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Denver County, Colorado: environmental and disease records

Cancer mortality in Denver County is 131.4 deaths per 100,000 people per year against a U.S. rate of 143.2. Federal databases place 2,563 regulated facilities, sites and hazards inside the county, led by Air permit holder (minor source) (710), NPDES wastewater discharge permit (693), Industrial wastewater discharge (650). 4 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: 39.7644, -104.9548.

How this county ranks in Colorado

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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 Denver County compared with the United States
Cancer	Measure	County rate	U.S. rate	Times U.S.	95% interval	Years
Liver & bile duct	Deaths	7.4	6.6	1.12x	6.5 to 8.3	2020-2024
Liver & bile duct	New cases	9.4	8.7	1.08x	8.4 to 10.5	2019-2023
Leukemia	Deaths	6.1	5.7	1.07x	5.3 to 7	2020-2024
Bladder	Deaths	4.2	4.1	1.02x	3.5 to 5	2020-2024
Thyroid	Deaths	0.5	0.5	1x	0.3 to 0.8	2020-2024
Thyroid	New cases	13	13	1x	11.8 to 14.2	2019-2023
Non-Hodgkin lymphoma	New cases	17.6	18.5	0.95x	16.2 to 19.1	2019-2023
Esophagus	Deaths	3.4	3.7	0.92x	2.8 to 4	2020-2024
All cancer	Deaths	131.4	143.2	0.92x	127.5 to 135.4	2020-2024
Non-Hodgkin lymphoma	Deaths	4.4	4.8	0.92x	3.7 to 5.2	2020-2024
Kidney & renal pelvis	Deaths	3.1	3.4	0.91x	2.5 to 3.8	2020-2024
Melanoma of the skin	New cases	21.6	23.8	0.91x	20.1 to 23.2	2019-2023
Pancreas	New cases	12.6	13.9	0.91x	11.4 to 13.9	2019-2023
All cancer	New cases	405.6	453.4	0.89x	398.8 to 412.4	2019-2023
Esophagus	New cases	4.1	4.6	0.89x	3.5 to 4.9	2019-2023
Kidney & renal pelvis	New cases	15.8	17.9	0.88x	14.5 to 17.2	2019-2023
Stomach	New cases	5.8	6.6	0.88x	5 to 6.7	2019-2023
Brain & nervous system	New cases	5.4	6.2	0.87x	4.7 to 6.3	2019-2023
Childhood cancer (under 15)	New cases	14.1	16.4	0.86x	11.2 to 17.6	2019-2023
Pancreas	Deaths	9.7	11.3	0.86x	8.7 to 10.8	2020-2024
Melanoma of the skin	Deaths	1.7	2	0.85x	1.3 to 2.2	2020-2024
Leukemia	New cases	12.3	14.5	0.85x	11.2 to 13.6	2019-2023
Stomach	Deaths	2.2	2.7	0.81x	1.7 to 2.8	2020-2024
Brain & nervous system	Deaths	3.4	4.4	0.77x	2.8 to 4	2020-2024
Bladder	New cases	14.2	18.7	0.76x	13 to 15.6	2019-2023
Lung & bronchus	New cases	38.3	51.8	0.74x	36.2 to 40.5	2019-2023
Lung & bronchus	Deaths	20.7	30.2	0.69x	19.1 to 22.3	2020-2024

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 Denver County
Measure	County	U.S. median	Difference	Unit
Premature death	8,059.7	9,842.6	-18%	years of life lost before age 75 per 100,000
Life expectancy	77.4	75.3	+3%	years
Child mortality	65.9	59.8	+10%	deaths under age 18 per 100,000
Infant mortality	4.6	6.2	-25%	deaths under age 1 per 1,000 live births
Injury deaths	101.6	96.9	+5%	deaths per 100,000
Drug overdose deaths	44.7	28.6	+56%	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.

Formaldehyde17.85 per million
Naphthalene5.05 per million
Benzene3.16 per million
Carbon Tetrachloride2.5 per million

EPA Air Quality Index 2025

Monitored on 365 days: 184 good, 6 unhealthy for sensitive groups or worse. Median AQI 50, peak 115.

Regulated facilities, sites and hazards by type

2,563 active records inside the county from EPA ECHO, TRI, Superfund, Brownfields, NPDES, EIA, FAA, FRA and corrections data.

Air permit holder (minor source)710
NPDES wastewater discharge permit693
Industrial wastewater discharge650
Rail grade crossing190
Brownfield property138
Small hazardous waste generator72
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI)23
TRI reporting facility19
Hazardous waste transporter12
Large hazardous waste generator11
Major air pollution source10
Heliport9
Solar power plant7
EPA air quality monitor5
Correctional facility (prison or jail)4
Large greenhouse gas emitter4
Superfund (NPL) site3
Commercial airport1
Hydroelectric plant1
Gas 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.

Vasquez Boulevard and I-70, Denver
Superfund (NPL) site. Hazard Ranking System score 50. NPL Site.
EPA site ID CO0002259588 (U.S. EPA Superfund (SEMS/NPL)) Agency record
Severity 10
Chemical Sales Co., Denver
Superfund (NPL) site. Hazard Ranking System score 37.9. NPL Site.
EPA site ID COD007431620 (U.S. EPA Superfund (SEMS/NPL)) Agency record
Severity 10
Denver Radium Site, Denver
Superfund (NPL) site. Hazard Ranking System score 44.1. NPL Site.
EPA site ID COD980716955 (U.S. EPA Superfund (SEMS/NPL)) Agency record
Severity 10
Nestle - Purina Petcare Co, Denver
TRI reporting facility. Penalties $7,000.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000467003 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 9
General Shale Brick Inc Plant #60, Denver
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Hydrogen fluoride, Lead, Manganese. Reports carcinogens. 10,506 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 80217RBNSN1845W (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 7.6
Thermo Fluids Denver, Commerce City
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Methanol, Ethylene glycol, Polycyclic aromatic compounds, Lead and 2 more. Reports carcinogens. 4,495 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 8002WTHRMF4845F (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 7.3
Martin Marietta Mtrls - Quivas, Denver
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110001428848 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 7
Efi Polymers, Denver
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110018871639 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 7
Holcim-Wcr Inc - Bannock, Denver
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110022411567 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 6.7
Kbp Coil Coaters Inc, Denver
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Certain glycol ethers, 1,2,4-Trimethylbenzene, Xylene (mixed isomers), Naphthalene and 1 more. Reports carcinogens. 431 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 80216KBPCL3600E (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 6.5
Quality Linings & Painting, Denver
Major air pollution source.
EPA FRS registry ID 110020900417 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 6.5
Univar - Chemical Dist., Denver
TRI reporting facility. Penalties $442,400.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000467067 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 6.3
Denver Metal Finishing, Denver
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Zinc compounds, Lead And Lead Compounds. 10,673 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 80216DNVRM3100E (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 6.1
Quality Linings & Painting, Denver
NPDES wastewater discharge permit.
EPA FRS registry ID 110020900417 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 6
Holcim Wcr Inc Bannock Ready Mix Plant, Denver
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Nitrate compounds (water dissociable; reportable only when in aqueous solution), Lead compounds, Lead And Lead Compounds. 3,963 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 80223GGRGT1751S (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 5.8
General Shale - Denver Brick Plant #60, Denver
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110022513289 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 5.7
Denver Metal Finishing, Denver
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000466950 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 5.6
Nestle - Purina Petcare Co, Denver
NPDES wastewater discharge permit. Penalties $7,000.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000467003 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 5.5
Kwal-Howells Inc ( Dba Kwal Paint Inc), Denver
NPDES wastewater discharge permit. Penalties $18,200.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000467192 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 5.5
Heritage Crystal Clean - Denver, Denver
NPDES wastewater discharge permit. Penalties $31,449.
EPA FRS registry ID 110044804815 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 5.5
Thermo Fluids Inc, Denver
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110002998418 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 5.4
Band It Idex Inc, Denver
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Nickel, Chromium. Reports carcinogens. 6 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 8021WBNDTD4799D (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 5.1
Univar Usa Inc Denver, Denver
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Methanol, Ethylene glycol, Nitric acid, Hydrochloric acid (acid aerosols including mists, vapors, gas, fog, and other airborne forms of any particle size) and 1 more. 529 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 80216VNWTR4300H (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 5.1
I-25, Denver
EPA air quality monitor.
Record ID 080310027 (U.S. EPA AirData)
Severity 5
Nestle - Purina Petcare Co, Denver
Air permit holder (minor source). Penalties $7,000.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000467003 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 5

Correctional facilities

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

Smith Road Jail Site, Denver
EPA FRS registry ID
110000903121
Wastewater permit
None on record
EPA detailed facility report
Colo Dept Of Corrections - Drdc & Dwcf, Denver
EPA FRS registry ID
110001726179
Wastewater permit
None on record
EPA detailed facility report
Co Dept Of Corrections - Co Womens Corre, Denver
EPA FRS registry ID
110002996991
Wastewater permit
None on record
EPA detailed facility report
City & County Of Denver - Jail Facility, Denver
EPA FRS registry ID
110003000840
Wastewater permit
Yes
EPA detailed facility report

Discovery / public records

Records to request for Denver County

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