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McHenry County, Illinois: environmental and disease records

Cancer mortality in McHenry County is 153.3 deaths per 100,000 people per year against a U.S. rate of 143.2, a statistically significant excess. The strongest disease signals are Bladder deaths at 1.3 times the U.S. rate and Lung & bronchus deaths at 1.1 times the U.S. rate. Federal databases place 1,527 regulated facilities, sites and hazards inside the county, led by NPDES wastewater discharge permit (437), Air permit holder (minor source) (370), Industrial wastewater discharge (247). 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: 42.3245, -88.4522.

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 McHenry 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	35.3	23.8	1.48xSignificant	32.5 to 38.2	2019-2023
Bladder	Deaths	5.5	4.1	1.34xSignificant	4.5 to 6.7	2020-2024
Brain & nervous system	New cases	8.2	6.2	1.32xSignificant	6.8 to 9.7	2019-2023
Bladder	New cases	23.2	18.7	1.24xSignificant	21 to 25.5	2019-2023
Brain & nervous system	Deaths	5.4	4.4	1.23x	4.4 to 6.6	2020-2024
Esophagus	Deaths	4.4	3.7	1.19x	3.5 to 5.5	2020-2024
Leukemia	Deaths	6.7	5.7	1.18x	5.5 to 8	2020-2024
Esophagus	New cases	5.4	4.6	1.17x	4.4 to 6.5	2019-2023
Non-Hodgkin lymphoma	New cases	21.5	18.5	1.16xSignificant	19.4 to 23.8	2019-2023
Melanoma of the skin	Deaths	2.3	2	1.15x	1.6 to 3.1	2020-2024
Thyroid	New cases	14.7	13	1.13x	12.8 to 16.7	2019-2023
Childhood cancer (under 15)	New cases	18.4	16.4	1.12x	13.7 to 24.2	2019-2023
Kidney & renal pelvis	Deaths	3.8	3.4	1.12x	3 to 4.8	2020-2024
Lung & bronchus	Deaths	33.7	30.2	1.12xSignificant	31.1 to 36.4	2020-2024
All cancer	New cases	501.9	453.4	1.11xSignificant	491.6 to 512.3	2019-2023
Leukemia	New cases	16	14.5	1.1x	14.2 to 18	2019-2023
Kidney & renal pelvis	New cases	19.4	17.9	1.08x	17.4 to 21.5	2019-2023
Pancreas	New cases	15	13.9	1.08x	13.3 to 16.9	2019-2023
All cancer	Deaths	153.3	143.2	1.07xSignificant	147.6 to 159.1	2020-2024
Lung & bronchus	New cases	55.3	51.8	1.07xSignificant	52 to 58.8	2019-2023
Non-Hodgkin lymphoma	Deaths	5	4.8	1.04x	4 to 6.2	2020-2024
Pancreas	Deaths	11.6	11.3	1.03x	10.1 to 13.2	2020-2024
Liver & bile duct	New cases	7.8	8.7	0.9x	6.6 to 9.2	2019-2023
Liver & bile duct	Deaths	5.9	6.6	0.89x	4.8 to 7.1	2020-2024
Stomach	Deaths	2.4	2.7	0.89x	1.8 to 3.3	2020-2024
Stomach	New cases	5.2	6.6	0.79x	4.2 to 6.4	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 McHenry County
Measure	County	U.S. median	Difference	Unit
Premature death	5,730.4	9,842.6	-42%	years of life lost before age 75 per 100,000
Life expectancy	79.5	75.3	+6%	years
Child mortality	35.3	59.8	-41%	deaths under age 18 per 100,000
Infant mortality	4.1	6.2	-34%	deaths under age 1 per 1,000 live births
Injury deaths	56.1	96.9	-42%	deaths per 100,000
Drug overdose deaths	18.6	28.6	-35%	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.

Formaldehyde14.92 per million
Carbon Tetrachloride2.96 per million
Acetaldehyde1.34 per million
Benzene1.18 per million

EPA Air Quality Index 2025

Monitored on 364 days: 247 good, 12 unhealthy for sensitive groups or worse. Median AQI 42, peak 165.

Regulated facilities, sites and hazards by type

1,527 active records inside the county from EPA ECHO, TRI, Superfund, Brownfields, NPDES, EIA, FAA, FRA and corrections data.

NPDES wastewater discharge permit437
Air permit holder (minor source)370
Industrial wastewater discharge247
Rail grade crossing125
Gas station (mapped facility)77
Auto repair or body shop (mapped facility)72
Small hazardous waste generator56
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI)31
TRI reporting facility25
Large hazardous waste generator18
Public airport17
Dry cleaner (mapped facility)17
Major air pollution source8
Heliport7
Wastewater plant (mapped facility)6
Solar power plant5
Battery storage plant2
EPA air quality monitor1
Airfield1
Brownfield property1
Hazardous waste transporter1
Gas power plant1
Scrapyard (mapped facility)1
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.

Woodstock Municipal Landfill, Woodstock
Superfund (NPL) site. Hazard Ranking System score 50.1. NPL Site.
EPA site ID ILD980605943 (U.S. EPA Superfund (SEMS/NPL)) Agency record
Severity 10
Ringwood Facility, Ringwood
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000429901 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 8.2
Engineered Polymer Solutions Inc., Marengo
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Methyl methacrylate, Butyl acrylate, Styrene, Ammonia and 2 more. Reports carcinogens. 55,814 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 60152THVLS1400N (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 8.1
Arnold Magnetic Technologies - Arnold Engineering, Marengo
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: 1-Bromopropane, Nickel, Cobalt. Reports carcinogens. 46,815 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 60152RNLDN300WE (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 8.1
Advanced Flexible Composites Inc, Lake In The Hills
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Xylene (mixed isomers), Toluene, Ethylbenzene. Reports carcinogens. 39,729 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 60156DVNCD14WAL (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 8
G & M Manufacturing Corp, Crystal Lake
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Dichloromethane. Reports carcinogens. 34,900 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 60014GMMFG400SM (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 8
Wauconda Tool & Engineering Co Inc, Algonquin
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: 1-Bromopropane, Trichloroethylene. Reports carcinogens. 24,790 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 60102WCNDT821WE (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 7.9
Scot Forge Co, Spring Grove
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000430052 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 7.9
Vorteq Coil Finishers Llc, Woodstock
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Xylene (mixed isomers), 1,2,4-Trimethylbenzene, Certain glycol ethers, Naphthalene and 1 more. Reports carcinogens. 7,763 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 6009WVRTQC1592N (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 7.5
John Crane Inc, Crystal Lake
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000429251 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 7.3
New Dairy/Select Milk A Borden Joint Venture, Harvard
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Nitrate compounds (water dissociable; reportable only when in aqueous solution), Nitric acid, Peracetic acid. 127,319 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 60033DNFDS6303M (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 6.9
Watlow Electric Manufacturing Co, Richmond
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Nickel. Reports carcinogens. 1,000 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 60071GRDNC5710K (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 6.8
Bostik Inc., Ringwood
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Toluene, Ethylene glycol, Diisocyanates. 77,871 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 60072MRTNT5005B (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 6.8
Arntzen Corp, Woodstock
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Manganese, Copper, Chromium, Nickel. Reports carcinogens. 570 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 60098RNTZN14600 (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 6.6
Scot Forge Co, Spring Grove
Major air pollution source.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000430052 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 6.5
Diversapack Llc, Marengo
Major air pollution source.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000791457 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 6.5
Huntley - West Wwtp, Huntley
NPDES wastewater discharge permit. Penalties $1,400.
EPA FRS registry ID 110009982974 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 6.5
Charter Dura Bar, Woodstock
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Lead, Manganese, Copper, Nickel and 2 more. Reports carcinogens. 397 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 60098DRBRP1800W (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 6.5
Scot Forge Co, Spring Grove
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Nickel, Zinc compounds, Copper, Chromium and 2 more. Reports carcinogens. 332 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 60081SCTFR8001W (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 6.4
Huntsman, Ringwood
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110012704546 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 6.4
Central Wire Inc, Union
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Nitrate compounds (water dissociable; reportable only when in aqueous solution), Nickel, Copper, Manganese and 2 more. Reports carcinogens. 281 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 60180TCHLLOLSON (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 6.4
Ringwood Facility, Ringwood
Major air pollution source.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000429901 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 6.3
G & M Mfg Corp, Crystal Lake
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000429242 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 6.1
Leica Biosystems Richmond Inc, Richmond
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Formaldehyde, Ethylene glycol. Reports carcinogens. 133 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 60071SRGPT5205R (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 6.1
Scot Forge Co, Spring Grove
NPDES wastewater discharge permit.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000430052 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 6

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 McHenry 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 McHenry 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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