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Highlands County, Florida: environmental and disease records

Cancer mortality in Highlands County is 138.2 deaths per 100,000 people per year against a U.S. rate of 143.2. The strongest disease signals are Lung & bronchus deaths at 1.2 times the U.S. rate. Federal databases place 368 regulated facilities, sites and hazards inside the county, led by NPDES wastewater discharge permit (124), Rail grade crossing (64), Gas station (mapped facility) (41). One correctional facility operates in the county. 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: 27.3391, -81.305.

How this county ranks in Florida

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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 Highlands County compared with the United States
Cancer	Measure	County rate	U.S. rate	Times U.S.	95% interval	Years
Childhood cancer (under 15)	New cases	23.7	16.4	1.45x	13.8 to 38	2019-2023
Non-Hodgkin lymphoma	New cases	22.8	18.5	1.23xSignificant	19.2 to 27	2019-2023
Melanoma of the skin	Deaths	2.4	2	1.2x	1.3 to 4	2020-2024
Melanoma of the skin	New cases	27.7	23.8	1.16x	23.7 to 32.3	2019-2023
Lung & bronchus	Deaths	34.9	30.2	1.16xSignificant	31.4 to 38.9	2020-2024
Kidney & renal pelvis	Deaths	3.9	3.4	1.15x	2.6 to 5.8	2020-2024
Bladder	New cases	20.6	18.7	1.1x	18.1 to 23.5	2019-2023
Lung & bronchus	New cases	55.6	51.8	1.07x	51.1 to 60.5	2019-2023
Kidney & renal pelvis	New cases	19.2	17.9	1.07x	15.8 to 23.2	2019-2023
All cancer	New cases	463	453.4	1.02x	447.3 to 479.3	2019-2023
Brain & nervous system	New cases	6.1	6.2	0.98x	3.9 to 8.9	2019-2023
Leukemia	New cases	14.2	14.5	0.98x	11.7 to 17.2	2019-2023
Bladder	Deaths	4	4.1	0.98x	3 to 5.5	2020-2024
All cancer	Deaths	138.2	143.2	0.97x	130.6 to 146.3	2020-2024
Pancreas	New cases	13.4	13.9	0.96x	11 to 16.2	2019-2023
Esophagus	New cases	4.4	4.6	0.96x	3.2 to 6.1	2019-2023
Liver & bile duct	New cases	8	8.7	0.92x	6.2 to 10.2	2019-2023
Liver & bile duct	Deaths	6	6.6	0.91x	4.5 to 7.9	2020-2024
Non-Hodgkin lymphoma	Deaths	4.3	4.8	0.9x	2.9 to 6.3	2020-2024
Pancreas	Deaths	10	11.3	0.88x	8 to 12.5	2020-2024
Stomach	Deaths	2.3	2.7	0.85x	1.4 to 3.8	2020-2024
Thyroid	New cases	11	13	0.85x	8 to 14.7	2019-2023
Leukemia	Deaths	4.6	5.7	0.81x	3.3 to 6.3	2020-2024
Esophagus	Deaths	2.8	3.7	0.76x	1.8 to 4.4	2020-2024
Stomach	New cases	4.9	6.6	0.74x	3.4 to 7	2019-2023
Brain & nervous system	Deaths	2.8	4.4	0.64x	1.8 to 4.3	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 Highlands County
Measure	County	U.S. median	Difference	Unit
Premature death	12,965.9	9,842.6	+32%	years of life lost before age 75 per 100,000
Life expectancy	75	75.3	-0%	years
Child mortality	76.2	59.8	+28%	deaths under age 18 per 100,000
Infant mortality	7.2	6.2	+16%	deaths under age 1 per 1,000 live births
Injury deaths	120.6	96.9	+24%	deaths per 100,000
Drug overdose deaths	36.1	28.6	+26%	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.

Formaldehyde19.49 per million
Carbon Tetrachloride2.87 per million
Acetaldehyde1.75 per million
Benzene0.56 per million

EPA Air Quality Index 2025

Monitored on 356 days: 338 good, 0 unhealthy for sensitive groups or worse. Median AQI 35, peak 80.

Regulated facilities, sites and hazards by type

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

NPDES wastewater discharge permit124
Rail grade crossing64
Gas station (mapped facility)41
Industrial wastewater discharge40
Air permit holder (minor source)24
Auto repair or body shop (mapped facility)19
Small hazardous waste generator18
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI)8
Public airport6
TRI reporting facility6
Major air pollution source3
Heliport3
Wastewater plant (mapped facility)3
Commercial airport2
EPA air quality monitor1
Airfield1
Correctional facility (prison or jail)1
Dry cleaner (mapped facility)1
Landfill (mapped facility)1
Solar power plant1
Scrapyard (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.

Alpha General Services Llc, Sebring
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Styrene. Reports carcinogens. 153,593 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 33870LPHSP1578A (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 8.5
Dod, Usaf, Avon Park Air Force Range, Avon Park
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Copper, Lead And Lead Compounds, Lead. Reports carcinogens. 81,135 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 33825SRFRC29SBL (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 8.3
E-Stone Usa Corp, Sebring
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Styrene. Reports carcinogens. 48,039 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 33870STNSC42HAY (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 8.1
E-Stone Usa Corporation, Sebring
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110031019225 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 6.9
Alpha General Services, Llc, Sebring
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000365131 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 6.6
Avon Park Air Force Range, Avon Park
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110009693545 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 6.5
Turf Care Supply Llc., Sebring
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Certain glycol ethers, Manganese compounds, Manganese And Manganese Compounds, Zinc compounds and 4 more. 6,206 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 33870LSCSB722WE (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 5.9
Vogel Seed & Fertilizer Dba Spring Valley Usa, Sebring
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110013792903 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 4.8
E-Stone Usa Corporation, Sebring
Major air pollution source.
EPA FRS registry ID 110031019225 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 4.5
Pure Lead Products, Lake Placid
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110038071948 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 4.2
Alpha General Services, Llc, Sebring
Major air pollution source.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000365131 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 4
E-Stone Usa Corporation, Sebring
NPDES wastewater discharge permit.
EPA FRS registry ID 110031019225 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 4
Wedgworth'S Inc Lake Placid, Lake Placid
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110070244794 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 4
Heartland Metals Inc, Lake Placid
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Lead And Lead Compounds, Lead compounds. 9 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 33852PRLDP127RI (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 3.8
Alpha General Services, Llc, Sebring
NPDES wastewater discharge permit.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000365131 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 3.5
Cargill Juice North America Inc, Avon Park
Major air pollution source.
EPA FRS registry ID 110001413239 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 3.5
Pride Aci Sanitary Maintenance & Supplies, Avon Park
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Nonylphenol Ethoxylates, Certain glycol ethers.
TRI facility ID 33825PRDCSSR649 (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 3
Howard Fertilizer & Chemical Co Inc, Lake Placid
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Copper compounds, Manganese compounds, Zinc compounds, Mixture.
TRI facility ID 3385WHWRDF6WEST (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 3
Wedgworth'S Inc Lake Placid, Lake Placid
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Nitrate compounds (water dissociable; reportable only when in aqueous solution), Nitric acid, Ammonia, Manganese compounds and 1 more.
TRI facility ID 3385WWDGWR211SR (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 3
Faf Farms Usa, Inc, Sebring
NPDES wastewater discharge permit.
EPA FRS registry ID 110022552842 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 2.5
E-Stone Usa Corporation, Sebring
Small hazardous waste generator.
EPA FRS registry ID 110031019225 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 2.5
Avon Park, City Of, Avon Park
NPDES wastewater discharge permit. Penalties $3,900.
EPA FRS registry ID 110063617162 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 2.5
Alpha General Services, Llc, Sebring
Small hazardous waste generator.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000365131 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 2
Avon Park Air Force Range, Avon Park
Small hazardous waste generator.
EPA FRS registry ID 110009693545 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 2
Avon Park Air Force Range, Avon Park
NPDES wastewater discharge permit.
EPA FRS registry ID 110009693545 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 2

Correctional facilities

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

Highlands County Sheriffs Office Jail Expansion, Sebring
EPA FRS registry ID
110071877903
Wastewater permit
Yes
EPA detailed facility report

Discovery / public records

Records to request for Highlands County

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