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Clarke County, Georgia: environmental and disease records

Cancer mortality in Clarke County is 136.9 deaths per 100,000 people per year against a U.S. rate of 143.2. Federal databases place 777 regulated facilities, sites and hazards inside the county, led by NPDES wastewater discharge permit (395), Industrial wastewater discharge (97), Gas station (mapped facility) (68). One correctional facility operates 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: 33.9446, -83.3982.

How this county ranks in Georgia

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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 Clarke County compared with the United States
Cancer	Measure	County rate	U.S. rate	Times U.S.	95% interval	Years
Pancreas	New cases	16.9	13.9	1.22x	13.7 to 20.6	2019-2023
Pancreas	Deaths	12.7	11.3	1.12x	9.9 to 16	2020-2024
Leukemia	Deaths	6.4	5.7	1.12x	4.5 to 8.9	2020-2024
Brain & nervous system	Deaths	4.9	4.4	1.11x	3.2 to 7.1	2020-2024
Esophagus	Deaths	3.9	3.7	1.05x	2.5 to 5.8	2020-2024
Liver & bile duct	New cases	9.1	8.7	1.05x	6.7 to 11.9	2019-2023
Esophagus	New cases	4.7	4.6	1.02x	3.1 to 6.8	2019-2023
Non-Hodgkin lymphoma	Deaths	4.9	4.8	1.02x	3.2 to 7.2	2020-2024
Brain & nervous system	New cases	6	6.2	0.97x	4.1 to 8.3	2019-2023
All cancer	Deaths	136.9	143.2	0.96x	127.3 to 147	2020-2024
All cancer	New cases	432.8	453.4	0.95x	415.7 to 450.3	2019-2023
Bladder	New cases	17.5	18.7	0.94x	14.2 to 21.4	2019-2023
Liver & bile duct	Deaths	6.1	6.6	0.92x	4.3 to 8.4	2020-2024
Stomach	New cases	6.1	6.6	0.92x	4.2 to 8.6	2019-2023
Lung & bronchus	New cases	46.2	51.8	0.89x	40.8 to 52.2	2019-2023
Non-Hodgkin lymphoma	New cases	16.4	18.5	0.89x	13.1 to 20.2	2019-2023
Bladder	Deaths	3.6	4.1	0.88x	2.2 to 5.5	2020-2024
Thyroid	New cases	10.7	13	0.82x	8.2 to 13.8	2019-2023
Lung & bronchus	Deaths	24.2	30.2	0.8x	20.3 to 28.6	2020-2024
Leukemia	New cases	11.6	14.5	0.8x	9 to 14.9	2019-2023
Kidney & renal pelvis	New cases	13	17.9	0.73x	10.2 to 16.4	2019-2023
Melanoma of the skin	New cases	14.4	23.8	0.61x	11.5 to 17.9	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 Clarke County
Measure	County	U.S. median	Difference	Unit
Premature death	8,072.7	9,842.6	-18%	years of life lost before age 75 per 100,000
Life expectancy	77.3	75.3	+3%	years
Child mortality	40.9	59.8	-32%	deaths under age 18 per 100,000
Infant mortality	6.1	6.2	-3%	deaths under age 1 per 1,000 live births
Injury deaths	58.6	96.9	-40%	deaths per 100,000
Drug overdose deaths	21	28.6	-27%	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.

Formaldehyde25.97 per million
Carbon Tetrachloride2.89 per million
Acetaldehyde2.48 per million
Benzene1.18 per million

EPA Air Quality Index 2025

Monitored on 365 days: 211 good, 0 unhealthy for sensitive groups or worse. Median AQI 46, peak 89.

Regulated facilities, sites and hazards by type

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

NPDES wastewater discharge permit395
Industrial wastewater discharge97
Gas station (mapped facility)68
Air permit holder (minor source)59
Auto repair or body shop (mapped facility)52
Rail grade crossing35
Small hazardous waste generator19
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI)11
TRI reporting facility10
Large hazardous waste generator7
Dry cleaner (mapped facility)6
Major air pollution source3
Large greenhouse gas emitter2
Landfill (mapped facility)2
Scrapyard (mapped facility)2
Wastewater plant (mapped facility)2
EPA air quality monitor1
Commercial airport1
Correctional facility (prison or jail)1
Heliport1
Biomass power plant1
Hydroelectric plant1
Oil-fired 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.

Certainteed Corporation, Athens
TRI reporting facility. Penalties $19,657.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000511107 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 10
Janssen Pharmaceuticals Inc., Athens
TRI reporting facility. Penalties $91,200.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000358611 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 9.8
Certainteed Llc, Athens
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Ammonia, Mercury, Chromium and Chromium Compounds(except for chromite ore mined in the Transvaal Region), Polycyclic aromatic compounds and 1 more. Reports carcinogens. 1,048,612 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 30613CRTNT425AT (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 9.1
Seaboard Farms Of Athens, Inc., Athens
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000358586 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 8.8
Baldor Electric Co., Athens
TRI reporting facility. Penalties $2,000.
EPA FRS registry ID 110070007553 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 8.4
Power Partners Llc, Athens
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Certain glycol ethers, Copper, Manganese, Chromium and 2 more. Reports carcinogens. 68,518 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 30613WSTNGNEWTO (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 8.2
Janssen Pharmaceuticals Inc., Athens
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Methanol, n-Butyl alcohol, Toluene, Ammonia and 4 more. Reports carcinogens. 67,539 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 30603NRMCN1440O (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 8.2
Abb Motors & Mechanical Inc., Athens
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Xylene (mixed isomers), Copper, Chromium, Nickel and 1 more. Reports carcinogens. 49,640 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 30601RLNCLCOLLI (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 8.1
Certainteed Corporation, Athens
Major air pollution source. Penalties $19,657.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000511107 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 7.5
Caterpillar, Athens
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Ethylene glycol, Ethylbenzene, Manganese, Copper and 2 more. Reports carcinogens. 6,510 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 3060WCTRPL25DZE (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 7.4
Power Partners Inc, Athens
TRI reporting facility. Penalties $2,000.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000358648 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 7.2
Carrier Transicold, Athens
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000358559 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 7
Janssen Pharmaceuticals Inc., Athens
Large hazardous waste generator. Penalties $91,200.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000358611 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 7
Certainteed Corporation, Athens
NPDES wastewater discharge permit. Penalties $19,657.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000511107 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 7
Pilgrim'S Pride Athens Processing Plant, Athens
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Peracetic acid, Ammonia. 47,785 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 30601SBRDF898BA (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 6.6
Certainteed Corporation, Athens
Large greenhouse gas emitter. Penalties $19,657.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000511107 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 6.5
Athens, Athens (corp name Athens-Clarke County)
EPA air quality monitor.
Record ID 130590002 (U.S. EPA AirData)
Severity 6
Janssen Pharmaceuticals Inc., Athens
NPDES wastewater discharge permit. Penalties $91,200.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000358611 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 5.5
United Parcel Service - Athens Center, Bogart
NPDES wastewater discharge permit. Penalties $5,300,000.
EPA FRS registry ID 110005699146 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 5.5
Baldor Electric Co., Athens
Large hazardous waste generator. Penalties $2,000.
EPA FRS registry ID 110070007553 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 5.5
Janssen Pharmaceuticals Inc., Athens
Air permit holder (minor source). Penalties $91,200.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000358611 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 5
Conagra Poultry, Athens
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000604579 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 5
Athens/Ben Epps, Athens
Commercial airport. O.
Record ID AHN (FAA / U.S. DOT)
Severity 5
Royce Country Corners Llc. (Country Corners Community Wpcp), Athens
NPDES wastewater discharge permit. Penalties $1,250.
EPA FRS registry ID 110010797067 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 4.8
Argos Athens Concrete Plant, Athens
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Lead. Reports carcinogens. 1 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 30601LFRGT198TR (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 4.7

Correctional facilities

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

Athens Clarke County Jail, Athens
EPA FRS registry ID
110013453404
Wastewater permit
Yes
EPA detailed facility report

Discovery / public records

Records to request for Clarke County

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