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Ottawa County, Michigan: environmental and disease records

Cancer mortality in Ottawa County is 134.9 deaths per 100,000 people per year against a U.S. rate of 143.2. The strongest disease signals are Melanoma of the skin deaths at 1.5 times the U.S. rate and Leukemia deaths at 1.2 times the U.S. rate. Federal databases place 894 regulated facilities, sites and hazards inside the county, led by Rail grade crossing (167), NPDES wastewater discharge permit (159), Gas station (mapped facility) (93). 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: 42.9856, -86.0055.

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 Ottawa County compared with the United States
Cancer	Measure	County rate	U.S. rate	Times U.S.	95% interval	Years
Melanoma of the skin	Deaths	2.9	2	1.45xSignificant	2.2 to 3.9	2020-2024
Melanoma of the skin	New cases	31	23.8	1.3xSignificant	28.3 to 33.8	2019-2023
Leukemia	Deaths	7	5.7	1.23xSignificant	5.8 to 8.4	2020-2024
Esophagus	New cases	5.4	4.6	1.17x	4.4 to 6.6	2019-2023
Non-Hodgkin lymphoma	Deaths	5.6	4.8	1.17x	4.6 to 6.9	2020-2024
Kidney & renal pelvis	Deaths	3.9	3.4	1.15x	3.1 to 5	2020-2024
Esophagus	Deaths	4	3.7	1.08x	3.1 to 5	2020-2024
Brain & nervous system	Deaths	4.7	4.4	1.07x	3.7 to 5.9	2020-2024
Pancreas	Deaths	11.6	11.3	1.03x	10.1 to 13.3	2020-2024
Pancreas	New cases	13.4	13.9	0.96x	11.7 to 15.2	2019-2023
All cancer	Deaths	134.9	143.2	0.94x	129.5 to 140.4	2020-2024
Kidney & renal pelvis	New cases	16.2	17.9	0.91x	14.3 to 18.3	2019-2023
Bladder	Deaths	3.7	4.1	0.9x	2.9 to 4.8	2020-2024
Non-Hodgkin lymphoma	New cases	16.5	18.5	0.89x	14.6 to 18.6	2019-2023
Thyroid	New cases	11.5	13	0.88x	9.8 to 13.4	2019-2023
Bladder	New cases	16.4	18.7	0.88x	14.5 to 18.4	2019-2023
All cancer	New cases	394.9	453.4	0.87x	385.4 to 404.6	2019-2023
Brain & nervous system	New cases	5.4	6.2	0.87x	4.3 to 6.7	2019-2023
Lung & bronchus	Deaths	25.3	30.2	0.84x	23 to 27.7	2020-2024
Leukemia	New cases	11.7	14.5	0.81x	10.1 to 13.5	2019-2023
Liver & bile duct	New cases	6.6	8.7	0.76x	5.4 to 7.9	2019-2023
Liver & bile duct	Deaths	5	6.6	0.76x	4 to 6.1	2020-2024
Lung & bronchus	New cases	39	51.8	0.75x	36.2 to 42	2019-2023
Stomach	New cases	4.8	6.6	0.73x	3.9 to 6	2019-2023
Childhood cancer (under 15)	New cases	11.9	16.4	0.73x	8.1 to 16.7	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 Ottawa County
Measure	County	U.S. median	Difference	Unit
Premature death	5,205.8	9,842.6	-47%	years of life lost before age 75 per 100,000
Life expectancy	80.1	75.3	+6%	years
Child mortality	33.5	59.8	-44%	deaths under age 18 per 100,000
Infant mortality	4	6.2	-35%	deaths under age 1 per 1,000 live births
Injury deaths	57.8	96.9	-40%	deaths per 100,000
Drug overdose deaths	11.1	28.6	-61%	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.

Formaldehyde14.08 per million
Carbon Tetrachloride2.98 per million
Acetaldehyde1.34 per million
Naphthalene1.13 per million

EPA Air Quality Index 2025

Monitored on 365 days: 260 good, 8 unhealthy for sensitive groups or worse. Median AQI 40, peak 159.

Regulated facilities, sites and hazards by type

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

Rail grade crossing167
NPDES wastewater discharge permit159
Gas station (mapped facility)93
Brownfield property79
Air permit holder (minor source)77
Industrial wastewater discharge77
Small hazardous waste generator48
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI)43
TRI reporting facility35
Auto repair or body shop (mapped facility)28
Large hazardous waste generator19
Major air pollution source12
Public airport12
Large greenhouse gas emitter11
Scrapyard (mapped facility)8
Gas power plant5
Landfill (mapped facility)4
Hazardous waste transporter3
Biomass power plant3
Dry cleaner (mapped facility)2
Heliport2
Wastewater plant (mapped facility)2
EPA air quality monitor1
Coal power plant1
Oil-fired power plant1
Solar power plant1
Superfund (NPL) site1

Highest-severity records

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

Aurorium Zeeland Llc (B2817), Zeeland
TRI reporting facility. Penalties $306,263.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000411206 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 10
Southwest Ottawa County Landfill, Park Township
Superfund (NPL) site. Hazard Ranking System score 39.7. NPL Site.
EPA site ID MID980608780 (U.S. EPA Superfund (SEMS/NPL)) Agency record
Severity 10
J H Campbell, West Olive
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000411108 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 9.9
J H Campbell Generating Plant, West Olive
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Barium And Barium Compounds, Barium compounds (except for barium sulfate (CAS No. 7727-43-7)), Ammonia, Vanadium compounds and 4 more. Reports carcinogens. 10,814,379 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 49460JHCMP17000 (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 9.9
Hillshire Brands - Zeeland, Zeeland
TRI reporting facility. Penalties $79,923.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000411153 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 9.9
Zeeland Farm Services, Inc., Zeeland
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000411242 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 9.2
Leprino Foods Company Allendale, Mi Facility, Allendale
TRI reporting facility. Penalties $15,033.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000410314 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 9.1
Mead Johnson Nutrition, Zeeland
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000411162 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 9.1
Aurorium Zeeland Llc, Zeeland
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Ethylene, Toluene, Methanol, Chlorobenzene and 4 more. Reports carcinogens. 559,001 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 49464HXCLC215CE (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 8.9
Msu Bioeconomy Institute, Holland
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110038872761 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 8.2
Plascore Inc, Zeeland
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Phenol, Aluminum (fume or dust), Lead. Reports carcinogens. 72,552 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 49464PLSCR615NF (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 8.2
Gentex Corp Automotive Div, Zeeland
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Silver And Silver Compounds, n-Butyl alcohol, Toluene, Lead And Lead Compounds and 4 more. Reports carcinogens. 25,481 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 49464GNTXC600NC (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 7.9
Grand Haven Board Of Light &Power Jb Sims Generating Stati, Grand Haven
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Sulfuric acid (acid aerosols including mists, vapors, gas, fog, and other airborne forms of any particle size), Hydrochloric acid (acid aerosols including mists, vapors, gas, fog, and other airborne forms of any particle size), Hydrogen fluoride, Lead And Lead Compounds and 2 more. Reports carcinogens. 14,062 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 49417GRNDH1231N (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 7.7
Mead Johnson & Co Llc, Zeeland
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Nitrate compounds (water dissociable; reportable only when in aqueous solution), Toluene, Nitric acid. 718,808 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 49464BRSTL725EM (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 7.5
J H Campbell, West Olive
Coal power plant.
Record ID 1710 (U.S. Energy Information Administration)
Severity 7.4
The Hillshire Brands Co, Zeeland
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Nitrate compounds (water dissociable; reportable only when in aqueous solution), Ammonia, Sodium nitrite, Nitric acid and 1 more. 484,571 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 49464BLMRF83009 (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 7.4
Bdgn Corp Dba American Autocoat Inc., Hudsonville
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: 1,2,4-Trimethylbenzene, Xylene (mixed isomers), Ethylbenzene, Methyl isobutyl ketone and 1 more. Reports carcinogens. 5,077 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 4942WMRCNT3565H (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 7.3
Zeeland Farm Soya, Zeeland
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: n-Hexane. 360,142 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 49464ZLNDF24688 (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 7.3
Linamar Structures (Michigan), Fruitport
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Lead, Chromium. Reports carcinogens. 3,956 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 49415CMNRN14638 (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 7.3
Magna-Engineered Glass, Holland
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Diisocyanates, Lead. Reports carcinogens. 3,440 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 49424DNNLL3601J (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 7.2
Benteler Automotive Holland Inc., Holland
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Lead. Reports carcinogens. 1,897 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 49423BHNLM365W2 (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 7
Aurorium Zeeland Llc (B2817), Zeeland
Large hazardous waste generator. Penalties $306,263.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000411206 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 7
Boar'S Head Provisions Co., Inc., Holland
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110001846637 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 7
Request Foods Quincy Street Plant, Holland
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Ammonia, Nitrate compounds (water dissociable; reportable only when in aqueous solution), Nitric acid. 59,340 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 4942WRQSTF1344Q (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 6.7
Leprino Foods Company Allendale, Mi Facility, Allendale
Large greenhouse gas emitter. Penalties $15,033.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000410314 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 6.5

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 Ottawa 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 Ottawa 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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