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Richmond County, Georgia: environmental and disease records

Cancer mortality in Richmond County is 184.8 deaths per 100,000 people per year against a U.S. rate of 143.2, a statistically significant excess. The strongest disease signals are Kidney & renal pelvis deaths at 1.4 times the U.S. rate and Liver & bile duct deaths at 1.4 times the U.S. rate. Federal databases place 1,569 regulated facilities, sites and hazards inside the county, led by NPDES wastewater discharge permit (821), Industrial wastewater discharge (249), Rail grade crossing (150). 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: 33.3856, -82.0917.

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 Richmond County compared with the United States
Cancer	Measure	County rate	U.S. rate	Times U.S.	95% interval	Years
Kidney & renal pelvis	Deaths	4.9	3.4	1.44xSignificant	3.6 to 6.5	2020-2024
Liver & bile duct	Deaths	9.1	6.6	1.38xSignificant	7.4 to 11	2020-2024
Lung & bronchus	Deaths	40.2	30.2	1.33xSignificant	36.6 to 44.1	2020-2024
Stomach	New cases	8.6	6.6	1.3xSignificant	6.9 to 10.5	2019-2023
Stomach	Deaths	3.5	2.7	1.3x	2.4 to 4.8	2020-2024
All cancer	Deaths	184.8	143.2	1.29xSignificant	176.8 to 193.1	2020-2024
Esophagus	New cases	5.9	4.6	1.28x	4.6 to 7.5	2019-2023
Pancreas	Deaths	13.7	11.3	1.21xSignificant	11.6 to 16	2020-2024
Lung & bronchus	New cases	61.8	51.8	1.19xSignificant	57.3 to 66.5	2019-2023
Liver & bile duct	New cases	10.3	8.7	1.18x	8.6 to 12.4	2019-2023
Pancreas	New cases	15.8	13.9	1.14x	13.5 to 18.3	2019-2023
Esophagus	Deaths	4	3.7	1.08x	2.9 to 5.3	2020-2024
All cancer	New cases	486.4	453.4	1.07xSignificant	473.3 to 499.7	2019-2023
Kidney & renal pelvis	New cases	16.9	17.9	0.94x	14.5 to 19.6	2019-2023
Leukemia	Deaths	5.3	5.7	0.93x	4 to 6.9	2020-2024
Non-Hodgkin lymphoma	New cases	16.1	18.5	0.87x	13.7 to 18.7	2019-2023
Leukemia	New cases	12.6	14.5	0.87x	10.6 to 14.9	2019-2023
Bladder	Deaths	3.5	4.1	0.85x	2.5 to 4.8	2020-2024
Brain & nervous system	New cases	5.1	6.2	0.82x	3.8 to 6.7	2019-2023
Brain & nervous system	Deaths	3.6	4.4	0.82x	2.6 to 4.9	2020-2024
Childhood cancer (under 15)	New cases	13.2	16.4	0.8x	8.6 to 19.3	2019-2023
Non-Hodgkin lymphoma	Deaths	3.7	4.8	0.77x	2.6 to 5	2020-2024
Melanoma of the skin	New cases	17	23.8	0.71x	14.7 to 19.7	2019-2023
Bladder	New cases	13.3	18.7	0.71x	11.2 to 15.7	2019-2023
Melanoma of the skin	Deaths	1.3	2	0.65x	0.7 to 2.2	2020-2024
Thyroid	New cases	7.7	13	0.59x	6 to 9.6	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 Richmond County
Measure	County	U.S. median	Difference	Unit
Premature death	14,035.7	9,842.6	+43%	years of life lost before age 75 per 100,000
Life expectancy	71.4	75.3	-5%	years
Child mortality	97.9	59.8	+64%	deaths under age 18 per 100,000
Infant mortality	10.4	6.2	+67%	deaths under age 1 per 1,000 live births
Injury deaths	109.4	96.9	+13%	deaths per 100,000
Drug overdose deaths	43.5	28.6	+52%	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.

Formaldehyde26.1 per million
Carbon Tetrachloride2.91 per million
Acetaldehyde2.44 per million
Benzene1.03 per million

EPA Air Quality Index 2025

Monitored on 365 days: 171 good, 2 unhealthy for sensitive groups or worse. Median AQI 52, peak 130.

Regulated facilities, sites and hazards by type

1,569 active records inside the county from EPA ECHO, TRI, Superfund, Brownfields, NPDES, EIA, FAA, FRA and corrections data.

NPDES wastewater discharge permit821
Industrial wastewater discharge249
Rail grade crossing150
Air permit holder (minor source)104
Gas station (mapped facility)79
Auto repair or body shop (mapped facility)35
Small hazardous waste generator24
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI)23
TRI reporting facility18
Major air pollution source16
Large hazardous waste generator9
Large greenhouse gas emitter6
Heliport6
Brownfield property4
Hazardous waste transporter4
Hydroelectric plant3
Solar power plant3
Wastewater plant (mapped facility)3
Commercial airport2
Dry cleaner (mapped facility)2
Landfill (mapped facility)2
Superfund (NPL) site2
EPA air quality monitor1
Public airport1
Correctional facility (prison or jail)1
Biomass 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.

Clearwater Paper - Augusta, Augusta
TRI reporting facility. Penalties $9,360.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000359718 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 10
Alternate Energy Resources, Augusta
Superfund (NPL) site. Hazard Ranking System score 50. NPL Site.
EPA site ID GAD033582461 (U.S. EPA Superfund (SEMS/NPL)) Agency record
Severity 10
Peach Orchard Road PCE Ground Water Plume, Augusta
Superfund (NPL) site. Hazard Ranking System score 50. NPL Site.
EPA site ID GAN000407449 (U.S. EPA Superfund (SEMS/NPL)) Agency record
Severity 10
Pcs Nitrogen Fertilizer Lp, Augusta
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Ammonia, Nitrate compounds (water dissociable; reportable only when in aqueous solution), Methanol, Nitric acid and 4 more. Reports carcinogens. 21,946,988 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 30903CLMBN23COL (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 10
Clearwater Paper - Augusta Mill, Augusta
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Methanol, Hydrogen sulfide, Nitrate compounds (water dissociable; reportable only when in aqueous solution), Ammonia and 4 more. Reports carcinogens. 9,196,298 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 30913FDRLPHIGHW (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 9.8
General Chemical Llc, Augusta Plant, Augusta
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000359488 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 8.8
Solvay Specialty Polymers Usa L.L.C., Augusta
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Chlorobenzene, Hydroquinone, Hydrochloric acid (acid aerosols including mists, vapors, gas, fog, and other airborne forms of any particle size), Polychlorinated biphenyls and 1 more. Reports carcinogens. 299,524 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 30916MCPRF3702C (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 8.7
U S Army Garrison Fort Gordon, Fort Gordon
TRI reporting facility. Penalties $2,000.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000588132 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 8.6
Kemira Chemicals Inc., Augusta
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000859599 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 8.3
U.S. Army Hq Signal Center Fort Gordon, Augusta
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Copper, Lead. Reports carcinogens. 56,548 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 30905HQSRMENVNA (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 8.1
Modern Welding Co Of Georgia,Inc., Augusta
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Styrene. Reports carcinogens. 32,171 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 30903MDRNW300PR (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 8
Covidien Lp, Augusta
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000359638 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 7.9
General Shale Brick Inc. - Plant 50, Augusta
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Hydrogen fluoride, Lead, Manganese compounds. Reports carcinogens. 8,362 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 30913MRRYBARTHE (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 7.5
Clearwater Paper - Augusta, Augusta
Major air pollution source. Penalties $9,360.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000359718 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 7.5
Pcs Nitrogen Fertilizer, L.P. Augusta Georgia, Augusta
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000516120 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 7.3
Augusta, Augusta
EPA air quality monitor.
Record ID 132450091 (U.S. EPA AirData)
Severity 7.1
Clearwater Paper - Augusta, Augusta
NPDES wastewater discharge permit. Penalties $9,360.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000359718 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 7
Thomas Concrete Augusta, Augusta
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110070009926 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 7
Boral Bricks - Augusta Plants 4 & 5, Augusta
TRI reporting facility. Penalties $3,000.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000359745 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 6.9
Augusta Wwtp, Augusta
NPDES wastewater discharge permit. Penalties $170,544.
EPA FRS registry ID 110039867230 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 6.8
E-Z-Go A Textron Co, Augusta
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Manganese, Chromium, Nickel, Copper and 1 more. Reports carcinogens. 794 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 30913ZGTXT1451M (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 6.7
Solvay Clanton Road Grading Plan, Augusta
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000359763 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 6.6
Us Battery Manufacturing Co, Augusta
TRI reporting facility. Penalties $2,000.
EPA FRS registry ID 110001388702 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 6.6
Kendall Patient Recovery Llc, Augusta
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Ethylene oxide. Reports carcinogens. 423 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 30906KNDLL1816M (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 6.5
General Chemical Llc, Augusta Plant, Augusta
Major air pollution source.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000359488 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 6.5

Correctional facilities

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

Augusta State Medical Prison, Grovetown
EPA FRS registry ID
110013609746
Wastewater permit
Yes
EPA detailed facility report

Discovery / public records

Records to request for Richmond 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 Richmond 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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