Envyrofax
Scan an Address

IA / county FIPS 19057 / county research

Des Moines County, Iowa: environmental and disease records

Cancer mortality in Des Moines County is 174.9 deaths per 100,000 people per year against a U.S. rate of 143.2, a statistically significant excess. The strongest disease signals are Lung & bronchus deaths at 1.3 times the U.S. rate. Federal databases place 296 regulated facilities, sites and hazards inside the county, led by Rail grade crossing (67), Air permit holder (minor source) (54), Industrial wastewater discharge (37). EPA AirToxScreen estimates a lifetime cancer risk from outdoor air toxics of 20 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: 40.8898, -91.1947.

How this county ranks in Iowa

View on the heat mapScan an address in this county

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 Des Moines County compared with the United States
CancerMeasureCounty rateU.S. rateTimes U.S.95% intervalYears
EsophagusNew cases7.74.61.67xSignificant4.9 to 11.92019-2023
Melanoma of the skinNew cases34.823.81.46xSignificant27.2 to 43.82019-2023
EsophagusDeaths5.33.71.43x3 to 92020-2024
Liver & bile ductNew cases12.38.71.41x8.6 to 17.32019-2023
Lung & bronchusNew cases70.651.81.36xSignificant61.3 to 81.12019-2023
Lung & bronchusDeaths4030.21.32xSignificant33.1 to 482020-2024
Brain & nervous systemNew cases8.26.21.32x4.8 to 13.32019-2023
LeukemiaDeaths7.45.71.3x4.3 to 11.92020-2024
All cancerDeaths174.9143.21.22xSignificant159.5 to 191.52020-2024
Non-Hodgkin lymphomaDeaths5.84.81.21x3.5 to 9.52020-2024
Non-Hodgkin lymphomaNew cases21.918.51.18x16.9 to 28.12019-2023
Liver & bile ductDeaths7.86.61.18x4.9 to 12.12020-2024
All cancerNew cases526.6453.41.16xSignificant498.8 to 555.62019-2023
BladderNew cases21.618.71.16x16.6 to 27.82019-2023
PancreasDeaths12.311.31.09x8.7 to 17.22020-2024
LeukemiaNew cases1514.51.03x10.6 to 20.72019-2023
PancreasNew cases1413.91.01x9.9 to 19.42019-2023
Kidney & renal pelvisNew cases1717.90.95x12.3 to 232019-2023
ThyroidNew cases8.9130.68x5.4 to 142019-2023

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 Des Moines County
MeasureCountyU.S. medianDifferenceUnit
Premature death9,423.99,842.6-4%years of life lost before age 75 per 100,000
Life expectancy75.975.3+1%years
Child mortality66.459.8+11%deaths under age 18 per 100,000
Infant mortalityn/a6.2n/adeaths under age 1 per 1,000 live births
Injury deaths97.196.9+0%deaths per 100,000
Drug overdose deaths28.628.6-0%deaths per 100,000

Air toxics and air quality

EPA AirToxScreen 2020

Lifetime cancer risk from outdoor air toxics: 20 in a million. EPA treats 100 in a million as the upper end of acceptable risk and 1 in a million as the goal.

  • Formaldehyde17.2 per million
  • Carbon Tetrachloride2.97 per million
  • Acetaldehyde1.61 per million
  • Benzene0.88 per million

EPA Air Quality Index

No EPA air quality monitor reports daily AQI for this county.

Regulated facilities, sites and hazards by type

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

  • Rail grade crossing67
  • Air permit holder (minor source)54
  • Industrial wastewater discharge37
  • NPDES wastewater discharge permit26
  • Gas station (mapped facility)23
  • Brownfield property17
  • Small hazardous waste generator14
  • Toxic chemical release facility (TRI)12
  • Major air pollution source9
  • TRI reporting facility9
  • Large hazardous waste generator6
  • Auto repair or body shop (mapped facility)5
  • Large greenhouse gas emitter4
  • Public airport3
  • Wastewater plant (mapped facility)3
  • Heliport2
  • Commercial airport1
  • Hazardous waste transporter1
  • Landfill (mapped facility)1
  • Coal power plant1
  • Superfund (NPL) site1

Highest-severity records

The 25 records with the highest Envyrofax severity in the county, with the agency identifier to cite in a records request.

  1. Iowa Army Ammunition Plant, Middletown

    Superfund (NPL) site. Hazard Ranking System score 29.7. NPL Site.

    EPA site ID IA7213820445 (U.S. EPA Superfund (SEMS/NPL)) Agency record

    Severity 10

  2. Us Army Iowa Army Ammunition Plant, Middletown

    TRI reporting facility. Penalties $78,622.

    EPA FRS registry ID 110041994973 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record

    Severity 9.7

  3. Silgan Containers Manufacturing Corp, Burlington

    Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: n-Butyl alcohol, Certain glycol ethers, 1,2,4-Trimethylbenzene, Methyl isobutyl ketone and 1 more. Reports carcinogens. 203,688 lbs released over 5 years.

    TRI facility ID 5260WSLGNC3725D (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)

    Severity 8.6

  4. Us Army Iowa Army Ammunition Plant, Middletown

    Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Nitroglycerin, Dibutyl phthalate, 2,4-Dinitrotoluene. Reports carcinogens. 137,529 lbs released over 5 years.

    TRI facility ID 52638SRMYW17571 (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)

    Severity 8.4

  5. Burlington Generating Station, Burlington

    Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Barium compounds (except for barium sulfate (CAS No. 7727-43-7)), Hydrogen fluoride, Manganese compounds, Lead compounds and 4 more. Reports carcinogens. 132,416 lbs released over 5 years.

    TRI facility ID 52601LLNTN4282S (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)

    Severity 8.4

  6. Big River Resources West Burlington Llc, West Burlington

    Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: n-Hexane, Acrolein, Acetaldehyde, Formic acid and 4 more. Reports carcinogens. 127,592 lbs released over 5 years.

    TRI facility ID 52655BGRVR15211 (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)

    Severity 8.4

  7. Modern Welding Co Of Iowa Inc, Burlington

    Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Styrene, Nickel, Chromium. Reports carcinogens. 35,061 lbs released over 5 years.

    TRI facility ID 52601MDRNW2818M (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)

    Severity 8

  8. Cnh Industrial America Llc, Burlington

    Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Certain glycol ethers, Manganese, Nickel, Chromium and 1 more. Reports carcinogens. 27,986 lbs released over 5 years.

    TRI facility ID 52601JCSCM1930D (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)

    Severity 7.9

  9. Diamond Vogel Inc., Burlington

    Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Xylene (mixed isomers), Ethylbenzene, n-Butyl alcohol, Toluene and 1 more. Reports carcinogens. 13,763 lbs released over 5 years.

    TRI facility ID 52601DMNDVBOX24 (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)

    Severity 7.7

  10. Us Army Iowa Army Ammunition Plant, Middletown

    Major air pollution source. Penalties $78,622.

    EPA FRS registry ID 110041994973 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record

    Severity 7.5

  11. Big River Resources, West Burlington

    TRI reporting facility.

    EPA FRS registry ID 110014396858 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record

    Severity 7.3

  12. Tenneco ( Federal Mogul Ignition Llc)(Champion Spark Plug), Burlington

    Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Nitric acid, Ammonia, Nickel, Copper. Reports carcinogens. 2,096 lbs released over 5 years.

    TRI facility ID 52601WNDSTKIRKW (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)

    Severity 7

  13. Us Army Iowa Army Ammunition Plant, Middletown

    Large hazardous waste generator. Penalties $78,622.

    EPA FRS registry ID 110041994973 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record

    Severity 7

  14. Us Army Iowa Army Ammunition Plant, Middletown

    NPDES wastewater discharge permit. Penalties $78,622.

    EPA FRS registry ID 110041994973 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record

    Severity 7

  15. Ideal Ready Mix - West Burlington, West Burlington

    Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Lead. Reports carcinogens. 420 lbs released over 5 years.

    TRI facility ID 5265WDLRDY899WB (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)

    Severity 6.5

  16. Burlington Generating Station, Burlington

    Major air pollution source.

    EPA FRS registry ID 110000415355 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record

    Severity 6.5

  17. Cnh America, Llc - Burlington Plant, Burlington

    TRI reporting facility.

    EPA FRS registry ID 110000415346 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record

    Severity 6.3

  18. Burlington (Ia), Burlington

    Coal power plant.

    Record ID 1104 (U.S. Energy Information Administration)

    Severity 6.2

  19. Us Gypsum - Sperry Plant, Mediapolis

    TRI reporting facility.

    EPA FRS registry ID 110011565582 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record

    Severity 6.1

  20. Silgan Containers Manufacturing Corporation, Burlington

    TRI reporting facility.

    EPA FRS registry ID 110067547916 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record

    Severity 6.1

  21. Burlington Generating Station, Burlington

    NPDES wastewater discharge permit.

    EPA FRS registry ID 110000415355 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record

    Severity 6

  22. Borghi Usa Inc, West Burlington

    Large hazardous waste generator.

    EPA FRS registry ID 110002350296 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record

    Severity 6

  23. Hawkeyepedershaab Concrete Technologies Inc., Mediapolis

    Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Manganese, Chromium, Nickel, Lead. Reports carcinogens. 86 lbs released over 5 years.

    TRI facility ID 5263WHWKYC56SWA (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)

    Severity 6

  24. Diamond Vogel Paint Company, Inc., Burlington

    TRI reporting facility.

    EPA FRS registry ID 110000415337 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record

    Severity 5.8

  25. Burlington Generating Station, Burlington

    Large greenhouse gas emitter.

    EPA FRS registry ID 110000415355 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record

    Severity 5.5

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 Des Moines County

  • Iowa 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 Des Moines County, and their findings.

  • Iowa vital statistics office

    Death certificate counts by cause of death and residence tract or ZIP code, and the years behind the mortality measures above.

  • Iowa health department, environmental epidemiology

    Health consultations or assessments by ATSDR or the state health department covering the county, and any exposure investigations.

  • Iowa 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.

  • Iowa 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.

Scan an address in Des Moines CountyView on the heat mapAll Iowa counties