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Lee County, Florida: environmental and disease records

Cancer mortality in Lee County is 119.2 deaths per 100,000 people per year against a U.S. rate of 143.2. Federal databases place 2,327 regulated facilities, sites and hazards inside the county, led by NPDES wastewater discharge permit (1,207), Industrial wastewater discharge (454), Gas station (mapped facility) (187). 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: 26.5449, -81.8085.

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 Lee County compared with the United States
Cancer	Measure	County rate	U.S. rate	Times U.S.	95% interval	Years
Melanoma of the skin	New cases	38.3	23.8	1.61xSignificant	36.7 to 39.9	2019-2023
Childhood cancer (under 15)	Deaths	2.8	1.9	1.47x	1.6 to 4.5	2020-2024
Non-Hodgkin lymphoma	New cases	22.6	18.5	1.22xSignificant	21.4 to 23.9	2019-2023
Leukemia	New cases	17.2	14.5	1.19xSignificant	16.1 to 18.4	2019-2023
Childhood cancer (under 15)	New cases	18.6	16.4	1.13x	15.2 to 22.5	2019-2023
Thyroid	New cases	14.1	13	1.08x	12.9 to 15.4	2019-2023
Liver & bile duct	New cases	8.5	8.7	0.98x	7.8 to 9.2	2019-2023
All cancer	New cases	442.7	453.4	0.98x	437.1 to 448.2	2019-2023
Brain & nervous system	New cases	5.9	6.2	0.95x	5.2 to 6.7	2019-2023
Esophagus	New cases	4.3	4.6	0.93x	3.8 to 4.9	2019-2023
Lung & bronchus	New cases	48.4	51.8	0.93x	46.8 to 50.1	2019-2023
Leukemia	Deaths	5.2	5.7	0.91x	4.6 to 5.7	2020-2024
Brain & nervous system	Deaths	4	4.4	0.91x	3.5 to 4.6	2020-2024
Pancreas	New cases	12.6	13.9	0.91x	11.7 to 13.5	2019-2023
Melanoma of the skin	Deaths	1.8	2	0.9x	1.5 to 2.2	2020-2024
Esophagus	Deaths	3.3	3.7	0.89x	2.9 to 3.8	2020-2024
Bladder	New cases	16.6	18.7	0.89x	15.7 to 17.5	2019-2023
Liver & bile duct	Deaths	5.8	6.6	0.88x	5.3 to 6.4	2020-2024
Bladder	Deaths	3.6	4.1	0.88x	3.2 to 4	2020-2024
Lung & bronchus	Deaths	25.8	30.2	0.85x	24.7 to 27	2020-2024
Kidney & renal pelvis	New cases	15.1	17.9	0.84x	14.1 to 16.2	2019-2023
Stomach	New cases	5.5	6.6	0.83x	4.9 to 6.2	2019-2023
All cancer	Deaths	119.2	143.2	0.83x	116.6 to 121.8	2020-2024
Pancreas	Deaths	9.4	11.3	0.83x	8.7 to 10.1	2020-2024
Thyroid	Deaths	0.4	0.5	0.8x	0.2 to 0.6	2020-2024
Non-Hodgkin lymphoma	Deaths	3.7	4.8	0.77x	3.3 to 4.2	2020-2024
Kidney & renal pelvis	Deaths	2.6	3.4	0.76x	2.2 to 3	2020-2024
Stomach	Deaths	2	2.7	0.74x	1.7 to 2.5	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 Lee County
Measure	County	U.S. median	Difference	Unit
Premature death	8,494.3	9,842.6	-14%	years of life lost before age 75 per 100,000
Life expectancy	80.6	75.3	+7%	years
Child mortality	56.9	59.8	-5%	deaths under age 18 per 100,000
Infant mortality	5.6	6.2	-9%	deaths under age 1 per 1,000 live births
Injury deaths	105.1	96.9	+8%	deaths per 100,000
Drug overdose deaths	39.1	28.6	+37%	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.

Formaldehyde18.83 per million
Carbon Tetrachloride2.87 per million
Acetaldehyde1.38 per million
Benzene0.7 per million

EPA Air Quality Index 2025

Monitored on 365 days: 279 good, 0 unhealthy for sensitive groups or worse. Median AQI 40, peak 97.

Regulated facilities, sites and hazards by type

2,327 active records inside the county from EPA ECHO, TRI, Superfund, Brownfields, NPDES, EIA, FAA, FRA and corrections data.

NPDES wastewater discharge permit1,207
Industrial wastewater discharge454
Gas station (mapped facility)187
Small hazardous waste generator124
Air permit holder (minor source)105
Rail grade crossing78
Auto repair or body shop (mapped facility)35
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI)22
Brownfield property20
TRI reporting facility19
Heliport14
Wastewater plant (mapped facility)13
Major air pollution source10
Public airport10
Scrapyard (mapped facility)10
Dry cleaner (mapped facility)5
EPA air quality monitor2
Commercial airport2
Large greenhouse gas emitter2
Large hazardous waste generator2
Landfill (mapped facility)2
Airfield1
Hazardous waste transporter1
Biomass power 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.

Nt Manufacturing Llc Dba Nor Tech High Performance Boats, Fort Myers
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Styrene. Reports carcinogens. 142,638 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 33917HPBCN7941M (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 8.5
Design Concepts/Marine Concepts, Cape Coral
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Styrene. Reports carcinogens. 18,755 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 3399WMRNCN2443S (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 7.8
Hpbc Inc, Fort Myers
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110037144925 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 6
Fort Myers Power Plant, Fort Myers
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Polycyclic aromatic compounds. Reports carcinogens. 43 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 33916HFSCN3052M (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 5.8
South Advanced Wastewater Treatment Facility, Fort Myers
NPDES wastewater discharge permit.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000521338 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 5.5
Central Advanced Wastewater Treatment Facility, Fort Myers
NPDES wastewater discharge permit.
EPA FRS registry ID 110020172908 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 5.3
Fort Myers, Ft. Myers
Gas power plant.
Record ID 612 (U.S. Energy Information Administration)
Severity 5
Southwest Florida Intl, Fort Myers
Commercial airport. O.
Record ID RSW (FAA / U.S. DOT)
Severity 5
Oldcastle Infrastructure & Preferred Materials, Cape Coral
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Barium compounds (except for barium sulfate (CAS No. 7727-43-7)), Lead compounds, Lead And Lead Compounds, Mercury compounds and 1 more. 241 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 33903LDCST214PN (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 4.8
Lee County Solid Waste Resource Recovery Facility, Fort Myers
Major air pollution source. Penalties $2,000.
EPA FRS registry ID 110017414591 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 4.8
Foley Products Co - Fort Myers, Fort Myers
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Lead. Reports carcinogens. 1 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 3390WFLYPR24RTI (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 4.7
Titan Florida-Mainline Rmc Plant, Fort Myers
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Lead. Reports carcinogens. 1 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 3391WTRMCM82MAI (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 4.7
Coastal An Oldcastle Co, Lehigh Acres
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Lead, Mercury And Mercury Compounds. Reports carcinogens. 1 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 33971HNSNP421LE (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 4.7
Plant 155 Cape Coral, Cape Coral
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Lead. Reports carcinogens. 1 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 3390WFLRDR149PN (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 4.7
Plant 156 Fort Myers, Fort Myers
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Lead. Reports carcinogens. 1 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 3391WFLRDR14361 (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 4.7
Titan Florida-Canal Street, Fort Myers
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Lead. Reports carcinogens. 1 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 3391WTRMCM417CA (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 4.6
Preferred-Ft Myers Canal St Rm, Fort Myers
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Lead. Reports carcinogens. 1 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 3391WPRFRR4262C (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 4.6
Best Block - Alico Road Block Plant, Fort Myers
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Lead. Reports carcinogens.
TRI facility ID 3391WFLRDR1679G (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 4.6
Preferred-Alico Road Rm, Fort Myers
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Lead. Reports carcinogens.
TRI facility ID 3391WPRFRR729AL (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 4.6
Fort Myers, Ft. Myers
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000365248 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 4.6
Preferred-Bonita Springs Rm, Bonita Springs
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Lead. Reports carcinogens.
TRI facility ID 3413WPRFRR2561L (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 4.5
Preferred-Bonita Springs Blk, Bonita Springs
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Lead. Reports carcinogens.
TRI facility ID 3413WPRFRR2591L (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 4.5
Preferred-Pondella Rm, Cape Coral
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Lead. Reports carcinogens.
TRI facility ID 3390WPRFRR211PN (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 4.5
Alico Park Investment Llc, Fort Myers
NPDES wastewater discharge permit.
EPA FRS registry ID 110071531686 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 4.5
Munters Corp, Fort Myers
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Nickel, Chromium, Manganese, Copper. Reports carcinogens.
TRI facility ID 3390WMNTRS21SIX (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 4.5

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 Lee 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 Lee 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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