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Macon County, Illinois: environmental and disease records

Cancer mortality in Macon County is 174.6 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 1.6 times the U.S. rate and Bladder deaths at 1.4 times the U.S. rate. Federal databases place 833 regulated facilities, sites and hazards inside the county, led by Rail grade crossing (203), NPDES wastewater discharge permit (180), Air permit holder (minor source) (170). 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: 39.8555, -88.9817.

How this county ranks in Illinois

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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 Macon County compared with the United States
Cancer	Measure	County rate	U.S. rate	Times U.S.	95% interval	Years
Esophagus	New cases	8.2	4.6	1.78xSignificant	6.2 to 10.7	2019-2023
Lung & bronchus	New cases	87.8	51.8	1.69xSignificant	81.2 to 94.9	2019-2023
Kidney & renal pelvis	New cases	30.3	17.9	1.69xSignificant	26.1 to 35.1	2019-2023
Lung & bronchus	Deaths	49	30.2	1.62xSignificant	44.1 to 54.3	2020-2024
Bladder	Deaths	5.9	4.1	1.44xSignificant	4.3 to 7.9	2020-2024
Esophagus	Deaths	5.3	3.7	1.43x	3.7 to 7.4	2020-2024
Brain & nervous system	Deaths	5.9	4.4	1.34x	4.2 to 8.2	2020-2024
Bladder	New cases	24	18.7	1.28xSignificant	20.7 to 27.9	2019-2023
Kidney & renal pelvis	Deaths	4.3	3.4	1.26x	3 to 6.1	2020-2024
Brain & nervous system	New cases	7.8	6.2	1.26x	5.6 to 10.6	2019-2023
All cancer	New cases	559.6	453.4	1.23xSignificant	541.7 to 578	2019-2023
All cancer	Deaths	174.6	143.2	1.22xSignificant	165.1 to 184.6	2020-2024
Melanoma of the skin	New cases	29	23.8	1.22xSignificant	24.9 to 33.8	2019-2023
Non-Hodgkin lymphoma	New cases	22.5	18.5	1.22xSignificant	19.1 to 26.5	2019-2023
Thyroid	New cases	15.4	13	1.18x	12.1 to 19.3	2019-2023
Leukemia	New cases	15.9	14.5	1.1x	13 to 19.2	2019-2023
Pancreas	New cases	15	13.9	1.08x	12.3 to 18.2	2019-2023
Non-Hodgkin lymphoma	Deaths	5.1	4.8	1.06x	3.6 to 7	2020-2024
Pancreas	Deaths	11.8	11.3	1.04x	9.5 to 14.7	2020-2024
Liver & bile duct	Deaths	6.8	6.6	1.03x	5.1 to 9	2020-2024
Stomach	New cases	6.5	6.6	0.98x	4.8 to 8.7	2019-2023
Leukemia	Deaths	5.3	5.7	0.93x	3.8 to 7.3	2020-2024
Stomach	Deaths	2.3	2.7	0.85x	1.4 to 3.9	2020-2024
Liver & bile duct	New cases	7	8.7	0.8x	5.2 to 9.4	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 Macon County
Measure	County	U.S. median	Difference	Unit
Premature death	10,948.5	9,842.6	+11%	years of life lost before age 75 per 100,000
Life expectancy	74.6	75.3	-1%	years
Child mortality	69.5	59.8	+16%	deaths under age 18 per 100,000
Infant mortality	7	6.2	+12%	deaths under age 1 per 1,000 live births
Injury deaths	87.3	96.9	-10%	deaths per 100,000
Drug overdose deaths	29	28.6	+1%	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.

Formaldehyde17.62 per million
Carbon Tetrachloride2.95 per million
Acetaldehyde1.64 per million
Benzene0.92 per million

EPA Air Quality Index 2025

Monitored on 365 days: 237 good, 3 unhealthy for sensitive groups or worse. Median AQI 44, peak 141.

Regulated facilities, sites and hazards by type

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

Rail grade crossing203
NPDES wastewater discharge permit180
Air permit holder (minor source)170
Industrial wastewater discharge94
Brownfield property35
Gas station (mapped facility)27
Small hazardous waste generator20
Combined sewer overflow outfall14
Large hazardous waste generator14
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI)13
TRI reporting facility12
Auto repair or body shop (mapped facility)10
Major air pollution source9
Wastewater plant (mapped facility)9
Large greenhouse gas emitter4
EPA air quality monitor3
Public airport3
Heliport3
Hazardous waste transporter2
Coal power plant2
Commercial airport1
Correctional facility (prison or jail)1
Dry cleaner (mapped facility)1
Oil-fired power plant1
Wind 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.

Adm Decatur Complex, Decatur
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: n-Hexane, Hydrochloric acid (acid aerosols including mists, vapors, gas, fog, and other airborne forms of any particle size), Ammonia, Sulfuric acid (acid aerosols including mists, vapors, gas, fog, and other airborne forms of any particle size) and 4 more. Reports carcinogens. 14,734,867 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 62526DMCRN4666F (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 10
Primary Products Ingredients Americas Llc - Decatur, Decatur
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Acetaldehyde, Nitrate compounds (water dissociable; reportable only when in aqueous solution), Methanol, Sulfuric acid (acid aerosols including mists, vapors, gas, fog, and other airborne forms of any particle size) and 4 more. Reports carcinogens. 662,781 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 62525STLYM2200E (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 9
Primary Products Ingredients Americas Llc - Decatur, Decatur
TRI reporting facility. Penalties $97,500.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000578072 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 8.8
Caterpillar Inc. Decatur Fac., Decatur
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Manganese, Naphthalene, Nickel, Chromium and 2 more. Reports carcinogens. 16,677 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 62525CTRPL27THP (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 7.7
Decatur Foundry Inc, Decatur
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Naphthalene, Phenol, Lead, Manganese and 1 more. Reports carcinogens. 15,029 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 62525DCTRF1745N (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 7.7
Mueller Co. Plant #4 (South Foundry), Decatur
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Copper, Zinc (fume or dust), Lead, Nickel and 1 more. Reports carcinogens. 9,711 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 62526MLLRC1226E (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 7.6
Fuyao Glass Illinois Inc, Mount Zion
Major air pollution source. Penalties $450,000.
EPA FRS registry ID 110017422582 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 7.5
Voestalpine Railway Systems Nortrak Llc, Decatur
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Methanol, Manganese, Lead. Reports carcinogens. 6,199 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 6252WVNRTR69EKE (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 7.4
Archer Daniels Midland - Decatur - Bioproducts, Decatur
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110050297936 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 7.2
Fuyao Glass Illinois Inc, Mount Zion
Large hazardous waste generator. Penalties $450,000.
EPA FRS registry ID 110017422582 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 7
Fuyao Glass Illinois Inc, Mount Zion
NPDES wastewater discharge permit. Penalties $450,000.
EPA FRS registry ID 110017422582 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 7
Fuyao Glass Illinois Inc, Mount Zion
Large greenhouse gas emitter. Penalties $450,000.
EPA FRS registry ID 110017422582 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 6.5
Fuyao Glass Illinois Inc, Decatur
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Selenium, Cobalt compounds, Cobalt And Cobalt Compounds, Lead and 1 more. Reports carcinogens. 376 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 62549PPGNDELWIN (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 6.5
Archer Daniels Midland Decatur, Decatur
Coal power plant.
Record ID 10865 (U.S. Energy Information Administration)
Severity 6.3
Tate & Lyle Decatur Plant Cogen, Decatur
Coal power plant.
Record ID 10867 (U.S. Energy Information Administration)
Severity 6.1
Primary Products Ingredients Americas Llc - Decatur, Decatur
Major air pollution source. Penalties $97,500.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000578072 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 6
Decatur Foundry, Inc., Decatur
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000439491 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 5.9
Mueller - North Foundry, Decatur
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Zinc (fume or dust), Copper. 4,977 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 6252WMLLRX2675N (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 5.8
Caterpillar Inc, Decatur
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110043796158 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 5.8
Mueller Co, Decatur
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110071394405 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 5.7
IEPA TRAILER, Decatur
EPA air quality monitor.
Record ID 171150013 (U.S. EPA AirData)
Severity 5.6
Primary Products Ingredients Americas Llc - Decatur, Decatur
Large hazardous waste generator. Penalties $97,500.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000578072 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 5.5
Primary Products Ingredients Americas Llc - Decatur, Decatur
NPDES wastewater discharge permit. Penalties $97,500.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000578072 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 5.5
United Parcel Service, Decatur
NPDES wastewater discharge permit. Penalties $5,300,000.
EPA FRS registry ID 110001225950 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 5.5
Mueller Co, Decatur
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000439589 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 5.3

Correctional facilities

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

Decatur Women'S Correctional Center, Decatur
EPA FRS registry ID
110010289277
Wastewater permit
Yes
EPA detailed facility report

Discovery / public records

Records to request for Macon County

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