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Wabash County, Indiana: environmental and disease records

Cancer mortality in Wabash County is 182.2 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 1.7 times the U.S. rate and Lung & bronchus deaths at 1.3 times the U.S. rate. Federal databases place 400 regulated facilities, sites and hazards inside the county, led by NPDES wastewater discharge permit (99), Industrial wastewater discharge (92), Rail grade crossing (80). One correctional facility operates in the county. 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: 40.8488, -85.7921.

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 Wabash County compared with the United States
Cancer	Measure	County rate	U.S. rate	Times U.S.	95% interval	Years
Bladder	Deaths	7.1	4.1	1.73xSignificant	4.2 to 11.7	2020-2024
Esophagus	New cases	7.9	4.6	1.72x	4.6 to 13	2019-2023
Brain & nervous system	Deaths	6.9	4.4	1.57x	3.9 to 11.7	2020-2024
Lung & bronchus	New cases	74.2	51.8	1.43xSignificant	63.4 to 86.5	2019-2023
All cancer	Deaths	182.2	143.2	1.27xSignificant	165.2 to 200.6	2020-2024
Bladder	New cases	23.7	18.7	1.27x	17.9 to 31.2	2019-2023
Lung & bronchus	Deaths	38.1	30.2	1.26xSignificant	30.7 to 47.1	2020-2024
Leukemia	Deaths	7.1	5.7	1.25x	4.1 to 11.7	2020-2024
Kidney & renal pelvis	New cases	19.6	17.9	1.09x	14.2 to 26.8	2019-2023
Leukemia	New cases	15.5	14.5	1.07x	10.5 to 22.2	2019-2023
All cancer	New cases	457.6	453.4	1.01x	429.2 to 487.6	2019-2023
Pancreas	Deaths	10.9	11.3	0.96x	7.3 to 16.1	2020-2024
Pancreas	New cases	12.6	13.9	0.91x	8.6 to 18.2	2019-2023
Non-Hodgkin lymphoma	New cases	16	18.5	0.86x	11.1 to 22.7	2019-2023
Melanoma of the skin	New cases	20.5	23.8	0.86x	14.7 to 28.1	2019-2023
Liver & bile duct	New cases	5.8	8.7	0.67x	3.3 to 10	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 Wabash County
Measure	County	U.S. median	Difference	Unit
Premature death	10,985.4	9,842.6	+12%	years of life lost before age 75 per 100,000
Life expectancy	73.9	75.3	-2%	years
Child mortality	58.1	59.8	-3%	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	95	96.9	-2%	deaths per 100,000
Drug overdose deaths	34.6	28.6	+21%	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.

Formaldehyde15.92 per million
Carbon Tetrachloride2.95 per million
Acetaldehyde1.55 per million
Benzene0.97 per million

EPA Air Quality Index 2025

Monitored on 351 days: 323 good, 1 unhealthy for sensitive groups or worse. Median AQI 34, peak 112.

Regulated facilities, sites and hazards by type

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

NPDES wastewater discharge permit99
Industrial wastewater discharge92
Rail grade crossing80
Combined sewer overflow outfall23
Brownfield property16
Gas station (mapped facility)15
Air permit holder (minor source)14
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI)12
TRI reporting facility11
Major air pollution source7
Large greenhouse gas emitter5
Small hazardous waste generator5
Auto repair or body shop (mapped facility)4
Scrapyard (mapped facility)4
Large hazardous waste generator3
Heliport2
EPA air quality monitor1
Airfield1
Commercial airport1
Correctional facility (prison or jail)1
Hazardous waste transporter1
Landfill (mapped facility)1
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.

Real Alloy Specification Llc, Wabash
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Aluminum (fume or dust), Copper And Copper Compounds, Zinc compounds, Copper compounds and 4 more. Reports carcinogens. 784,451 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 46992WBSHLOLDUS (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 9
Real Alloy Specification Llc, Wabash
TRI reporting facility. Penalties $31,950.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000401761 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 8.9
Thermafiber Inc, Wabash
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Formaldehyde, Ammonia. Reports carcinogens. 388,529 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 46992SGNTRMILLS (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 8.8
Poet Biorefining - North Manchester, North Manchester
TRI reporting facility. Penalties $84,250.
EPA FRS registry ID 110032592317 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 8.5
Ford Meter Box Company Inc, Wabash
TRI reporting facility. Penalties $13,750.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000401752 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 8.5
The Ford Meter Box Co Inc, Wabash
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Zinc compounds, Zinc (fume or dust), Copper And Copper Compounds, Lead And Lead Compounds and 1 more. Reports carcinogens. 82,863 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 46992THFRD775MA (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 8.3
Poet Biorefining-North Manchester Llc, North Manchester
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Acetaldehyde, n-Hexane, Formaldehyde, Methanol and 4 more. Reports carcinogens. 79,072 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 46962PTBRF868E8 (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 8.3
Metalx Aluminum Conversions, Wabash
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Aluminum (fume or dust), Lead, Copper, Manganese and 2 more. Reports carcinogens. 11,291 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 46992GSMTL5DIME (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 7.6
Harvey Industries Llc, Wabash
TRI reporting facility. Penalties $19,000.
EPA FRS registry ID 110040948035 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 7
Real Alloy Recycling Llc, Wabash
TRI reporting facility. Penalties $500.
EPA FRS registry ID 110007362932 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 6.9
H & S Metals Llc, North Manchester
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Aluminum (fume or dust). 26,243 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 46962NRTHM205WA (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 6.4
Real Alloy Recycling Llc, Wabash
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Copper And Copper Compounds, Zinc compounds, Lead compounds, Lead And Lead Compounds. 12,671 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 46992LMTCH305DI (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 6.1
Manchester Metals Incorporated, North Manchester
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110007524964 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 6
Ford Meter Box Company Inc, Wabash
Major air pollution source. Penalties $13,750.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000401752 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 6
Real Alloy Specification Llc, Wabash
Major air pollution source. Penalties $31,950.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000401761 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 6
Poet Biorefining - North Manchester, North Manchester
Major air pollution source. Penalties $84,250.
EPA FRS registry ID 110032592317 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 6
Wabash Wwtp, Wabash
Combined sewer overflow outfall. Violation Identified.
NPDES permit IN0024741: (U.S. EPA NPDES)
Severity 6
Harvey Industries Llc, Wabash
Major air pollution source. Penalties $19,000.
EPA FRS registry ID 110040948035 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 5.8
Ford Meter Box Company Inc, Wabash
Large hazardous waste generator. Penalties $13,750.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000401752 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 5.5
Ford Meter Box Company Inc, Wabash
NPDES wastewater discharge permit. Penalties $13,750.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000401752 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 5.5
Real Alloy Specification Llc, Wabash
NPDES wastewater discharge permit. Penalties $31,950.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000401761 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 5.5
Poet Biorefining - North Manchester, North Manchester
NPDES wastewater discharge permit. Penalties $84,250.
EPA FRS registry ID 110032592317 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 5.5
Paperworks Industries Inc, Wabash
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Lead, Mercury And Mercury Compounds. Reports carcinogens. 11 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 46992CNTNR455WE (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 5.3
Carriage House Estates, Wabash
NPDES wastewater discharge permit. Penalties $7,950.
EPA FRS registry ID 110006764858 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 5.3
Harvey Industries Llc, Wabash
NPDES wastewater discharge permit. Penalties $19,000.
EPA FRS registry ID 110040948035 (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.

Wabash County Sherriffs Office And Jail, Wabash
EPA FRS registry ID
110071142300
Wastewater permit
Yes
EPA detailed facility report

Discovery / public records

Records to request for Wabash 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 Wabash 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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