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Barnstable County, Massachusetts: environmental and disease records

Cancer mortality in Barnstable County is 127.5 deaths per 100,000 people per year against a U.S. rate of 143.2. Federal databases place 1,029 regulated facilities, sites and hazards inside the county, led by NPDES wastewater discharge permit (280), Industrial wastewater discharge (228), Small hazardous waste generator (143). 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: 41.7983, -69.9744.

How this county ranks in Massachusetts

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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 Barnstable County compared with the United States
Cancer	Measure	County rate	U.S. rate	Times U.S.	95% interval	Years
Bladder	New cases	23.6	18.7	1.26xSignificant	21.7 to 25.8	2019-2023
Esophagus	New cases	5.5	4.6	1.2x	4.5 to 6.7	2019-2023
Esophagus	Deaths	4.3	3.7	1.16x	3.4 to 5.3	2020-2024
Melanoma of the skin	Deaths	2.3	2	1.15x	1.7 to 3.1	2020-2024
Brain & nervous system	New cases	6.9	6.2	1.11x	5.5 to 8.7	2019-2023
Brain & nervous system	Deaths	4.8	4.4	1.09x	3.8 to 6.1	2020-2024
Bladder	Deaths	4.4	4.1	1.07x	3.6 to 5.4	2020-2024
Non-Hodgkin lymphoma	New cases	19.3	18.5	1.04x	17.3 to 21.5	2019-2023
All cancer	New cases	458.6	453.4	1.01x	448.5 to 469	2019-2023
Melanoma of the skin	New cases	24	23.8	1.01x	21.6 to 26.5	2019-2023
Thyroid	New cases	12.7	13	0.98x	10.5 to 15.2	2019-2023
Lung & bronchus	New cases	50	51.8	0.97x	47.2 to 52.9	2019-2023
Pancreas	New cases	13.3	13.9	0.96x	11.8 to 15	2019-2023
Pancreas	Deaths	10.7	11.3	0.95x	9.4 to 12.2	2020-2024
Leukemia	Deaths	5.2	5.7	0.91x	4.3 to 6.3	2020-2024
All cancer	Deaths	127.5	143.2	0.89x	122.8 to 132.4	2020-2024
Leukemia	New cases	12.9	14.5	0.89x	11.2 to 14.8	2019-2023
Lung & bronchus	Deaths	26.5	30.2	0.88x	24.5 to 28.6	2020-2024
Childhood cancer (under 15)	New cases	14.1	16.4	0.86x	8.5 to 22.1	2019-2023
Non-Hodgkin lymphoma	Deaths	4.1	4.8	0.85x	3.4 to 5	2020-2024
Kidney & renal pelvis	New cases	14.8	17.9	0.83x	13 to 16.8	2019-2023
Liver & bile duct	New cases	6.9	8.7	0.79x	5.8 to 8.2	2019-2023
Stomach	New cases	5.1	6.6	0.77x	4.1 to 6.3	2019-2023
Stomach	Deaths	2	2.7	0.74x	1.5 to 2.9	2020-2024
Liver & bile duct	Deaths	4.8	6.6	0.73x	4 to 5.9	2020-2024
Kidney & renal pelvis	Deaths	1.7	3.4	0.5x	1.2 to 2.3	2020-2024

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 Barnstable County
Measure	County	U.S. median	Difference	Unit
Premature death	7,271.6	9,842.6	-26%	years of life lost before age 75 per 100,000
Life expectancy	79.5	75.3	+6%	years
Child mortality	29.1	59.8	-51%	deaths under age 18 per 100,000
Infant mortality	3.3	6.2	-47%	deaths under age 1 per 1,000 live births
Injury deaths	103.9	96.9	+7%	deaths per 100,000
Drug overdose deaths	41	28.6	+43%	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.

Formaldehyde10.02 per million
Carbon Tetrachloride3.02 per million
Benzene0.9 per million
Acetaldehyde0.71 per million

EPA Air Quality Index 2025

Monitored on 364 days: 341 good, 3 unhealthy for sensitive groups or worse. Median AQI 36, peak 129.

Regulated facilities, sites and hazards by type

1,029 active records inside the county from EPA ECHO, TRI, Superfund, Brownfields, NPDES, EIA, FAA, FRA and corrections data.

NPDES wastewater discharge permit280
Industrial wastewater discharge228
Small hazardous waste generator143
Gas station (mapped facility)111
Air permit holder (minor source)91
Rail grade crossing64
Auto repair or body shop (mapped facility)35
Solar power plant10
Landfill (mapped facility)9
Dry cleaner (mapped facility)7
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI)7
Heliport6
TRI reporting facility6
Wastewater plant (mapped facility)5
Commercial airport4
Large hazardous waste generator4
Major air pollution source3
Wind power plant3
Airfield2
Public airport2
Large greenhouse gas emitter2
Hazardous waste transporter2
EPA air quality monitor1
Correctional facility (prison or jail)1
Oil-fired power plant1
Scrapyard (mapped facility)1
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.

Otis Air National Guard Base/Camp Edwards, Falmouth
Superfund (NPL) site. Hazard Ranking System score 45.9. NPL Site.
EPA site ID MA2570024487 (U.S. EPA Superfund (SEMS/NPL)) Agency record
Severity 10
Canal Generating Llc, Sandwich
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Sulfuric acid (acid aerosols including mists, vapors, gas, fog, and other airborne forms of any particle size), Ammonia, Polycyclic aromatic compounds, Lead And Lead Compounds and 2 more. Reports carcinogens. 13,844 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 02563CNLLC9FREE (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 7.7
U.S. Army National Guard Camp Edwards Range, Bourne
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Lead. Reports carcinogens. 4,109 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 02542SRMYNBLDG4 (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 7.3
Canal Generating Station And Fuel Terminal Facility, Sandwich
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000311485 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 6.7
Canal, Sandwich
Oil-fired power plant.
Record ID 1599 (U.S. Energy Information Administration)
Severity 5.4
Ma Army Natl Guard Camp Edwards, Buzzards Bay
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110021071695 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 5.3
Barnstable Municipal Airport, Barnstable (Hyannis)
Large hazardous waste generator.
EPA FRS registry ID 110033192505 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 5
Cape Cod Gateway, Hyannis
Commercial airport. O.
Record ID HYA (FAA / U.S. DOT)
Severity 5
Cape Cod Ready Mix, Brewster
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Lead, Nitrate compounds (water dissociable; reportable only when in aqueous solution). Reports carcinogens. 1 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 02631CPCDR4053M (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 4.6
Cape Cod Ready-Mix, South Dennis
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Lead, Nitrate compounds (water dissociable; reportable only when in aqueous solution). Reports carcinogens. 1 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 0266WCPCDR248GR (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 4.6
Falmouth Ready Mix Inc, East Falmouth
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Lead, Nitrate compounds (water dissociable; reportable only when in aqueous solution). Reports carcinogens.
TRI facility ID 02536FLMTH475TH (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 4.5
Cape Cod Ready Mix Inc - Sandwich, Sandwich
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Lead. Reports carcinogens.
TRI facility ID 02563LWRNC181KI (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 4.5
Canal Generating Station And Fuel Terminal Facility, Sandwich
Major air pollution source.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000311485 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 4.5
Us Coast Guard Base Cape Cod, Buzzards Bay
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Lead. Reports carcinogens.
TRI facility ID 02542SCSTG3162H (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 4.5
Chatham Water Department-Well 5 Pumping Station, Chatham
NPDES wastewater discharge permit.
EPA FRS registry ID 110013154040 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 4.3
Ryders Cove Boat Yard, Chatham (North Chatham)
NPDES wastewater discharge permit.
EPA FRS registry ID 110024358434 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 4.3
Falmouth East Marine Corp., Falmouth
NPDES wastewater discharge permit.
EPA FRS registry ID 110064863624 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 4.3
Canal Generating Station And Fuel Terminal Facility, Sandwich
NPDES wastewater discharge permit.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000311485 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 4
Cape Cod Ready Mix Inc Brewster, Brewster
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110012708203 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 4
Falmouth Ready Mix Inc, East Falmouth
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110015756733 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 4
Oyster Harbors Marine Inc, Barnstable (Osterville)
Small hazardous waste generator.
EPA FRS registry ID 110024367987 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 4
Oyster Harbors Marine Inc, Barnstable (Osterville)
NPDES wastewater discharge permit.
EPA FRS registry ID 110024367987 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 4
Uscg Base Cape Cod, Buzzards Bay
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110035964267 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 4
Cape Cod Ready-Mix, South Dennis
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110064864400 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 4
Canal Generating Station And Fuel Terminal Facility, Sandwich
Large greenhouse gas emitter.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000311485 (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.

Barnstable County Jail, Bourne
EPA FRS registry ID
110017628272
Water system
MA4036015
Health-based violations
0 all time, 0 in 5 years
All violations
10
Wastewater permit
None on record
EPA detailed facility report

Discovery / public records

Records to request for Barnstable County

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