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Hampden County, Massachusetts: environmental and disease records

Cancer mortality in Hampden County is 146.6 deaths per 100,000 people per year against a U.S. rate of 143.2. The strongest disease signals are Lung & bronchus deaths at 1.1 times the U.S. rate. Federal databases place 2,344 regulated facilities, sites and hazards inside the county, led by NPDES wastewater discharge permit (553), Air permit holder (minor source) (431), Industrial wastewater discharge (402). 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: 42.1724, -72.6293.

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 Hampden County compared with the United States
Cancer	Measure	County rate	U.S. rate	Times U.S.	95% interval	Years
Lung & bronchus	New cases	62.4	51.8	1.2xSignificant	59.6 to 65.2	2019-2023
Liver & bile duct	New cases	10.1	8.7	1.16xSignificant	9 to 11.4	2019-2023
Pancreas	New cases	15.6	13.9	1.12xSignificant	14.2 to 17.1	2019-2023
Lung & bronchus	Deaths	32.9	30.2	1.09xSignificant	30.9 to 35	2020-2024
Kidney & renal pelvis	Deaths	3.7	3.4	1.09x	3 to 4.5	2020-2024
Stomach	Deaths	2.9	2.7	1.07x	2.3 to 3.6	2020-2024
Pancreas	Deaths	12	11.3	1.06x	10.8 to 13.4	2020-2024
Stomach	New cases	7	6.6	1.06x	6.1 to 8.1	2019-2023
Kidney & renal pelvis	New cases	18.8	17.9	1.05x	17.2 to 20.5	2019-2023
Bladder	Deaths	4.2	4.1	1.02x	3.5 to 5	2020-2024
All cancer	Deaths	146.6	143.2	1.02x	142.3 to 151	2020-2024
Esophagus	New cases	4.7	4.6	1.02x	4 to 5.6	2019-2023
Non-Hodgkin lymphoma	New cases	18.6	18.5	1.01x	17 to 20.3	2019-2023
Brain & nervous system	New cases	6.2	6.2	1x	5.2 to 7.2	2019-2023
All cancer	New cases	448.9	453.4	0.99x	441.1 to 456.8	2019-2023
Leukemia	Deaths	5.5	5.7	0.96x	4.7 to 6.4	2020-2024
Leukemia	New cases	13.9	14.5	0.96x	12.5 to 15.4	2019-2023
Liver & bile duct	Deaths	6.3	6.6	0.95x	5.4 to 7.2	2020-2024
Melanoma of the skin	Deaths	1.9	2	0.95x	1.5 to 2.5	2020-2024
Esophagus	Deaths	3.5	3.7	0.95x	2.9 to 4.2	2020-2024
Thyroid	New cases	12.2	13	0.94x	10.8 to 13.7	2019-2023
Bladder	New cases	17.5	18.7	0.94x	16.1 to 19.1	2019-2023
Brain & nervous system	Deaths	4.1	4.4	0.93x	3.4 to 5	2020-2024
Non-Hodgkin lymphoma	Deaths	4.1	4.8	0.85x	3.4 to 4.9	2020-2024
Childhood cancer (under 15)	New cases	13.9	16.4	0.85x	10.5 to 18.1	2019-2023
Melanoma of the skin	New cases	11.4	23.8	0.48x	10.2 to 12.8	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 Hampden County
Measure	County	U.S. median	Difference	Unit
Premature death	8,991.6	9,842.6	-9%	years of life lost before age 75 per 100,000
Life expectancy	76.3	75.3	+1%	years
Child mortality	46.4	59.8	-22%	deaths under age 18 per 100,000
Infant mortality	5.4	6.2	-13%	deaths under age 1 per 1,000 live births
Injury deaths	101.1	96.9	+4%	deaths per 100,000
Drug overdose deaths	52	28.6	+82%	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.

Formaldehyde15.58 per million
Carbon Tetrachloride3 per million
Acetaldehyde1.71 per million
Benzene1.68 per million

EPA Air Quality Index 2025

Monitored on 365 days: 281 good, 5 unhealthy for sensitive groups or worse. Median AQI 39, peak 124.

Regulated facilities, sites and hazards by type

2,344 active records inside the county from EPA ECHO, TRI, Superfund, Brownfields, NPDES, EIA, FAA, FRA and corrections data.

NPDES wastewater discharge permit553
Air permit holder (minor source)431
Industrial wastewater discharge402
Small hazardous waste generator280
Brownfield property111
Rail grade crossing111
Gas station (mapped facility)109
Combined sewer overflow outfall53
Solar power plant49
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI)46
Auto repair or body shop (mapped facility)37
Large hazardous waste generator37
TRI reporting facility37
Major air pollution source16
Hydroelectric plant15
Scrapyard (mapped facility)9
Large greenhouse gas emitter8
Heliport8
Dry cleaner (mapped facility)6
Hazardous waste transporter6
Gas power plant4
Public airport3
EPA air quality monitor2
Commercial airport2
Landfill (mapped facility)2
Biomass power plant2
Oil-fired power plant2
Airfield1
Wind 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.

PSC Resources, Palmer
Superfund (NPL) site. Hazard Ranking System score 38.7. NPL Site.
EPA site ID MAD980731483 (U.S. EPA Superfund (SEMS/NPL)) Agency record
Severity 10
Jain Americas - Nucedar Mills, Chicopee
TRI reporting facility. Penalties $10,870.
EPA FRS registry ID 110002085573 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 9.9
Solutia Inc, Springfield
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Butyraldehyde, Vinyl acetate, Methanol, Formaldehyde and 3 more. Reports carcinogens. 233,127 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 01151MNSNT730WO (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 8.6
Westfield Electroplating, Westfield
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000308211 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 8.3
Callaway Golf Ball Operations Inc, Chicopee
TRI reporting facility. Penalties $10,315.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000307953 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 8.1
Solutia Inc - Indian Orchard Plant, Springfield
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000308435 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 8.1
Trelleborg Coated Systems Us Inc., Monson
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: N,N-Dimethylformamide, Toluene. Reports carcinogens. 34,866 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 01057LMNTNPALME (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 8
Prefere Melamines Llc, Springfield
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Methanol, n-Butyl alcohol, Formaldehyde, Formic acid and 4 more. Reports carcinogens. 30,642 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 01151NSMLM73BWR (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 7.9
Fountain Plating Co Llc, West Springfield
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Trichloroethylene, Nitrate compounds (water dissociable; reportable only when in aqueous solution), Lead, Nitric acid. Reports carcinogens. 21,187 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 01089FNTNP492PR (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 7.8
Solenis Llc, Chicopee
TRI reporting facility. Penalties $3,000.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000307935 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 7.5
Callaway Golf Ball Operations Inc, Chicopee
Major air pollution source. Penalties $10,315.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000307953 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 7.5
Fountain Plating Co Inc, West Springfield
TRI reporting facility. Penalties $5,000.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000308220 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 7.5
Mustang Motorcycle Products Llc, Three Rivers
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Styrene, Diisocyanates. Reports carcinogens. 6,563 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 01080MSTNG4SPRI (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 7.4
Arclin Surfaces - East Longmeadow Co., East Longmeadow
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Formaldehyde. Reports carcinogens. 6,056 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 01028SDDKR82DEE (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 7.4
Astro Chemicals Inc, Springfield
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Dichloromethane, Methanol, Toluene, Formic acid and 4 more. Reports carcinogens. 5,492 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 01104STRCH126ME (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 7.4
Solenis Llc, Chicopee
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Epichlorohydrin, Formic acid, 1,3-Dichloro-2-propanol, Ammonia. Reports carcinogens. 4,935 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 01013HRCLS1111G (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 7.3
Westover Air Reserve Base, Chicopee
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110024378608 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 7.3
Rpm Wood Finishes Group Inc., Westfield
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Certain glycol ethers, Methyl isobutyl ketone. Reports carcinogens. 4,555 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 01085WSTFL221UN (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 7.3
Trelleborg Monson, Monson
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000308104 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 7.3
Westfield Electroplating Co, Westfield
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Nitric acid, Nitrate compounds (water dissociable; reportable only when in aqueous solution), Lead, Cyanide compounds and 2 more. Reports carcinogens. 3,750 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 01085WSTFL68NOR (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 7.2
Callaway Golf Ball Operations Inc, Chicopee
Large hazardous waste generator. Penalties $10,315.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000307953 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 7
Fountain Plating Co Inc, West Springfield
Major air pollution source. Penalties $5,000.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000308220 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 7
Agri Mark Inc, West Springfield
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000308239 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 7
Jain Americas - Nucedar Mills, Chicopee
Large hazardous waste generator. Penalties $10,870.
EPA FRS registry ID 110002085573 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 7
Hazen Paper Co, Holyoke
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Certain glycol ethers, n-Butyl alcohol, N-Methyl-2-pyrrolidone. 149,772 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 01041HZNPPTHIRD (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 7

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 Hampden 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 Hampden 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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