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Posey County, Indiana: environmental and disease records

Cancer mortality in Posey County is 139 deaths per 100,000 people per year against a U.S. rate of 143.2. Federal databases place 372 regulated facilities, sites and hazards inside the county, led by Industrial wastewater discharge (116), NPDES wastewater discharge permit (93), Rail grade crossing (68). 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: 38.0026, -87.8614.

How this county ranks in Indiana

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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 Posey 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	29.6	23.8	1.24x	21.5 to 40.1	2019-2023
Bladder	New cases	23.1	18.7	1.24x	16.5 to 31.8	2019-2023
All cancer	New cases	469.4	453.4	1.04x	436.5 to 504.3	2019-2023
Lung & bronchus	New cases	50.7	51.8	0.98x	40.8 to 62.5	2019-2023
All cancer	Deaths	139	143.2	0.97x	122.1 to 157.9	2020-2024
Lung & bronchus	Deaths	29.1	30.2	0.96x	21.7 to 38.5	2020-2024
Liver & bile duct	New cases	8.3	8.7	0.95x	4.7 to 14.1	2019-2023
Thyroid	New cases	12.2	13	0.94x	6.9 to 20	2019-2023
Non-Hodgkin lymphoma	New cases	16.7	18.5	0.9x	11.4 to 24	2019-2023
Kidney & renal pelvis	New cases	15.8	17.9	0.88x	10 to 23.9	2019-2023
Leukemia	New cases	12.6	14.5	0.87x	7.6 to 19.9	2019-2023
Pancreas	Deaths	9.8	11.3	0.87x	5.8 to 15.9	2020-2024
Pancreas	New cases	10.9	13.9	0.78x	6.6 to 17.4	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 Posey County
Measure	County	U.S. median	Difference	Unit
Premature death	7,520.6	9,842.6	-24%	years of life lost before age 75 per 100,000
Life expectancy	78.3	75.3	+4%	years
Child mortality	41.6	59.8	-30%	deaths under age 18 per 100,000
Infant mortality	n/a	6.2	n/a	deaths under age 1 per 1,000 live births
Injury deaths	75.1	96.9	-22%	deaths per 100,000
Drug overdose deaths	17.2	28.6	-40%	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.

Formaldehyde20.82 per million
Carbon Tetrachloride2.96 per million
Acetaldehyde2.09 per million
Benzene1.12 per million

EPA Air Quality Index 2025

Monitored on 338 days: 306 good, 1 unhealthy for sensitive groups or worse. Median AQI 35, peak 105.

Regulated facilities, sites and hazards by type

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

Industrial wastewater discharge116
NPDES wastewater discharge permit93
Rail grade crossing68
Air permit holder (minor source)11
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI)11
Combined sewer overflow outfall10
Major air pollution source9
Public airport9
Gas station (mapped facility)9
TRI reporting facility9
Large greenhouse gas emitter5
Hazardous waste transporter5
Large hazardous waste generator4
Small hazardous waste generator3
Airfield2
Brownfield property2
Landfill (mapped facility)2
EPA air quality monitor1
Coal power plant1
Gas power plant1
Wastewater plant (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.

Sabic Innovative Plastics Us Llc, Mount Vernon
TRI reporting facility. Penalties $190,000.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000403670 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 10
Countrymark Refining & Logistics Llc, Mt Vernon
TRI reporting facility. Penalties $6,250.
EPA FRS registry ID 110017866727 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 10
Valero Renewable Fuels Company, Llc, Mount Vernon
TRI reporting facility. Penalties $24,000.
EPA FRS registry ID 110043222982 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 10
Green Plains Mount Vernon, Mount Vernon
TRI reporting facility. Penalties $265,655.
EPA FRS registry ID 110039173854 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 9.9
Sabic Innovative Plastics Mt. Vernon Llc, Mount Vernon
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Nitrate compounds (water dissociable; reportable only when in aqueous solution), Cumene, Dichloromethane, Toluene and 4 more. Reports carcinogens. 6,813,904 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 47620GPLSTLEXAN (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 9.7
Consolidated Grain And Barge Co., Mount Vernon
TRI reporting facility. Penalties $6,250.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000403661 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 9.6
Sigeco A B Brown Generating Station, Mount Vernon
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Vanadium compounds, Barium compounds (except for barium sulfate (CAS No. 7727-43-7)), Zinc compounds, Hydrochloric acid (acid aerosols including mists, vapors, gas, fog, and other airborne forms of any particle size) and 4 more. Reports carcinogens. 1,687,079 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 47620SGCBB8511W (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 9.3
Countrymark Refining & Logistics Llc, Mount Vernon
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Hydrogen cyanide, n-Hexane, Cyclohexane, Toluene and 4 more. Reports carcinogens. 451,065 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 47620NDNFR1200R (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 8.8
Valero Renewable Fuels-Mount Vernon, Mount Vernon
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Acetaldehyde, n-Hexane, Formic acid, Formaldehyde and 4 more. Reports carcinogens. 135,528 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 4762WVNTNR721PR (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 8.4
Green Plains Mount Vernon Llc, Mount Vernon
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Acetaldehyde, n-Hexane, Formaldehyde, Formic acid and 4 more. Reports carcinogens. 86,106 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 4762WBNGBN8999W (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 8.3
Consolidated Grain & Barge Co, Mount Vernon
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: n-Hexane. 2,372,724 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 47620CGBSY2781B (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 7.9
Mplx Terminals Llc - Mt Vernon Lp Terminal, Mount Vernon
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: n-Hexane, Toluene, Benzene, Xylene (mixed isomers) and 4 more. Reports carcinogens. 13,876 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 4762WMRTHN129SB (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 7.7
Green Plains Mount Vernon, Mount Vernon
Major air pollution source. Penalties $265,655.
EPA FRS registry ID 110039173854 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 7.5
Valero Renewable Fuels Company, Llc, Mount Vernon
Major air pollution source. Penalties $24,000.
EPA FRS registry ID 110043222982 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 7.5
Sabic Innovative Plastics Us Llc, Mount Vernon
Major air pollution source. Penalties $190,000.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000403670 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 7.3
Countrymark Refining & Logistics Llc, Mt Vernon
Major air pollution source. Penalties $6,250.
EPA FRS registry ID 110017866727 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 7.3
Green Plains Mount Vernon, Mount Vernon
NPDES wastewater discharge permit. Penalties $265,655.
EPA FRS registry ID 110039173854 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 7
Valero Renewable Fuels Company, Llc, Mount Vernon
NPDES wastewater discharge permit. Penalties $24,000.
EPA FRS registry ID 110043222982 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 7
A B Brown, Mount Vernon
Major air pollution source. Penalties $131,750.
EPA FRS registry ID 110044891150 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 7
Sabic Innovative Plastics Us Llc, Mount Vernon
Large hazardous waste generator. Penalties $190,000.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000403670 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 6.8
Sabic Innovative Plastics Us Llc, Mount Vernon
NPDES wastewater discharge permit. Penalties $190,000.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000403670 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 6.8
Countrymark Refining & Logistics Llc, Mt Vernon
Large hazardous waste generator. Penalties $6,250.
EPA FRS registry ID 110017866727 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 6.8
Countrymark Refining & Logistics Llc, Mt Vernon
NPDES wastewater discharge permit. Penalties $6,250.
EPA FRS registry ID 110017866727 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 6.8
A B Brown, Mount Vernon
Coal power plant.
Record ID 6137 (U.S. Energy Information Administration)
Severity 6.7
Mplx Terminals Llc, Mount Vernon
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110032894893 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 6.6

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 Posey County

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