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Worcester County, Massachusetts: environmental and disease records

Cancer mortality in Worcester County is 140.8 deaths per 100,000 people per year against a U.S. rate of 143.2. The strongest disease signals are Esophagus deaths at 1.3 times the U.S. rate and Pancreas deaths at 1.1 times the U.S. rate. Federal databases place 4,970 regulated facilities, sites and hazards inside the county, led by NPDES wastewater discharge permit (1,352), Industrial wastewater discharge (954), Air permit holder (minor source) (700). 6 correctional facilities operate 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: 42.3658, -71.9578.

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 Worcester County compared with the United States
Cancer	Measure	County rate	U.S. rate	Times U.S.	95% interval	Years
Esophagus	New cases	6.3	4.6	1.37xSignificant	5.7 to 7	2019-2023
Esophagus	Deaths	4.8	3.7	1.3xSignificant	4.2 to 5.4	2020-2024
Bladder	New cases	22.9	18.7	1.22xSignificant	21.6 to 24.2	2019-2023
Lung & bronchus	New cases	62.6	51.8	1.21xSignificant	60.5 to 64.8	2019-2023
Melanoma of the skin	Deaths	2.4	2	1.2x	2 to 2.8	2020-2024
Thyroid	New cases	14.9	13	1.15xSignificant	13.8 to 16.1	2019-2023
Liver & bile duct	New cases	9.9	8.7	1.14xSignificant	9.1 to 10.8	2019-2023
Bladder	Deaths	4.6	4.1	1.12x	4.1 to 5.3	2020-2024
Childhood cancer (under 15)	New cases	18.2	16.4	1.11x	15.2 to 21.5	2019-2023
Pancreas	Deaths	12.3	11.3	1.09xSignificant	11.4 to 13.3	2020-2024
Pancreas	New cases	15.1	13.9	1.09xSignificant	14 to 16.1	2019-2023
Brain & nervous system	New cases	6.6	6.2	1.06x	5.9 to 7.4	2019-2023
Non-Hodgkin lymphoma	New cases	19.5	18.5	1.05x	18.3 to 20.7	2019-2023
Liver & bile duct	Deaths	6.9	6.6	1.05x	6.2 to 7.6	2020-2024
All cancer	New cases	471.8	453.4	1.04xSignificant	465.9 to 477.8	2019-2023
Leukemia	New cases	14.9	14.5	1.03x	13.9 to 16.1	2019-2023
Stomach	New cases	6.7	6.6	1.02x	6 to 7.4	2019-2023
Lung & bronchus	Deaths	30.4	30.2	1.01x	29 to 31.9	2020-2024
All cancer	Deaths	140.8	143.2	0.98x	137.7 to 144.1	2020-2024
Brain & nervous system	Deaths	4.3	4.4	0.98x	3.8 to 4.9	2020-2024
Kidney & renal pelvis	New cases	17	17.9	0.95x	15.9 to 18.2	2019-2023
Leukemia	Deaths	5.3	5.7	0.93x	4.7 to 6	2020-2024
Stomach	Deaths	2.5	2.7	0.93x	2.1 to 3	2020-2024
Non-Hodgkin lymphoma	Deaths	4.3	4.8	0.9x	3.7 to 4.9	2020-2024
Melanoma of the skin	New cases	19.3	23.8	0.81x	18.1 to 20.6	2019-2023
Kidney & renal pelvis	Deaths	2.7	3.4	0.79x	2.3 to 3.2	2020-2024
Thyroid	Deaths	0.3	0.5	0.6x	0.2 to 0.6	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 Worcester County
Measure	County	U.S. median	Difference	Unit
Premature death	6,707.3	9,842.6	-32%	years of life lost before age 75 per 100,000
Life expectancy	78.8	75.3	+5%	years
Child mortality	32.6	59.8	-46%	deaths under age 18 per 100,000
Infant mortality	4.4	6.2	-29%	deaths under age 1 per 1,000 live births
Injury deaths	80.2	96.9	-17%	deaths per 100,000
Drug overdose deaths	39.5	28.6	+38%	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.

Formaldehyde14 per million
Carbon Tetrachloride2.98 per million
Acetaldehyde1.37 per million
Benzene1.29 per million

EPA Air Quality Index 2025

Monitored on 365 days: 298 good, 0 unhealthy for sensitive groups or worse. Median AQI 39, peak 100.

Regulated facilities, sites and hazards by type

4,970 active records inside the county from EPA ECHO, TRI, Superfund, Brownfields, NPDES, EIA, FAA, FRA and corrections data.

NPDES wastewater discharge permit1,352
Industrial wastewater discharge954
Air permit holder (minor source)700
Small hazardous waste generator576
Gas station (mapped facility)255
Rail grade crossing223
Auto repair or body shop (mapped facility)201
Brownfield property192
Solar power plant128
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI)79
Large hazardous waste generator76
TRI reporting facility62
Scrapyard (mapped facility)25
Major air pollution source20
Dry cleaner (mapped facility)16
Landfill (mapped facility)15
Combined sewer overflow outfall13
Heliport13
Large greenhouse gas emitter12
Hazardous waste transporter12
Public airport8
Gas power plant7
Correctional facility (prison or jail)6
Biomass power plant4
Wastewater plant (mapped facility)4
EPA air quality monitor3
Commercial airport3
Wind power plant3
Battery storage plant2
Hydroelectric plant2
Superfund (NPL) site2
Airfield1
Oil-fired 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.

Fort Devens, Fort Devens
Superfund (NPL) site. Hazard Ranking System score 42.2. NPL Site.
EPA site ID MA7210025154 (U.S. EPA Superfund (SEMS/NPL)) Agency record
Severity 10
Hocomonco Pond, Westborough
Superfund (NPL) site. Hazard Ranking System score 44.8. NPL Site.
EPA site ID MAD980732341 (U.S. EPA Superfund (SEMS/NPL)) Agency record
Severity 10
Highline Warren Llc, Leominster
TRI reporting facility. Penalties $4,966.
EPA FRS registry ID 110030818596 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 9.7
Advance Coatings Company, Westminster
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000308890 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 8.9
Nitto Denko Avecia, Milford
TRI reporting facility. Penalties $2,576,667.
EPA FRS registry ID 110046383169 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 8.8
U S Army Garrison Fort Devens Ranges, Devens
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Lead, Copper. Reports carcinogens. 106,447 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 01434SRMYG4217A (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 8.4
Wyman Gordon Plant, North Grafton
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000491851 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 8.2
Flexcon Co Inc., Spencer
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Toluene, Vinyl acetate, Xylene (mixed isomers), n-Hexane. Reports carcinogens. 64,078 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 01562FLXCNSOUTH (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 8.2
Advance Coatings Co, Westminster
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Styrene, Maleic anhydride, Dicyclopentadiene, Methyl methacrylate and 2 more. Reports carcinogens. 54,036 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 01473DVNCC42DEP (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 8.1
Oldcastle Retail Inc, Oxford
TRI reporting facility. Penalties $8,472.
EPA FRS registry ID 110010327066 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 8
Veranova L.P., Devens
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Dichloromethane, Methanol, Methyl tert-butyl ether, Acetonitrile and 2 more. Reports carcinogens. 27,465 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 01432PHRMC25PAT (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 7.9
Ls Starrett Co, Athol
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Trichloroethylene, Methanol, Copper, Lead and 3 more. Reports carcinogens. 26,055 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 01331LSSTR121CR (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 7.9
Kt Acquisition Llc, Dba Komtek Forge, Worcester
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000309274 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 7.6
Lewcott Corp D/B/A Barrday Composite Solutions, Millbury
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Methanol, Toluene, Phenol, Formaldehyde. Reports carcinogens. 10,944 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 01527LWCTT86PRO (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 7.6
Nitto Denko Avecia Inc., Milford
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Acetonitrile, Toluene, Pyridine. Reports carcinogens. 6,744 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 01757CRMCS155FO (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 7.4
Shield Packaging, Dudley
TRI reporting facility. Penalties $219,500.
EPA FRS registry ID 110020059675 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 7.4
Wyman-Gordon Co, North Grafton
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Nickel, Chromium, Cobalt. Reports carcinogens. 4,678 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 01536WYMNG244WO (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 7.3
Ls Starrett Precision Tools, Athol
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000308603 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 7.3
Saint Gobain Performance Plastics, Worcester
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Toluene, Methyl isobutyl ketone, Xylene (mixed isomers). Reports carcinogens. 2,136 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 01605CSTMC717PL (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 7.1
Alpha Wire, Leominster
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000308818 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 7
Kadant Solutions Div, Auburn
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000308916 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 7
Warren Wastewater Treatment Plant, Warren
NPDES wastewater discharge permit. Penalties $13,219.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000550582 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 7
Lewcott Corporation, Millbury
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000308989 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 6.8
Webco Chemical Corp., Dudley
TRI reporting facility. Penalties $101,027.
EPA FRS registry ID 110070273183 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 6.8
Benjamin Moore & Co-Milford, Milford
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Zinc compounds, Xylene (mixed isomers), 3-Iodo-2-propynyl butylcarbamate, Vinyl acetate and 4 more. Reports carcinogens. 841 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 01757BNJMN49SUM (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 6.7

Correctional facilities

Prisons, jails and corrections operations with an EPA facility record, and the drinking water and wastewater compliance attached to them.

North Central Correctional Institute, Gardner
EPA FRS registry ID
110001946841
Wastewater permit
None on record
EPA detailed facility report
Worcester County Jail, West Boylston
EPA FRS registry ID
110010405418
Wastewater permit
None on record
EPA detailed facility report
Ma Dept Of Correction Milford, Milford
EPA FRS registry ID
110069528782
Wastewater permit
Yes
EPA detailed facility report
Federal Medical Center Fbop, Devens
EPA FRS registry ID
110070050002
Wastewater permit
None on record
EPA detailed facility report
Worcester County House Of Corrections, West Boylston
EPA FRS registry ID
110070432254
Wastewater permit
None on record
EPA detailed facility report
Department Of Correction, Milford
EPA FRS registry ID
110070515904
Wastewater permit
None on record
EPA detailed facility report

Discovery / public records

Records to request for Worcester 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 Worcester 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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