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Branch County, Michigan: environmental and disease records

Cancer mortality in Branch County is 162.9 deaths per 100,000 people per year against a U.S. rate of 143.2, a statistically significant excess. The strongest disease signals are Kidney & renal pelvis deaths at 1.9 times the U.S. rate and Lung & bronchus deaths at 1.4 times the U.S. rate. Federal databases place 219 regulated facilities, sites and hazards inside the county, led by Rail grade crossing (47), NPDES wastewater discharge permit (33), Air permit holder (minor source) (26). 4 correctional facilities operate in the county, at least one with health-based drinking water violations on record. 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: 41.9195, -85.0589.

How this county ranks in Michigan

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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 Branch County compared with the United States
Cancer	Measure	County rate	U.S. rate	Times U.S.	95% interval	Years
Kidney & renal pelvis	Deaths	6.3	3.4	1.85xSignificant	3.7 to 10	2020-2024
Esophagus	Deaths	5.9	3.7	1.59x	3.3 to 9.7	2020-2024
Bladder	Deaths	6.1	4.1	1.49x	3.6 to 9.9	2020-2024
Bladder	New cases	27	18.7	1.44xSignificant	21.2 to 33.9	2019-2023
Lung & bronchus	Deaths	43.3	30.2	1.43xSignificant	36.3 to 51.5	2020-2024
Lung & bronchus	New cases	62.9	51.8	1.21xSignificant	54.3 to 72.6	2019-2023
Leukemia	Deaths	6.9	5.7	1.21x	4.2 to 10.8	2020-2024
Non-Hodgkin lymphoma	Deaths	5.5	4.8	1.15x	3.2 to 9.1	2020-2024
All cancer	Deaths	162.9	143.2	1.14xSignificant	148.6 to 178.3	2020-2024
Non-Hodgkin lymphoma	New cases	19.1	18.5	1.03x	14.4 to 24.9	2019-2023
Pancreas	Deaths	11.6	11.3	1.03x	8 to 16.3	2020-2024
All cancer	New cases	450.4	453.4	0.99x	425.9 to 476.1	2019-2023
Leukemia	New cases	13.5	14.5	0.93x	9.5 to 18.9	2019-2023
Pancreas	New cases	12.3	13.9	0.88x	8.7 to 17.1	2019-2023
Melanoma of the skin	New cases	18.8	23.8	0.79x	14 to 24.8	2019-2023
Thyroid	New cases	8.8	13	0.68x	5.3 to 13.7	2019-2023
Liver & bile duct	New cases	5.7	8.7	0.66x	3.3 to 9.3	2019-2023
Kidney & renal pelvis	New cases	10	17.9	0.56x	6.6 to 14.6	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 Branch County
Measure	County	U.S. median	Difference	Unit
Premature death	8,391.2	9,842.6	-15%	years of life lost before age 75 per 100,000
Life expectancy	76.1	75.3	+1%	years
Child mortality	53.7	59.8	-10%	deaths under age 18 per 100,000
Infant mortality	7.7	6.2	+24%	deaths under age 1 per 1,000 live births
Injury deaths	82.2	96.9	-15%	deaths per 100,000
Drug overdose deaths	12	28.6	-58%	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.

Formaldehyde14.88 per million
Carbon Tetrachloride2.95 per million
Acetaldehyde1.42 per million
Benzene0.94 per million

EPA Air Quality Index

No EPA air quality monitor reports daily AQI for this county.

Regulated facilities, sites and hazards by type

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

Rail grade crossing47
NPDES wastewater discharge permit33
Air permit holder (minor source)26
Brownfield property23
Gas station (mapped facility)20
Industrial wastewater discharge15
TRI reporting facility11
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI)11
Small hazardous waste generator10
Correctional facility (prison or jail)4
Major air pollution source3
Auto repair or body shop (mapped facility)3
Large hazardous waste generator3
Heliport3
Solar power plant2
Commercial airport1
Large greenhouse gas emitter1
Gas power plant1
Superfund (NPL) site1
Wastewater plant (mapped facility)1

Highest-severity records

The 25 records with the highest Envyrofax severity in the county, with the agency identifier to cite in a records request.

North Bronson Industrial Area, Bronson
Superfund (NPL) site. Hazard Ranking System score 33.9. NPL Site.
EPA site ID MID005480900 (U.S. EPA Superfund (SEMS/NPL)) Agency record
Severity 10
Imco Recycling Of Michigan, Llc, Coldwater
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000409111 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 9.2
Real Alloy Recycling Llc, Coldwater
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Aluminum (fume or dust), Hydrochloric acid (acid aerosols including mists, vapors, gas, fog, and other airborne forms of any particle size), Copper compounds, Zinc compounds and 4 more. Reports carcinogens. 206,088 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 49036MCRCY267NO (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 8.6
Real Alloy Specification Llc, Coldwater
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Aluminum (fume or dust), Hydrochloric acid (acid aerosols including mists, vapors, gas, fog, and other airborne forms of any particle size), Chlorine, Copper And Copper Compounds and 4 more. Reports carcinogens. 157,546 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 49036LCHML368WG (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 8.5
Elmet Technologies, Coldwater
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Ammonia, Copper, Nickel, Cobalt and 2 more. Reports carcinogens. 42,669 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 49036CLMXS460JA (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 8.1
H.C. Starck Solutions Coldwater Llc, Coldwater
TRI reporting facility. Penalties $68,235.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000409095 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 8
Asama Coldwater Manufacturing, Inc., Coldwater
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110013287399 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 7.7
Arcosa Shoring Products Inc, Union City
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Nickel, Chromium, Manganese, Copper and 1 more. Reports carcinogens. 2,340 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 4909WRCSSH594ME (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 7.1
Bronson Plating Co, Bronson
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000409068 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 7
Imco Recycling Of Michigan, Llc, Coldwater
Major air pollution source.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000409111 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 6.5
Asama Coldwater Manufacturing, Inc., Coldwater
Major air pollution source.
EPA FRS registry ID 110013287399 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 6.5
Asama Coldwater Manufacturing, Coldwater
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Manganese, Copper, Chromium, Lead and 1 more. Reports carcinogens. 147 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 49036SMCLD180AS (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 6.2
Bronson Plating Co, Bronson
Large hazardous waste generator.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000409068 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 6
Imco Recycling Of Michigan, Llc, Coldwater
NPDES wastewater discharge permit.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000409111 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 6
Cbpu Waste Water Treatment Plant, Coldwater
NPDES wastewater discharge permit.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000549960 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 6
Asama Coldwater Manufacturing, Inc., Coldwater
NPDES wastewater discharge permit.
EPA FRS registry ID 110013287399 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 6
Bronson Plating Co, Bronson
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Perfluorooctane sulfonic acid, Nickel compounds, Lead, Nickel And Nickel Compounds. Reports carcinogens. Reports PFAS.
TRI facility ID 49028BRNSN135IN (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 6
Real Alloy Specification Llc, Coldwater
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110050463923 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 5.9
Gci Gokoh Coldwater Inc, Coldwater
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Triethylamine, Diisocyanates, Sulfuric acid (acid aerosols including mists, vapors, gas, fog, and other airborne forms of any particle size). 4,805 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 4903WGKHCL1CNCE (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 5.8
Darling Ingredients Inc., Coldwater
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110001825277 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 5.5
Preston Farms-Cafo, Quincy
NPDES wastewater discharge permit. Penalties $40,000.
EPA FRS registry ID 110041950635 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 5.5
Gci Gokoh Coldwater Inc, Coldwater
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110066969524 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 5.4
Bluewater Thermal Solutions - Coldwater, Coldwater
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Nickel, Chromium, Manganese, Copper. Reports carcinogens. 10 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 49036BRZNG94CON (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 5.3
Arcosa Shoring Products Inc, Union City
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110015891775 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 5.2
Bronson Wwtp, Bronson
NPDES wastewater discharge permit. Penalties $8,869.
EPA FRS registry ID 110006740955 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 5

Correctional facilities

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

Lakeland Correctional Facility, Coldwater
EPA FRS registry ID
110009601065
Water system
MI0001510
Health-based violations
6 all time, 0 in 5 years
All violations
7
Contaminants cited
Nitrate
Wastewater permit
None on record
EPA detailed facility report
Mi Dept/Corrections, Coldwater
EPA FRS registry ID
110003630072
Wastewater permit
None on record
EPA detailed facility report
Mi Dept/Corrections, Coldwater
EPA FRS registry ID
110003663759
Wastewater permit
None on record
EPA detailed facility report
Lakeland Correctional Facility (K2087), Coldwater
EPA FRS registry ID
110045485765
Wastewater permit
None on record
EPA detailed facility report

Discovery / public records

Records to request for Branch County

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