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McCracken County, Kentucky: environmental and disease records

Cancer mortality in McCracken County is 167.6 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 2.2 times the U.S. rate and Lung & bronchus deaths at 1.4 times the U.S. rate. Federal databases place 612 regulated facilities, sites and hazards inside the county, led by Industrial wastewater discharge (193), NPDES wastewater discharge permit (192), Rail grade crossing (96). 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: 37.0859, -88.7247.

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 McCracken County compared with the United States
CancerMeasureCounty rateU.S. rateTimes U.S.95% intervalYears
Melanoma of the skinDeaths4.322.15xSignificant2.4 to 72020-2024
Melanoma of the skinNew cases45.123.81.89xSignificant38.8 to 52.22019-2023
Lung & bronchusNew cases78.851.81.52xSignificant71.2 to 87.12019-2023
LeukemiaNew cases21.514.51.48xSignificant17.2 to 26.62019-2023
Lung & bronchusDeaths43.130.21.43xSignificant37.6 to 49.42020-2024
PancreasDeaths15.311.31.35xSignificant11.9 to 19.32020-2024
LeukemiaDeaths7.65.71.33x5.3 to 10.62020-2024
PancreasNew cases16.813.91.21x13.3 to 21.12019-2023
Kidney & renal pelvisNew cases21.517.91.2x17.3 to 26.52019-2023
All cancerNew cases539.4453.41.19xSignificant517.9 to 561.72019-2023
Brain & nervous systemDeaths5.24.41.18x3.2 to 82020-2024
All cancerDeaths167.6143.21.17xSignificant156.2 to 179.72020-2024
EsophagusDeaths4.33.71.16x2.7 to 6.72020-2024
Non-Hodgkin lymphomaNew cases2118.51.14x17 to 25.82019-2023
Non-Hodgkin lymphomaDeaths5.34.81.1x3.5 to 7.92020-2024
BladderNew cases20.518.71.1x16.6 to 25.12019-2023
ThyroidNew cases13.5131.04x9.9 to 182019-2023
EsophagusNew cases4.74.61.02x2.9 to 7.32019-2023
Liver & bile ductDeaths6.76.61.02x4.6 to 9.52020-2024
Brain & nervous systemNew cases5.96.20.95x3.7 to 8.82019-2023
Kidney & renal pelvisDeaths3.23.40.94x1.8 to 5.42020-2024
BladderDeaths3.44.10.83x2 to 5.72020-2024
StomachNew cases5.46.60.82x3.6 to 82019-2023
Liver & bile ductNew cases6.78.70.77x4.6 to 9.52019-2023

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 McCracken County
MeasureCountyU.S. medianDifferenceUnit
Premature death11,387.29,842.6+16%years of life lost before age 75 per 100,000
Life expectancy73.875.3-2%years
Child mortality61.259.8+2%deaths under age 18 per 100,000
Infant mortality6.46.2+3%deaths under age 1 per 1,000 live births
Injury deaths95.496.9-2%deaths per 100,000
Drug overdose deaths19.928.6-30%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.

  • Formaldehyde22.34 per million
  • Carbon Tetrachloride2.97 per million
  • Acetaldehyde2.24 per million
  • Benzene1.05 per million

EPA Air Quality Index 2025

Monitored on 365 days: 272 good, 0 unhealthy for sensitive groups or worse. Median AQI 41, peak 97.

Regulated facilities, sites and hazards by type

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

  • Industrial wastewater discharge193
  • NPDES wastewater discharge permit192
  • Rail grade crossing96
  • Gas station (mapped facility)32
  • Small hazardous waste generator16
  • Brownfield property15
  • Combined sewer overflow outfall12
  • Toxic chemical release facility (TRI)10
  • Air permit holder (minor source)7
  • TRI reporting facility7
  • Major air pollution source6
  • Large hazardous waste generator5
  • Auto repair or body shop (mapped facility)4
  • Large greenhouse gas emitter3
  • Hazardous waste transporter3
  • Landfill (mapped facility)3
  • Heliport2
  • EPA air quality monitor1
  • Commercial airport1
  • Crematorium (mapped facility)1
  • Coal power plant1
  • Gas power plant1
  • 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.

  1. Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant (USDOE), Paducah

    Superfund (NPL) site. Hazard Ranking System score 57. NPL Site.

    EPA site ID KY8890008982 (U.S. EPA Superfund (SEMS/NPL)) Agency record

    Severity 10

  2. U.S. Tva Shawnee Fossil Plant, West Paducah

    Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Barium And Barium Compounds, Barium compounds (except for barium sulfate (CAS No. 7727-43-7)), Hydrogen fluoride, Vanadium compounds and 4 more. Reports carcinogens. 10,603,196 lbs released over 5 years.

    TRI facility ID 42086STVSH7900M (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)

    Severity 9.9

  3. Arcosa Marine Products Inc Plt 1245, Paducah

    Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Styrene. Reports carcinogens. 324,592 lbs released over 5 years.

    TRI facility ID 42001SYNTC700TE (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)

    Severity 8.7

  4. Tva Shawnee Fossil Plant, West Paducah

    TRI reporting facility.

    EPA FRS registry ID 110000493305 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record

    Severity 7.9

  5. Jsc Terminal Llc (Dba Midwest Terminal), Paducah

    Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Toluene, Xylene (mixed isomers), Ethylbenzene, Benzene and 4 more. Reports carcinogens. 6,146 lbs released over 5 years.

    TRI facility ID 42002MDWST725NF (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)

    Severity 7.4

  6. Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant, Paducah

    TRI reporting facility. Penalties $9,000.

    EPA FRS registry ID 110060257671 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record

    Severity 7.4

  7. Mplx Terminals Llc - Paducah Ky Terminal, Paducah

    Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: n-Hexane, Toluene, Benzene, Xylene (mixed isomers) and 4 more. Reports carcinogens. 5,693 lbs released over 5 years.

    TRI facility ID 4200WMPLXT21ASH (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)

    Severity 7.4

  8. Shawnee, West Paducah

    Coal power plant.

    Record ID 1379 (U.S. Energy Information Administration)

    Severity 7.2

  9. Precision Machine Inc, Paducah

    Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Nickel, Chromium. Reports carcinogens. 542 lbs released over 5 years.

    TRI facility ID 4200WPRCSN1231S (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)

    Severity 6.6

  10. Arcosa Marine Products Inc, Paducah

    TRI reporting facility.

    EPA FRS registry ID 110000379974 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record

    Severity 6.5

  11. Marathon Paducah Terminal, Paducah

    TRI reporting facility.

    EPA FRS registry ID 110001308166 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record

    Severity 5.5

  12. Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant, Paducah

    Large hazardous waste generator. Penalties $9,000.

    EPA FRS registry ID 110060257671 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record

    Severity 5.5

  13. Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant, Paducah

    NPDES wastewater discharge permit. Penalties $9,000.

    EPA FRS registry ID 110060257671 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record

    Severity 5.5

  14. Jcs Midwest Terminal Paducah, Paducah

    TRI reporting facility.

    EPA FRS registry ID 110003226624 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record

    Severity 5.4

  15. Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant, Paducah

    Large greenhouse gas emitter. Penalties $9,000.

    EPA FRS registry ID 110060257671 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record

    Severity 5

  16. Barkley Rgnl, Paducah

    Commercial airport. O.

    Record ID PAH (FAA / U.S. DOT)

    Severity 5

  17. Precision Machine Inc, Paducah

    TRI reporting facility.

    EPA FRS registry ID 110070501414 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record

    Severity 4.9

  18. Paducah Transit, Paducah

    EPA air quality monitor.

    Record ID 211451027 (U.S. EPA AirData)

    Severity 4.9

  19. Us Doe Paducah Site, Kevil

    Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Hydrogen fluoride, Chlorine. 210 lbs released over 5 years.

    TRI facility ID 42001SDPDC5600H (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)

    Severity 4.8

  20. Best Block - Paducah Ky Plant, Paducah

    Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Lead. Reports carcinogens.

    TRI facility ID 4200WBSTBL11EST (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)

    Severity 4.5

  21. Nre Acquisition Co Llc (Dba Vmv Paducahbilt), Paducah

    Large hazardous waste generator.

    EPA FRS registry ID 110000379992 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record

    Severity 4.5

  22. Tva Shawnee Fossil Plant, West Paducah

    Major air pollution source.

    EPA FRS registry ID 110000493305 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record

    Severity 4.5

  23. Worthington Cylinders Paducah, Paducah

    Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Lead. Reports carcinogens.

    TRI facility ID 42003PRSSR3200B (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)

    Severity 4.5

  24. Containment Systems Inc, Paducah

    Small hazardous waste generator.

    EPA FRS registry ID 110001229144 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record

    Severity 4.3

  25. Containment Systems Inc, Paducah

    NPDES wastewater discharge permit.

    EPA FRS registry ID 110001229144 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record

    Severity 4.3

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 McCracken 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 McCracken 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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