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Howard County, Maryland: environmental and disease records

Cancer mortality in Howard County is 109.8 deaths per 100,000 people per year against a U.S. rate of 143.2. Federal databases place 992 regulated facilities, sites and hazards inside the county, led by Air permit holder (minor source) (315), NPDES wastewater discharge permit (210), Small hazardous waste generator (132). 2 correctional facilities operate in the county. EPA AirToxScreen estimates a lifetime cancer risk from outdoor air toxics of 40 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: 39.2355, -76.8925.

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 Howard County compared with the United States
CancerMeasureCounty rateU.S. rateTimes U.S.95% intervalYears
Melanoma of the skinNew cases27.623.81.16xSignificant25.3 to 30.12019-2023
Childhood cancer (under 15)New cases18.216.41.11x13.8 to 23.62019-2023
Brain & nervous systemNew cases6.26.21x5.1 to 7.52019-2023
All cancerNew cases420.2453.40.93x411 to 429.52019-2023
StomachDeaths2.52.70.93x1.8 to 3.32020-2024
Non-Hodgkin lymphomaNew cases1718.50.92x15.2 to 192019-2023
StomachNew cases66.60.91x4.9 to 7.22019-2023
PancreasNew cases12.613.90.91x11 to 14.32019-2023
PancreasDeaths10.111.30.89x8.8 to 11.72020-2024
Brain & nervous systemDeaths3.84.40.86x3 to 4.82020-2024
Non-Hodgkin lymphomaDeaths4.14.80.85x3.2 to 5.12020-2024
BladderDeaths3.54.10.85x2.7 to 4.42020-2024
LeukemiaNew cases12.314.50.85x10.7 to 142019-2023
LeukemiaDeaths4.85.70.84x3.8 to 5.92020-2024
Melanoma of the skinDeaths1.620.8x1.1 to 2.32020-2024
ThyroidNew cases10.4130.8x9 to 12.12019-2023
All cancerDeaths109.8143.20.77x105.2 to 114.72020-2024
BladderNew cases13.918.70.74x12.3 to 15.82019-2023
Liver & bile ductDeaths4.96.60.74x3.9 to 62020-2024
Liver & bile ductNew cases6.48.70.74x5.4 to 7.72019-2023
Kidney & renal pelvisDeaths2.23.40.65x1.6 to 32020-2024
Lung & bronchusNew cases32.451.80.63x29.8 to 35.12019-2023
Lung & bronchusDeaths18.730.20.62x16.8 to 20.82020-2024
EsophagusNew cases2.84.60.61x2.1 to 3.72019-2023
Kidney & renal pelvisNew cases10.417.90.58x9 to 11.92019-2023
EsophagusDeaths23.70.54x1.4 to 2.72020-2024

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 Howard County
MeasureCountyU.S. medianDifferenceUnit
Premature death4,573.39,842.6-54%years of life lost before age 75 per 100,000
Life expectancy82.575.3+10%years
Child mortality36.559.8-39%deaths under age 18 per 100,000
Infant mortality5.26.2-16%deaths under age 1 per 1,000 live births
Injury deaths47.396.9-51%deaths per 100,000
Drug overdose deaths15.228.6-47%deaths per 100,000

Air toxics and air quality

EPA AirToxScreen 2020

Lifetime cancer risk from outdoor air toxics: 40 in a million. EPA treats 100 in a million as the upper end of acceptable risk and 1 in a million as the goal.

  • Formaldehyde21.33 per million
  • Carbon Tetrachloride2.97 per million
  • Ethylene Oxide2.23 per million
  • Acetaldehyde2.18 per million

EPA Air Quality Index 2025

Monitored on 365 days: 293 good, 0 unhealthy for sensitive groups or worse. Median AQI 33, peak 78.

Regulated facilities, sites and hazards by type

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

  • Air permit holder (minor source)315
  • NPDES wastewater discharge permit210
  • Small hazardous waste generator132
  • Gas station (mapped facility)75
  • Auto repair or body shop (mapped facility)57
  • Large hazardous waste generator57
  • Industrial wastewater discharge47
  • Dry cleaner (mapped facility)25
  • Rail grade crossing22
  • Hazardous waste transporter13
  • Toxic chemical release facility (TRI)10
  • TRI reporting facility7
  • Major air pollution source4
  • Solar power plant4
  • Wastewater plant (mapped facility)3
  • Public airport2
  • Correctional facility (prison or jail)2
  • Large greenhouse gas emitter2
  • Landfill (mapped facility)2
  • EPA air quality monitor1
  • Heliport1
  • 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.

  1. Precoat Metals Division Of Sequa Corporation, Elkridge

    TRI reporting facility. Penalties $13,444.

    EPA FRS registry ID 110000340024 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record

    Severity 9.1

  2. Precoat Metals, Elkridge

    Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Certain glycol ethers, Xylene (mixed isomers), n-Butyl alcohol, 1,2,4-Trimethylbenzene and 3 more. Reports carcinogens. 4,866 lbs released over 5 years.

    TRI facility ID 21227CHSPK6754S (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)

    Severity 7.3

  3. Elite Spice Inc., Jessup

    Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Propylene oxide. Reports carcinogens. 2,927 lbs released over 5 years.

    TRI facility ID 2079WWTRLX7751W (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)

    Severity 7.2

  4. Little Patuxent Water Reclamation Plant, Savage

    NPDES wastewater discharge permit. Penalties $42,318.

    EPA FRS registry ID 110056017162 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record

    Severity 7

  5. Precoat Metals Division Of Sequa Corporation, Elkridge

    Large hazardous waste generator. Penalties $13,444.

    EPA FRS registry ID 110000340024 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record

    Severity 6.8

  6. Elite Spice Inc., Jessup

    Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Propylene oxide, Ethylene oxide, Ethylene glycol. Reports carcinogens. 820 lbs released over 5 years.

    TRI facility ID 20794LTSPC7151M (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)

    Severity 6.7

  7. Jessup Ready Mix Concrete, Jessup

    Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Lead, Nitrate compounds (water dissociable; reportable only when in aqueous solution). Reports carcinogens. 304 lbs released over 5 years.

    TRI facility ID 2079WJSSPR7926L (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)

    Severity 6.4

  8. Concrete Pipe & Precast Llc - Jessup Plant, Jessup

    Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Lead. Reports carcinogens. 215 lbs released over 5 years.

    TRI facility ID 20794HNSNP797WA (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)

    Severity 6.3

  9. Little Patuxent Water Reclamation Plant, Savage

    Small hazardous waste generator. Penalties $42,318.

    EPA FRS registry ID 110056017162 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record

    Severity 5.5

  10. Waterloo, Jessup

    TRI reporting facility.

    EPA FRS registry ID 110070056823 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record

    Severity 5.3

  11. Precoat Metals Division Of Sequa Corporation, Elkridge

    NPDES wastewater discharge permit. Penalties $13,444.

    EPA FRS registry ID 110000340024 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record

    Severity 5.3

  12. Elite Spice, Jessup

    TRI reporting facility.

    EPA FRS registry ID 110000339269 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record

    Severity 5.2

  13. Concrete Pipe & Products, Jessup

    TRI reporting facility.

    EPA FRS registry ID 110001250716 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record

    Severity 5.1

  14. Little Patuxent Water Reclamation Plant, Savage

    Air permit holder (minor source). Penalties $42,318.

    EPA FRS registry ID 110056017162 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record

    Severity 5

  15. Precoat Metals Division Of Sequa Corporation, Elkridge

    Air permit holder (minor source). Penalties $13,444.

    EPA FRS registry ID 110000340024 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record

    Severity 4.8

  16. Peddicord Property Shared Facility, Clarksville

    NPDES wastewater discharge permit. Penalties $16,339.

    EPA FRS registry ID 110032593021 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record

    Severity 4.8

  17. Western Regional Park, Woodbine

    NPDES wastewater discharge permit. Penalties $149,852.

    EPA FRS registry ID 110070066168 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record

    Severity 4.8

  18. Schuster Concrete Ready Mix Llc-Guilford Rd, Jessup

    Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Lead, Mercury compounds, Nitrate compounds (water dissociable; reportable only when in aqueous solution), Nickel compounds and 1 more. Reports carcinogens.

    TRI facility ID 2079WSCHST1782G (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)

    Severity 4.6

  19. Northrop Grumman Systems Corp. - Troy Hill 4, Elkridge

    Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Lead. Reports carcinogens.

    TRI facility ID 2107WNRTHR715TR (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)

    Severity 4.5

  20. Tate Access Floors Inc., Jessup

    Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Zinc compounds, Manganese. 95 lbs released over 5 years.

    TRI facility ID 20794TTCCS7510M (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)

    Severity 4.5

  21. Lisbon Business Center Wwtp, Woodbine

    NPDES wastewater discharge permit.

    EPA FRS registry ID 110032592941 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record

    Severity 4.5

  22. Howard Co Alfa Ridge Landfill, Marriottsville

    Major air pollution source.

    EPA FRS registry ID 110043668563 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record

    Severity 4.5

  23. Howard County Near Road, North Laurel

    EPA air quality monitor.

    Record ID 240270006 (U.S. EPA AirData)

    Severity 4.4

  24. Residence Inn Columbia, Ellicott City

    NPDES wastewater discharge permit.

    EPA FRS registry ID 110012668728 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record

    Severity 4.3

  25. Atholton Swim Club, Columbia

    NPDES wastewater discharge permit.

    EPA FRS registry ID 110012669228 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record

    Severity 4.3

Correctional facilities

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

Discovery / public records

Records to request for Howard 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 Howard 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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