KY / county FIPS 21009 / county research

Barren County, Kentucky: environmental and disease records

Cancer mortality in Barren County is 193.4 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 1.9 times the U.S. rate. Federal databases place 314 regulated facilities, sites and hazards inside the county, led by Industrial wastewater discharge (107), NPDES wastewater discharge permit (104), Rail grade crossing (33). 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: 36.9593, -85.9517.

How this county ranks in Kentucky

View on the heat map Scan 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 Barren County compared with the United States
Cancer	Measure	County rate	U.S. rate	Times U.S.	95% interval	Years
Lung & bronchus	New cases	98.2	51.8	1.9xSignificant	87.2 to 110.2	2019-2023
Lung & bronchus	Deaths	57.1	30.2	1.89xSignificant	48.8 to 66.5	2020-2024
Bladder	Deaths	6.4	4.1	1.56x	3.9 to 10.2	2020-2024
Kidney & renal pelvis	New cases	26	17.9	1.45xSignificant	20.2 to 33.1	2019-2023
All cancer	Deaths	193.4	143.2	1.35xSignificant	177.6 to 210.3	2020-2024
Non-Hodgkin lymphoma	Deaths	5.8	4.8	1.21x	3.3 to 9.5	2020-2024
Bladder	New cases	22.3	18.7	1.19x	17.2 to 28.6	2019-2023
Melanoma of the skin	New cases	28.3	23.8	1.19x	22.2 to 35.7	2019-2023
Pancreas	Deaths	13	11.3	1.15x	9.3 to 17.9	2020-2024
All cancer	New cases	496.1	453.4	1.09xSignificant	470.1 to 523.2	2019-2023
Non-Hodgkin lymphoma	New cases	19.8	18.5	1.07x	14.9 to 26	2019-2023
Stomach	New cases	6.8	6.6	1.03x	4.1 to 10.6	2019-2023
Pancreas	New cases	14	13.9	1.01x	10.1 to 19.1	2019-2023
Liver & bile duct	New cases	7.3	8.7	0.84x	4.6 to 11.3	2019-2023
Liver & bile duct	Deaths	5	6.6	0.76x	2.8 to 8.3	2020-2024
Thyroid	New cases	9.8	13	0.75x	6 to 15.1	2019-2023
Leukemia	New cases	9.7	14.5	0.67x	6.3 to 14.3	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 Barren County
Measure	County	U.S. median	Difference	Unit
Premature death	10,308.1	9,842.6	+5%	years of life lost before age 75 per 100,000
Life expectancy	73.7	75.3	-2%	years
Child mortality	48.4	59.8	-19%	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	94.5	96.9	-2%	deaths per 100,000
Drug overdose deaths	18.7	28.6	-35%	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.

Formaldehyde20.52 per million
Carbon Tetrachloride2.92 per million
Acetaldehyde2.24 per million
Benzene0.96 per million

EPA Air Quality Index

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

Regulated facilities, sites and hazards by type

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

Industrial wastewater discharge107
NPDES wastewater discharge permit104
Rail grade crossing33
Gas station (mapped facility)13
Air permit holder (minor source)8
TRI reporting facility8
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI)8
Small hazardous waste generator6
Major air pollution source4
Public airport4
Auto repair or body shop (mapped facility)3
Large hazardous waste generator3
Brownfield property2
Hazardous waste transporter2
Scrapyard (mapped facility)2
Wastewater plant (mapped facility)2
Commercial airport1
Correctional facility (prison or jail)1
Large greenhouse gas emitter1
Heliport1
Biomass power plant1

Highest-severity records

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

Felker Brothers, Glasgow
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Nitric acid, Hydrogen fluoride, Chromium compounds (except for chromite ore mined in the Transvaal Region), Nickel and 4 more. Reports carcinogens. 63,946 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 42141FLKRB125BE (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 8.2
Nemak Glasgow Plant #1, Glasgow
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Chlorine, Aluminum (fume or dust), Copper, Lead and 2 more. Reports carcinogens. 27,224 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 42141JLFRN20PRE (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 7.9
Braking Products Group Us Llc, Glasgow
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Phenol, Copper, Manganese, Lead compounds and 3 more. Reports carcinogens. 8,988 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 42141RMNCX20ABE (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 7.5
Federal-Mogul Products Us Llc, Glasgow
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000380515 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 6.8
Felker Brothers Corp, Glasgow
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000380454 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 5.9
Nemak Glasgow Plant #1, Glasgow
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110003218704 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 5.7
Felker Brothers Corp. Plant 2, Glasgow
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Chromium, Nickel, Manganese. Reports carcinogens. 27 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 4214WFLKRB185IN (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 5.6
Nemak; Glasgow Plant #2, Glasgow
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Lead, Copper, Nickel. Reports carcinogens. 20 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 4214WJLFRN4AMER (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 5.5
Bluegrass Dairy & Food Inc, Glasgow
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Nitrate compounds (water dissociable; reportable only when in aqueous solution), Nitric acid. 1,275 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 42141DRYMN1117C (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 5.4
Nemak Usa Inc, Glasgow
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110056348297 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 5.1
Glasgow Spray-Dry, Glasgow
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000493314 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 5.1
Akebono Brake Corp-Glasgow, Glasgow
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Copper, Zinc (fume or dust), Antimony compounds, Antimony And Antimony Compounds. 339 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 42141MKBRK1765C (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 4.9
Akebono Brake - Glasgow Plant, Glasgow
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000380472 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 4.8
Glasgow Regional Landfill, Glasgow
Major air pollution source.
EPA FRS registry ID 110009935035 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 4.8
Twb Glasgow, Glasgow
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Nickel, Lead, Chromium, Manganese. Reports carcinogens.
TRI facility ID 4214WTWBXX119CA (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 4.5
Felker Brothers Corp Plant Ii, Glasgow
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110070569915 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 4.5
Glasgow Regional Landfill, Glasgow
NPDES wastewater discharge permit.
EPA FRS registry ID 110009935035 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 4.3
Twb, Glasgow
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110071732233 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 4
Bon Ayr Estates Mh Community, Smiths Grove
NPDES wastewater discharge permit. Penalties $3,000.
EPA FRS registry ID 110006810031 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 3.8
Glasgow Regional Landfill, Glasgow
Large greenhouse gas emitter.
EPA FRS registry ID 110009935035 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 3.8
Highland Glen Industrial Park Speculative Building, Glasgow
NPDES wastewater discharge permit.
EPA FRS registry ID 110044270348 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 3.8
Akebono Brake - Glasgow Plant, Glasgow
Major air pollution source.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000380472 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 3.5
3a Composites, Glasgow
Major air pollution source.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000542084 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 3.5
Glasgow Wastewater Treatment Plant, Glasgow
NPDES wastewater discharge permit.
EPA FRS registry ID 110001123276 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 3.5
Nemak Glasgow Plant #1, Glasgow
Major air pollution source.
EPA FRS registry ID 110003218704 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 3.5

Correctional facilities

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

Barren County Jail, Glasgow
EPA FRS registry ID
110071865537
Wastewater permit
Yes
EPA detailed facility report

Discovery / public records

Records to request for Barren County

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