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Ouachita Parish, Louisiana: environmental and disease records

Cancer mortality in Ouachita Parish is 168.8 deaths per 100,000 people per year against a U.S. rate of 143.2, a statistically significant excess. The strongest disease signals are Stomach deaths at 1.8 times the U.S. rate and Kidney & renal pelvis deaths at 1.7 times the U.S. rate. Federal databases place 1,224 regulated facilities, sites and hazards inside the county, led by NPDES wastewater discharge permit (354), Industrial wastewater discharge (302), Rail grade crossing (181). 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: 32.4879, -92.1749.

How this county ranks in Louisiana

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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 Ouachita Parish compared with the United States
Cancer	Measure	County rate	U.S. rate	Times U.S.	95% interval	Years
Stomach	Deaths	4.9	2.7	1.81xSignificant	3.6 to 6.7	2020-2024
Kidney & renal pelvis	Deaths	5.7	3.4	1.68xSignificant	4.2 to 7.5	2020-2024
Stomach	New cases	9.4	6.6	1.42xSignificant	7.5 to 11.7	2019-2023
Kidney & renal pelvis	New cases	24.1	17.9	1.35xSignificant	20.9 to 27.6	2019-2023
Bladder	Deaths	4.9	4.1	1.2x	3.5 to 6.6	2020-2024
Lung & bronchus	Deaths	35.8	30.2	1.19xSignificant	32.1 to 39.8	2020-2024
All cancer	Deaths	168.8	143.2	1.18xSignificant	160.4 to 177.5	2020-2024
Pancreas	New cases	15.7	13.9	1.13x	13.2 to 18.5	2019-2023
Leukemia	Deaths	6.4	5.7	1.12x	4.8 to 8.3	2020-2024
Brain & nervous system	New cases	6.9	6.2	1.11x	5.2 to 8.9	2019-2023
Melanoma of the skin	New cases	26	23.8	1.09x	22.6 to 29.7	2019-2023
Childhood cancer (under 15)	New cases	17.9	16.4	1.09x	12 to 25.7	2019-2023
Pancreas	Deaths	12.3	11.3	1.09x	10.1 to 14.9	2020-2024
Liver & bile duct	Deaths	7.1	6.6	1.08x	5.6 to 9	2020-2024
All cancer	New cases	477.3	453.4	1.05xSignificant	463 to 492	2019-2023
Lung & bronchus	New cases	54.5	51.8	1.05x	49.9 to 59.4	2019-2023
Melanoma of the skin	Deaths	2.1	2	1.05x	1.3 to 3.4	2020-2024
Leukemia	New cases	15.1	14.5	1.04x	12.5 to 17.9	2019-2023
Non-Hodgkin lymphoma	New cases	18.9	18.5	1.02x	16.1 to 22.1	2019-2023
Non-Hodgkin lymphoma	Deaths	4.9	4.8	1.02x	3.5 to 6.6	2020-2024
Brain & nervous system	Deaths	4.4	4.4	1x	3.2 to 6.1	2020-2024
Esophagus	Deaths	3.5	3.7	0.95x	2.4 to 5	2020-2024
Bladder	New cases	16.8	18.7	0.9x	14.2 to 19.7	2019-2023
Liver & bile duct	New cases	7.5	8.7	0.86x	5.9 to 9.5	2019-2023
Thyroid	New cases	9.8	13	0.75x	7.7 to 12.2	2019-2023
Esophagus	New cases	3.4	4.6	0.74x	2.3 to 4.9	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 Ouachita Parish
Measure	County	U.S. median	Difference	Unit
Premature death	13,454.8	9,842.6	+37%	years of life lost before age 75 per 100,000
Life expectancy	72	75.3	-4%	years
Child mortality	110	59.8	+84%	deaths under age 18 per 100,000
Infant mortality	11.1	6.2	+78%	deaths under age 1 per 1,000 live births
Injury deaths	116.9	96.9	+21%	deaths per 100,000
Drug overdose deaths	33.5	28.6	+17%	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.

Formaldehyde25.41 per million
Carbon Tetrachloride2.93 per million
Acetaldehyde2.27 per million
Benzene0.93 per million

EPA Air Quality Index 2025

Monitored on 365 days: 227 good, 0 unhealthy for sensitive groups or worse. Median AQI 45, peak 80.

Regulated facilities, sites and hazards by type

1,224 active records inside the county from EPA ECHO, TRI, Superfund, Brownfields, NPDES, EIA, FAA, FRA and corrections data.

NPDES wastewater discharge permit354
Industrial wastewater discharge302
Rail grade crossing181
Air permit holder (minor source)100
Small hazardous waste generator80
Gas station (mapped facility)71
Brownfield property35
Major air pollution source19
Hazardous waste transporter14
Large hazardous waste generator12
Auto repair or body shop (mapped facility)9
TRI reporting facility7
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI)7
Wastewater plant (mapped facility)7
Large greenhouse gas emitter6
Heliport5
Landfill (mapped facility)3
Gas power plant3
Scrapyard (mapped facility)3
Dry cleaner (mapped facility)2
EPA air quality monitor1
Public airport1
Commercial airport1
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.

Advancion Corp, Sterlington
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Nitric acid, Formaldehyde, Nitrate compounds (water dissociable; reportable only when in aqueous solution), Nitromethane and 4 more. Reports carcinogens. 33,831,846 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 71280NGSCHLAHWY (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 10
Graphic Packaging International Llc, West Monroe
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Methanol, Ammonia, Acetaldehyde, Hydrogen sulfide and 4 more. Reports carcinogens. 12,376,247 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 71292MNVLL1031J (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 9.9
Ecological Tanks Inc, Downsville
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Styrene. Reports carcinogens. 198,513 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 71234CLGCL2247H (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 8.6
Graphic Packaging International, Inc - West Monroe, West Monroe
TRI reporting facility. Penalties $120,800.
EPA FRS registry ID 110017782568 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 8.2
Advancion Corporation - Sterlington Plant, Sterlington
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000450477 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 7
Lexicon Inc Dba Steel Fabricators Of Monroe, Monroe
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Manganese, Nickel, Propylene. Reports carcinogens. 216 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 71201STLFB2101B (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 6.3
Ecological Tanks Inc, Calhoun
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000597505 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 6.1
Monroe / Airport, Monroe
EPA air quality monitor.
Record ID 220730004 (U.S. EPA AirData)
Severity 5.6
Wci - White Oaks Landfill, Monroe
Major air pollution source.
EPA FRS registry ID 110001267646 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 5.5
City Of West Monroe Wastewater Treatment Plant, West Monroe
NPDES wastewater discharge permit. Penalties $400.
EPA FRS registry ID 110002042398 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 5.5
West Ouachita Mobile Home Estates, West Monroe
NPDES wastewater discharge permit. Penalties $4,200.
EPA FRS registry ID 110025195919 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 5.5
Usa Truckstop Inc, Calhoun
NPDES wastewater discharge permit. Penalties $16,000.
EPA FRS registry ID 110006648333 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 5.3
Perryville Electric Generating Plant, Sterlington
Major air pollution source. Penalties $14,000.
EPA FRS registry ID 110012217975 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 5.3
Wci - White Oaks Landfill, Monroe
NPDES wastewater discharge permit.
EPA FRS registry ID 110001267646 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 5
Parkwood Subdivision, Monroe
NPDES wastewater discharge permit. Penalties $1,750.
EPA FRS registry ID 110011167450 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 5
Magnolia Water Utility Operating Co., Llc - Patrick'S Cove Wwtf, Calhoun
NPDES wastewater discharge permit. Penalties $1,775.
EPA FRS registry ID 110027254833 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 5
Monroe Rgnl, Monroe
Commercial airport. O.
Record ID MLU (FAA / U.S. DOT)
Severity 5
Steel Fabricators Of Monroe Llc, Monroe
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000450388 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 5
Perryville Electric Generating Plant, Sterlington
NPDES wastewater discharge permit. Penalties $14,000.
EPA FRS registry ID 110012217975 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 4.8
Graphic Packaging International, Inc - West Monroe, West Monroe
Major air pollution source. Penalties $120,800.
EPA FRS registry ID 110017782568 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 4.8
Stern-Chemtech, Inc., Monroe
NPDES wastewater discharge permit.
EPA FRS registry ID 110002129438 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 4.5
Bentwood Terrace Apartments, Swartz
NPDES wastewater discharge permit.
EPA FRS registry ID 110009015243 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 4.5
North Monroe Sew District #1, Monroe
NPDES wastewater discharge permit.
EPA FRS registry ID 110011157684 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 4.5
Arlen Properties Llc, West Monroe
NPDES wastewater discharge permit.
EPA FRS registry ID 110011176217 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 4.5
West Monroe City Of - Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System, West Monroe
NPDES wastewater discharge permit.
EPA FRS registry ID 110015982230 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 4.5

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 Ouachita Parish

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