriel Valley (Area 1), El Monte
Superfund (NPL) site. Hazard Ranking System score 42.2. NPL Site.
EPA site ID CAD980677355 (U.S. EPA Superfund (SEMS/NPL)) Agency record
Severity 10
Pemaco Maywood, Maywood
Superfund (NPL) site. Hazard Ranking System score 45.2. NPL Site.
EPA site ID CAD980737092 (U.S. EPA Superfund (SEMS/NPL)) Agency record
Severity 10
San Gabriel Valley (Area 4), La Puente
Superfund (NPL) site. Hazard Ranking System score 28.9. NPL Site.
EPA site ID CAD980817985 (U.S. EPA Superfund (SEMS/NPL)) Agency record
Severity 10
San Gabriel Valley (Area 2), Baldwin Park Area
Superfund (NPL) site. Hazard Ranking System score 42.2. NPL Site.
EPA site ID CAD980818512 (U.S. EPA Superfund (SEMS/NPL)) Agency record
Severity 10
San Gabriel Valley (Area 3), Alhambra
Superfund (NPL) site. Hazard Ranking System score 28.9. NPL Site.
EPA site ID CAD980818579 (U.S. EPA Superfund (SEMS/NPL)) Agency record
Severity 10
Waste Disposal, Inc., Santa Fe Springs
Superfund (NPL) site. Hazard Ranking System score 34.6. NPL Site.
EPA site ID CAD980884357 (U.S. EPA Superfund (SEMS/NPL)) Agency record
Severity 10
San Fernando Valley (Area 1), Los Angeles
Superfund (NPL) site. Hazard Ranking System score 42.2. NPL Site.
EPA site ID CAD980894893 (U.S. EPA Superfund (SEMS/NPL)) Agency record
Severity 10
San Fernando Valley (Area 2), Glendale, Los Angeles
Superfund (NPL) site. Hazard Ranking System score 42.2. NPL Site.
EPA site ID CAD980894901 (U.S. EPA Superfund (SEMS/NPL)) Agency record
Severity 10
San Fernando Valley (Area 4), Los Angeles
Superfund (NPL) site. Hazard Ranking System score 35.6. NPL Site.
EPA site ID CAD980894976 (U.S. EPA Superfund (SEMS/NPL)) Agency record
Severity 10
Southern Avenue Industrial Area, South Gate
Superfund (NPL) site. Hazard Ranking System score 50. NPL Site.
EPA site ID CAN000905902 (U.S. EPA Superfund (SEMS/NPL)) Agency record
Severity 10
Operating Industries, Inc., Landfill, Monterey Park
Superfund (NPL) site. Hazard Ranking System score 57.2. NPL Site.
EPA site ID CAT080012024 (U.S. EPA Superfund (SEMS/NPL)) Agency record
Severity 10
Chevron Products Co. Div Of Chevron Usa Inc., El Segundo
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Nitrate compounds (water dissociable; reportable only when in aqueous solution), Ammonia, Methanol, Propylene and 4 more. Reports carcinogens. 9,320,365 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 90245CHVRN324WE (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 9.8
Owens-Brockway Glass Container Inc, Los Angeles
TRI reporting facility. Penalties $686,306.
EPA FRS registry ID 110002631073 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 9.7
Paramount Petroleum Corporation Refinery, Paramount
TRI reporting facility. Penalties $200,422.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000475940 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 9.7
Tesoro Los Angeles Refinery-Carson Operations, Carson
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Ammonia, Methanol, Hydrochloric acid (acid aerosols including mists, vapors, gas, fog, and other airborne forms of any particle size), Carbonyl sulfide and 4 more. Reports carcinogens. 4,187,275 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 90749RCPRD1801E (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 9.6
Phillips 66 Company Wilmington Plant, Wilmington
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000476235 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 9.5
Valero Wilmington Refinery, Wilmington
TRI reporting facility. Penalties $540,874.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000746658 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 9.4
Phillips 66 Los Angeles Refinery Wilmington Plant, Wilmington
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Hydrogen cyanide, Ammonia, Propylene, n-Hexane and 4 more. Reports carcinogens. 1,329,645 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 90748NCLLS1660W (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 9.2

Correctional facilities

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

Usdoj Bp Federal Prison Ind Inc, San Pedro
EPA FRS registry ID
110006896234
Wastewater permit
None on record
EPA detailed facility report
California Dept Of Corrections, Los Angeles
EPA FRS registry ID
110008279549
Wastewater permit
None on record
EPA detailed facility report
Casta Prison - La County, Lancaster
EPA FRS registry ID
110021307664
Wastewater permit
None on record
EPA detailed facility report
Barry Nidorf Juvenile Detention, Sylmar
EPA FRS registry ID
110065784949
Wastewater permit
None on record
EPA detailed facility report
Southern Youth Correctional Reception Center, Norwalk
EPA FRS registry ID
110066516050
Wastewater permit
None on record
EPA detailed facility report
Fred C. Nelles Youth Correctional Facility C/O Brookfield Residential, Whittier
EPA FRS registry ID
110070260299
Wastewater permit
None on record
EPA detailed facility report
Lasd - Pitchess Detention Center, Saugus
EPA FRS registry ID
110070443219
Wastewater permit
None on record
EPA detailed facility report
Cdcr - Southern Youth Correctional Reception Center & Clnc, Norwalk
EPA FRS registry ID
110070444672
Wastewater permit
None on record
EPA detailed facility report
Lasd - North County Correctional Facility, Saugus
EPA FRS registry ID
110070446416
Wastewater permit
None on record
EPA detailed facility report
Lasd - Mens Central Jail, Los Angeles
EPA FRS registry ID
110070446953
Wastewater permit
None on record
EPA detailed facility report
Lasd - Twin Towers Correctional Facility, Los Angeles
EPA FRS registry ID
110070448155
Wastewater permit
None on record
EPA detailed facility report
Pitchess Detention Center Co-Gen Power Plant, Castaic
EPA FRS registry ID
110070480075
Wastewater permit
None on record
EPA detailed facility report
Bureau Of Prisons, Los Angeles
EPA FRS registry ID
110070663321
Wastewater permit
None on record
EPA detailed facility report
Los Angeles County Sheriff'S Dept/Century Regional Detention Facility, Los Angeles
EPA FRS registry ID
110071114618
Wastewater permit
None on record
EPA detailed facility report
Central Juvenile Detention Center, Los Angeles
EPA FRS registry ID
110072239464
Wastewater permit
None on record
EPA detailed facility report
Bureau Of Prisons, Terminal Island
EPA FRS registry ID
110072290760
Wastewater permit
None on record
EPA detailed facility report
Pitchess Detention Center Lasd Evoc, Castaic
EPA FRS registry ID
x04ec8632f7366aea4e603395754ab54b
Wastewater permit
Yes
EPA detailed facility report
20th Century Tv Studios-Prison Break S1, Studio City
EPA FRS registry ID
xf6ff456a0fe5e228b3f01ffc44fe6622
Wastewater permit
None on record
EPA detailed facility report

Discovery / public records

Records to request for Los Angeles County

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

Scan an address in Los Angeles County View on the heat map All California counties