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Kalamazoo County, Michigan: environmental and disease records

Cancer mortality in Kalamazoo County is 152.8 deaths per 100,000 people per year against a U.S. rate of 143.2, a statistically significant excess. The strongest disease signals are Non-Hodgkin lymphoma deaths at 1.3 times the U.S. rate and Lung & bronchus deaths at 1.1 times the U.S. rate. Federal databases place 605 regulated facilities, sites and hazards inside the county, led by Rail grade crossing (184), Brownfield property (94), NPDES wastewater discharge permit (91). 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: 42.2454, -85.5315.

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 Kalamazoo County compared with the United States
Cancer	Measure	County rate	U.S. rate	Times U.S.	95% interval	Years
Non-Hodgkin lymphoma	Deaths	6.3	4.8	1.31xSignificant	5.1 to 7.7	2020-2024
Melanoma of the skin	Deaths	2.3	2	1.15x	1.6 to 3.3	2020-2024
Pancreas	Deaths	12.7	11.3	1.12x	11 to 14.7	2020-2024
Lung & bronchus	Deaths	33.6	30.2	1.11xSignificant	30.8 to 36.6	2020-2024
Leukemia	New cases	15.7	14.5	1.08x	13.7 to 18	2019-2023
All cancer	Deaths	152.8	143.2	1.07xSignificant	146.6 to 159.2	2020-2024
Leukemia	Deaths	6	5.7	1.05x	4.8 to 7.4	2020-2024
Bladder	Deaths	4.3	4.1	1.05x	3.3 to 5.5	2020-2024
Liver & bile duct	Deaths	6.8	6.6	1.03x	5.5 to 8.3	2020-2024
Kidney & renal pelvis	Deaths	3.5	3.4	1.03x	2.7 to 4.6	2020-2024
Lung & bronchus	New cases	51.3	51.8	0.99x	47.8 to 55.1	2019-2023
Brain & nervous system	New cases	6.1	6.2	0.98x	4.9 to 7.6	2019-2023
Brain & nervous system	Deaths	4.3	4.4	0.98x	3.4 to 5.5	2020-2024
Bladder	New cases	17.8	18.7	0.95x	15.7 to 20.1	2019-2023
Non-Hodgkin lymphoma	New cases	17.6	18.5	0.95x	15.5 to 19.9	2019-2023
Pancreas	New cases	13.2	13.9	0.95x	11.4 to 15.2	2019-2023
Childhood cancer (under 15)	New cases	15.5	16.4	0.95x	10.9 to 21.5	2019-2023
All cancer	New cases	424.6	453.4	0.94x	413.9 to 435.5	2019-2023
Esophagus	Deaths	3.4	3.7	0.92x	2.6 to 4.5	2020-2024
Esophagus	New cases	4.2	4.6	0.91x	3.3 to 5.4	2019-2023
Melanoma of the skin	New cases	21	23.8	0.88x	18.7 to 23.6	2019-2023
Thyroid	New cases	10.7	13	0.82x	8.9 to 12.6	2019-2023
Kidney & renal pelvis	New cases	14.6	17.9	0.82x	12.6 to 16.7	2019-2023
Liver & bile duct	New cases	6.9	8.7	0.79x	5.7 to 8.4	2019-2023
Stomach	New cases	4.4	6.6	0.67x	3.4 to 5.6	2019-2023
Stomach	Deaths	1.8	2.7	0.67x	1.2 to 2.6	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 Kalamazoo County
Measure	County	U.S. median	Difference	Unit
Premature death	7,810.5	9,842.6	-21%	years of life lost before age 75 per 100,000
Life expectancy	77.1	75.3	+2%	years
Child mortality	41.5	59.8	-31%	deaths under age 18 per 100,000
Infant mortality	5.7	6.2	-8%	deaths under age 1 per 1,000 live births
Injury deaths	82.2	96.9	-15%	deaths per 100,000
Drug overdose deaths	20.8	28.6	-27%	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.

Formaldehyde15.79 per million
Carbon Tetrachloride2.95 per million
Acetaldehyde1.52 per million
Naphthalene1.27 per million

EPA Air Quality Index 2025

Monitored on 365 days: 224 good, 7 unhealthy for sensitive groups or worse. Median AQI 43, peak 156.

Regulated facilities, sites and hazards by type

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

Rail grade crossing184
Brownfield property94
NPDES wastewater discharge permit91
Air permit holder (minor source)57
Small hazardous waste generator50
Large hazardous waste generator25
Industrial wastewater discharge25
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI)24
TRI reporting facility21
Major air pollution source6
Public airport6
Superfund (NPL) site5
Large greenhouse gas emitter4
Heliport3
Gas power plant3
Airfield2
EPA air quality monitor1
Commercial airport1
Hazardous waste transporter1
Battery storage plant1
Solar 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.

Michigan Disposal Service (Cork Street Landfill), Kalamazoo
Superfund (NPL) site. Hazard Ranking System score 37.9. NPL Site.
EPA site ID MID000775957 (U.S. EPA Superfund (SEMS/NPL)) Agency record
Severity 10
Roto-Finish Co., Inc., Kalamazoo
Superfund (NPL) site. Hazard Ranking System score 40.7. NPL Site.
EPA site ID MID005340088 (U.S. EPA Superfund (SEMS/NPL)) Agency record
Severity 10
Allied Paper, Inc./Portage Creek/Kalamazoo River, Kalamazoo
Superfund (NPL) site. Hazard Ranking System score 36.4. NPL Site.
EPA site ID MID006007306 (U.S. EPA Superfund (SEMS/NPL)) Agency record
Severity 10
K&L Avenue Landfill, Oshtemo Township
Superfund (NPL) site. Hazard Ranking System score 38.1. NPL Site.
EPA site ID MID980506463 (U.S. EPA Superfund (SEMS/NPL)) Agency record
Severity 10
Auto Ion Chemicals, Inc., Kalamazoo
Superfund (NPL) site. Hazard Ranking System score 32.1. NPL Site.
EPA site ID MID980794382 (U.S. EPA Superfund (SEMS/NPL)) Agency record
Severity 10
Mi Dept/Military & Veterans Affairs, Augusta
TRI reporting facility. Penalties $9,938.
EPA FRS registry ID 110041994198 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 9.1
Pharmacia & Upjohn Co Llc A Subsidiary Of Pfizer Inc, Portage
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: N,N-Dimethylformamide, Hydrochloric acid (acid aerosols including mists, vapors, gas, fog, and other airborne forms of any particle size), Methanol, Dichloromethane and 4 more. Reports carcinogens. 898,355 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 49001THPJH7171P (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 9.1
Pharmacia & Upjohn Company, Llc., Portage
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110070828206 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 9
Cytec Industries, Kalamazoo
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110057677679 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 8.5
Graphic Packaging International, Inc., Kalamazoo
TRI reporting facility. Penalties $228,513.
EPA FRS registry ID 110064266039 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 8.3
Allnex Usa Inc, Kalamazoo
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Methanol, Formaldehyde, Nitric acid, Nitrate compounds (water dissociable; reportable only when in aqueous solution). Reports carcinogens. 35,970 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 49003MRCNC2715M (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 8
Us Army National Guard Fort Custer Training Center Ranges, Augusta
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Lead. Reports carcinogens. 16,910 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 4901WFRTCS25126 (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 7.7
Pharmacia & Upjohn (P&U) - Kapi And Emu, Portage
Major air pollution source. Penalties $119,696.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000753122 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 7.5
Graphic Packaging International, Inc., Kalamazoo
Major air pollution source. Penalties $228,513.
EPA FRS registry ID 110064266039 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 7.5
Haviland Products Co, Kalamazoo
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Triethylamine, Ammonia, Methanol, Toluene and 4 more. Reports carcinogens. 3,039 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 4900WHVLND2722N (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 7.2
Richard-Allan Scientific, Kalamazoo
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Methanol, Xylene (mixed isomers), Ethylbenzene, Formaldehyde and 2 more. Reports carcinogens. 2,558 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 49008RCHRD4481C (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 7.1
Johnson Controls Interiors - Battle Creek, Battle Creek
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000408880 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 7
Pharmacia & Upjohn (P&U) - Kapi And Emu, Portage
NPDES wastewater discharge permit. Penalties $119,696.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000753122 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 7
Graphic Packaging International, Inc., Kalamazoo
NPDES wastewater discharge permit. Penalties $228,513.
EPA FRS registry ID 110064266039 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 7
Flowserve Corp, Kalamazoo
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Chromium, Lead compounds, Lead And Lead Compounds, Nickel and 2 more. Reports carcinogens. 728 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 49001DRMTL2100F (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 6.7
Pharmacia & Upjohn (P&U) - Kapi And Emu, Portage
Large greenhouse gas emitter. Penalties $119,696.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000753122 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 6.5
Graphic Packaging International, Inc., Kalamazoo
Large greenhouse gas emitter. Penalties $228,513.
EPA FRS registry ID 110064266039 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 6.5
Allnex Usa Inc., Kalamazoo
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000408746 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 6.3
Flowserve Corp, Kalamazoo
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000408666 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 6.2
Kalamazoo Fairgrounds, Kalamazoo
EPA air quality monitor.
Record ID 260770008 (U.S. EPA AirData)
Severity 6.1

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 Kalamazoo 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 Kalamazoo 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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