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Hardin County, Kentucky: environmental and disease records

Cancer mortality in Hardin County is 181.2 deaths per 100,000 people per year against a U.S. rate of 143.2, a statistically significant excess. The strongest disease signals are Melanoma of the skin deaths at 1.8 times the U.S. rate and Lung & bronchus deaths at 1.6 times the U.S. rate. Federal databases place 717 regulated facilities, sites and hazards inside the county, led by NPDES wastewater discharge permit (226), Industrial wastewater discharge (220), Rail grade crossing (81). 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: 37.7158, -85.9466.

How this county ranks in Kentucky

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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 Hardin County compared with the United States
CancerMeasureCounty rateU.S. rateTimes U.S.95% intervalYears
Melanoma of the skinDeaths3.621.8xSignificant2.2 to 5.52020-2024
Lung & bronchusNew cases86.751.81.67xSignificant79.7 to 94.32019-2023
Lung & bronchusDeaths47.430.21.57xSignificant42.2 to 532020-2024
Kidney & renal pelvisNew cases27.317.91.53xSignificant23.3 to 31.82019-2023
LeukemiaNew cases2114.51.45xSignificant17.5 to 25.12019-2023
LeukemiaDeaths85.71.4xSignificant5.8 to 10.62020-2024
Childhood cancer (under 15)New cases22.316.41.36x14.4 to 32.92019-2023
Liver & bile ductNew cases11.78.71.34xSignificant9.3 to 14.72019-2023
Brain & nervous systemDeaths5.74.41.3x3.9 to 7.92020-2024
BladderDeaths5.24.11.27x3.5 to 7.42020-2024
PancreasNew cases17.613.91.27xSignificant14.4 to 21.32019-2023
All cancerDeaths181.2143.21.27xSignificant170.7 to 192.22020-2024
Melanoma of the skinNew cases30.123.81.26xSignificant25.8 to 34.82019-2023
BladderNew cases23.518.71.26xSignificant19.9 to 27.72019-2023
All cancerNew cases558.5453.41.23xSignificant539.9 to 577.52019-2023
StomachDeaths3.32.71.22x2 to 5.22020-2024
PancreasDeaths13.711.31.21x11 to 17.12020-2024
StomachNew cases7.76.61.17x5.6 to 10.32019-2023
ThyroidNew cases15131.15x11.9 to 18.62019-2023
Brain & nervous systemNew cases6.86.21.1x4.8 to 9.32019-2023
Non-Hodgkin lymphomaNew cases20.218.51.09x16.8 to 24.12019-2023
Non-Hodgkin lymphomaDeaths54.81.04x3.4 to 7.12020-2024
Liver & bile ductDeaths6.86.61.03x4.9 to 9.12020-2024
Kidney & renal pelvisDeaths3.43.41x2.1 to 5.32020-2024
EsophagusNew cases44.60.87x2.6 to 5.92019-2023
EsophagusDeaths2.83.70.76x1.6 to 4.52020-2024

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 Hardin County
MeasureCountyU.S. medianDifferenceUnit
Premature death10,822.29,842.6+10%years of life lost before age 75 per 100,000
Life expectancy73.775.3-2%years
Child mortality55.359.8-8%deaths under age 18 per 100,000
Infant mortality5.46.2-13%deaths under age 1 per 1,000 live births
Injury deaths98.596.9+2%deaths per 100,000
Drug overdose deaths39.428.6+38%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.

  • Formaldehyde20.16 per million
  • Chromium Vi Hexavalent4.81 per million
  • Carbon Tetrachloride2.93 per million
  • Acetaldehyde2.23 per million

EPA Air Quality Index 2025

Monitored on 304 days: 223 good, 0 unhealthy for sensitive groups or worse. Median AQI 43, peak 97.

Regulated facilities, sites and hazards by type

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

  • NPDES wastewater discharge permit226
  • Industrial wastewater discharge220
  • Rail grade crossing81
  • Gas station (mapped facility)63
  • Auto repair or body shop (mapped facility)37
  • Brownfield property20
  • Small hazardous waste generator11
  • Toxic chemical release facility (TRI)10
  • Air permit holder (minor source)9
  • TRI reporting facility9
  • Major air pollution source7
  • Large hazardous waste generator7
  • Dry cleaner (mapped facility)3
  • EPA air quality monitor2
  • Public airport2
  • Commercial airport2
  • Scrapyard (mapped facility)2
  • Large greenhouse gas emitter1
  • Heliport1
  • Landfill (mapped facility)1
  • Biomass power plant1
  • Superfund (NPL) site1
  • 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.

  1. Distler Brickyard, West Point

    Superfund (NPL) site. Hazard Ranking System score 44.8. NPL Site.

    EPA site ID KYD980602155 (U.S. EPA Superfund (SEMS/NPL)) Agency record

    Severity 10

  2. Dow Silicones Corporation, Elizabethtown

    TRI reporting facility. Penalties $35,000.

    EPA FRS registry ID 110000381186 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record

    Severity 9.9

  3. Us Army Garrison Fort Knox, Fort Knox

    Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Copper, Lead And Lead Compounds, Copper And Copper Compounds, Nitroglycerin. 1,124,872 lbs released over 5 years.

    TRI facility ID 40121SRMYRBLDG7 (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)

    Severity 7.6

  4. Akebono - Elizabethtown Plant, Elizabethtown

    Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Ammonia, Zinc compounds, Chromium compounds (except for chromite ore mined in the Transvaal Region), Nitrate compounds (water dissociable; reportable only when in aqueous solution) and 3 more. Reports carcinogens. 7,850 lbs released over 5 years.

    TRI facility ID 42701MBRKC300RI (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)

    Severity 7.5

  5. Metalsa Light Vehilcle Usa - Elizabethtown, Elizabethtown

    Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Manganese, Nickel compounds, Zinc compounds, Sodium nitrite. Reports carcinogens. 3,579 lbs released over 5 years.

    TRI facility ID 42702DNCRP750DA (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)

    Severity 7.2

  6. Akebono Brake Corp., Elizabethtown

    TRI reporting facility.

    EPA FRS registry ID 110000381220 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record

    Severity 7.2

  7. Dow Silicones Corporation, Elizabethtown

    Large hazardous waste generator. Penalties $35,000.

    EPA FRS registry ID 110000381186 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record

    Severity 7

  8. Mouser Cabinetry Llc, Elizabethtown

    Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: n-Butyl alcohol, Toluene, Xylene (mixed isomers). 105,991 lbs released over 5 years.

    TRI facility ID 42701MSRCS2112N (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)

    Severity 6.9

  9. Dow Silicones Corp, Elizabethtown

    Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Methanol, Aluminum oxide (fibrous forms). 76,281 lbs released over 5 years.

    TRI facility ID 42701DWCRN760HO (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)

    Severity 6.7

  10. Us Army Garrison Fort Knox, Fort Knox

    TRI reporting facility.

    EPA FRS registry ID 110006910762 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record

    Severity 6.6

  11. Mouser Cabinetry Llc, Elizabethtown

    TRI reporting facility.

    EPA FRS registry ID 110010453641 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record

    Severity 6

  12. Cytech Products Incorporated, Elizabethtown

    TRI reporting facility.

    EPA FRS registry ID 110001232112 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record

    Severity 5.6

  13. Dow Silicones Corporation, Elizabethtown

    NPDES wastewater discharge permit. Penalties $35,000.

    EPA FRS registry ID 110000381186 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record

    Severity 5.5

  14. Metalsa Structural Products Inc, Elizabethtown

    TRI reporting facility.

    EPA FRS registry ID 110000381266 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record

    Severity 5.5

  15. Freeman Lake

    EPA air quality monitor.

    Record ID 210930007 (U.S. EPA AirData)

    Severity 5.3

  16. Summit Polymers Inc, Elizabethtown

    Large hazardous waste generator. Penalties $7,500.

    EPA FRS registry ID 110001244715 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record

    Severity 5.3

  17. Altec Industries Inc, Elizabethtown

    Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Manganese. 510 lbs released over 5 years.

    TRI facility ID 4270WLTCND2ALTE (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)

    Severity 5.1

  18. Altec Industries Inc, Elizabethtown

    TRI reporting facility.

    EPA FRS registry ID 110003253700 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record

    Severity 4.9

  19. Akebono Brake Corp., Elizabethtown

    Large hazardous waste generator.

    EPA FRS registry ID 110000381220 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record

    Severity 4.8

  20. Lotte Aluminium Materials Usa Llc, Elizabethtown

    Major air pollution source.

    EPA FRS registry ID 110071367089 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record

    Severity 4.8

  21. Cytech Products Inc, Elizabethtown

    Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Zinc compounds. 57 lbs released over 5 years.

    TRI facility ID 4270WCYTCH96PET (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)

    Severity 4.4

  22. Agc Automotive Americas, Elizabethtown

    TRI reporting facility.

    EPA FRS registry ID 110000381239 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record

    Severity 4.3

  23. Lotte Aluminium Materials Usa Llc, Elizabethtown

    NPDES wastewater discharge permit.

    EPA FRS registry ID 110071367089 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record

    Severity 4.3

  24. ELIZABETHTOWN, Elizabethtown

    EPA air quality monitor.

    Record ID 210930006 (U.S. EPA AirData)

    Severity 4

  25. Cytech Products Incorporated, Elizabethtown

    Large hazardous waste generator.

    EPA FRS registry ID 110001232112 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record

    Severity 4

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 Hardin 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 Hardin 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.

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