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Harford County, Maryland: environmental and disease records

Cancer mortality in Harford County is 148.8 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 1,141 regulated facilities, sites and hazards inside the county, led by Air permit holder (minor source) (346), NPDES wastewater discharge permit (217), Auto repair or body shop (mapped facility) (130). 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: 39.5101, -76.2855.

How this county ranks in Maryland

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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 Harford County compared with the United States
Cancer	Measure	County rate	U.S. rate	Times U.S.	95% interval	Years
Melanoma of the skin	New cases	42.9	23.8	1.8xSignificant	39.7 to 46.3	2019-2023
Bladder	Deaths	5.2	4.1	1.27x	4.1 to 6.4	2020-2024
Melanoma of the skin	Deaths	2.5	2	1.25x	1.8 to 3.4	2020-2024
Esophagus	Deaths	4.5	3.7	1.22x	3.5 to 5.6	2020-2024
Childhood cancer (under 15)	New cases	18.8	16.4	1.15x	13.7 to 25.2	2019-2023
Lung & bronchus	Deaths	34.2	30.2	1.13xSignificant	31.5 to 37.1	2020-2024
Lung & bronchus	New cases	58	51.8	1.12xSignificant	54.4 to 61.7	2019-2023
All cancer	New cases	498.2	453.4	1.1xSignificant	487.3 to 509.4	2019-2023
Kidney & renal pelvis	Deaths	3.7	3.4	1.09x	2.9 to 4.8	2020-2024
Leukemia	Deaths	6.1	5.7	1.07x	4.9 to 7.4	2020-2024
Esophagus	New cases	4.9	4.6	1.07x	3.9 to 6.1	2019-2023
Liver & bile duct	Deaths	7	6.6	1.06x	5.8 to 8.4	2020-2024
Brain & nervous system	New cases	6.5	6.2	1.05x	5.2 to 8	2019-2023
Non-Hodgkin lymphoma	Deaths	5	4.8	1.04x	4 to 6.3	2020-2024
Leukemia	New cases	15.1	14.5	1.04x	13.2 to 17.3	2019-2023
All cancer	Deaths	148.8	143.2	1.04x	143 to 154.9	2020-2024
Thyroid	New cases	13.4	13	1.03x	11.5 to 15.6	2019-2023
Non-Hodgkin lymphoma	New cases	18.5	18.5	1x	16.5 to 20.8	2019-2023
Pancreas	Deaths	11.3	11.3	1x	9.7 to 13	2020-2024
Kidney & renal pelvis	New cases	17.7	17.9	0.99x	15.7 to 19.9	2019-2023
Liver & bile duct	New cases	8.4	8.7	0.97x	7.1 to 10	2019-2023
Brain & nervous system	Deaths	4.2	4.4	0.95x	3.2 to 5.4	2020-2024
Pancreas	New cases	13.1	13.9	0.94x	11.4 to 15	2019-2023
Stomach	New cases	6.2	6.6	0.94x	5.1 to 7.6	2019-2023
Bladder	New cases	16.5	18.7	0.88x	14.6 to 18.5	2019-2023
Stomach	Deaths	1.9	2.7	0.7x	1.3 to 2.7	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 Harford County
Measure	County	U.S. median	Difference	Unit
Premature death	7,205.3	9,842.6	-27%	years of life lost before age 75 per 100,000
Life expectancy	77.9	75.3	+3%	years
Child mortality	39.6	59.8	-34%	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	87.7	96.9	-10%	deaths per 100,000
Drug overdose deaths	42.6	28.6	+49%	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.

Formaldehyde19.67 per million
Carbon Tetrachloride2.98 per million
Acetaldehyde1.94 per million
Benzene1.59 per million

EPA Air Quality Index 2025

Monitored on 343 days: 259 good, 3 unhealthy for sensitive groups or worse. Median AQI 42, peak 143.

Regulated facilities, sites and hazards by type

1,141 active records inside the county from EPA ECHO, TRI, Superfund, Brownfields, NPDES, EIA, FAA, FRA and corrections data.

Air permit holder (minor source)346
NPDES wastewater discharge permit217
Auto repair or body shop (mapped facility)130
Small hazardous waste generator99
Gas station (mapped facility)93
Industrial wastewater discharge69
Large hazardous waste generator31
Rail grade crossing31
Dry cleaner (mapped facility)20
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI)17
Solar power plant14
TRI reporting facility14
Hazardous waste transporter13
Major air pollution source8
Scrapyard (mapped facility)7
Public airport5
Brownfield property4
Heliport4
Landfill (mapped facility)4
Large greenhouse gas emitter3
Superfund (NPL) site3
EPA air quality monitor2
Gas power plant2
Wastewater plant (mapped facility)2
Commercial airport1
Crematorium (mapped facility)1
Hydroelectric 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.

Aberdeen Proving Ground (Edgewood Area), Edgewood
Superfund (NPL) site. Hazard Ranking System score 53.6. NPL Site.
EPA site ID MD2210020036 (U.S. EPA Superfund (SEMS/NPL)) Agency record
Severity 10
Aberdeen Proving Ground (Michaelsville Landfill), Aberdeen
Superfund (NPL) site. Hazard Ranking System score 31.1. NPL Site.
EPA site ID MD3210021355 (U.S. EPA Superfund (SEMS/NPL)) Agency record
Severity 10
Bush Valley Landfill, Abingdon
Superfund (NPL) site. Hazard Ranking System score 40.3. NPL Site.
EPA site ID MDD980504195 (U.S. EPA Superfund (SEMS/NPL)) Agency record
Severity 10
U.S. Army Aberdeen Proving Ground, Aberdeen Proving Ground
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Methanol, Lead, Copper. Reports carcinogens. 217,974 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 21005BRDNPSTEAP (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 8.6
Us Army Aberdeen Proving Ground, Aberdeen Proving Ground
TRI reporting facility. Penalties $165,056.
EPA FRS registry ID 110017936117 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 8.3
The Gill Corporation-Maryland, Edgewood
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Dichloromethane, Methanol, Aluminum (fume or dust). Reports carcinogens. 46,070 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 21040LCRNC1502Q (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 8.1
Independent Can Co, Belcamp
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Certain glycol ethers, Copper, 1,2,4-Trimethylbenzene, Xylene (mixed isomers) and 3 more. Reports carcinogens. 12,827 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 21017NDPND1300B (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 7.7
S&G Concrete Edgewood, Edgewood
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Nitrate compounds (water dissociable; reportable only when in aqueous solution), Lead. Reports carcinogens. 1,692 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 2104WSGCNC21PHI (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 7
Citrus & Allied Essences Ltd., Belcamp
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Methanol, Methyl acrylate. Reports carcinogens. 1,500 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 21017CTRSL4620M (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 6.9
Cytec Engineered Inc, Havre De Grace
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: 2-Ethoxyethanol, Methanol, Toluene, N-Methyl-2-pyrrolidone and 2 more. 47,104 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 21078MRCNC1300R (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 6.6
Proform Finishing Products - Belcamp, Belcamp
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Vinyl acetate, Lead compounds, Zinc compounds, Lead And Lead Compounds. Reports carcinogens. 190 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 21017NWNGC4611M (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 6.3
Tanner Industries Inc, Havre De Grace
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Ammonia. 12,963 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 21078TNNRN175CL (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 6.2
Oldcastle Precast Inc., Edgewood
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110014457355 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 6.2
Sod Run Wastewater Treatment Plant, Perryman
NPDES wastewater discharge permit.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000563248 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 6
Havre De Grace Wastewater Treatment Facility, Havre De Grace
NPDES wastewater discharge permit.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000732896 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 6
Huber, J.M. Corporation, Havre De Grace
Major air pollution source.
EPA FRS registry ID 110019864547 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 6
Aberdeen Proving Ground-Aberdeen Area & Edgewood Area, Aberdeen Proving Ground
NPDES wastewater discharge permit.
EPA FRS registry ID 110064337123 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 6
Aberdeen Proving Ground, Aberdeen Area Wwtp, Aberdeen
NPDES wastewater discharge permit.
EPA FRS registry ID 110064605235 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 6
Maryland Paving Inc., Aberdeen
TRI reporting facility. Penalties $14,000.
EPA FRS registry ID 110009684092 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 5.8
Us Army Aberdeen Proving Ground, Aberdeen Proving Ground
Major air pollution source. Penalties $165,056.
EPA FRS registry ID 110017936117 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 5.8
Oldcastle Precast Inc, Edgewood
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Manganese compounds, Lead compounds. 3,732 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 21040LDCST141TR (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 5.7
Tanner Industries Inc, Havre De Grace
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110031018645 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 5.5
Independent Can Company, Belcamp
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000869178 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 5.5
Constellation Power - Perryman Power Plant, Aberdeen
TRI reporting facility. Penalties $18,000.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000499559 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 5.5
Huber, J.M. Corporation, Havre De Grace
Large hazardous waste generator.
EPA FRS registry ID 110019864547 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 5.5

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 Harford County

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