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Washtenaw County, Michigan: environmental and disease records

Cancer mortality in Washtenaw County is 131.2 deaths per 100,000 people per year against a U.S. rate of 143.2. The strongest disease signals are Brain & nervous system deaths at 1.3 times the U.S. rate. Federal databases place 968 regulated facilities, sites and hazards inside the county, led by NPDES wastewater discharge permit (158), Rail grade crossing (123), Gas station (mapped facility) (118). 4 correctional facilities operate in the county. 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: 42.2538, -83.8375.

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 Washtenaw County compared with the United States
Cancer	Measure	County rate	U.S. rate	Times U.S.	95% interval	Years
Brain & nervous system	Deaths	5.7	4.4	1.3xSignificant	4.7 to 6.9	2020-2024
Pancreas	New cases	16.4	13.9	1.18xSignificant	14.7 to 18.3	2019-2023
Pancreas	Deaths	12.6	11.3	1.12x	11.1 to 14.2	2020-2024
Non-Hodgkin lymphoma	New cases	20.4	18.5	1.1x	18.4 to 22.5	2019-2023
Non-Hodgkin lymphoma	Deaths	5.2	4.8	1.08x	4.3 to 6.3	2020-2024
Bladder	Deaths	4.1	4.1	1x	3.2 to 5	2020-2024
Leukemia	New cases	14.3	14.5	0.99x	12.7 to 16.1	2019-2023
Bladder	New cases	18.3	18.7	0.98x	16.5 to 20.3	2019-2023
Melanoma of the skin	New cases	23	23.8	0.97x	20.9 to 25.3	2019-2023
All cancer	New cases	436.9	453.4	0.96x	427.7 to 446.3	2019-2023
Thyroid	New cases	12.1	13	0.93x	10.6 to 13.9	2019-2023
All cancer	Deaths	131.2	143.2	0.92x	126.3 to 136.3	2020-2024
Brain & nervous system	New cases	5.6	6.2	0.9x	4.6 to 6.8	2019-2023
Kidney & renal pelvis	New cases	16.1	17.9	0.9x	14.3 to 18	2019-2023
Leukemia	Deaths	5	5.7	0.88x	4 to 6.1	2020-2024
Esophagus	New cases	4	4.6	0.87x	3.2 to 5	2019-2023
Lung & bronchus	Deaths	25.9	30.2	0.86x	23.7 to 28.2	2020-2024
Stomach	Deaths	2.3	2.7	0.85x	1.7 to 3.1	2020-2024
Melanoma of the skin	Deaths	1.7	2	0.85x	1.2 to 2.3	2020-2024
Lung & bronchus	New cases	43.3	51.8	0.84x	40.5 to 46.2	2019-2023
Kidney & renal pelvis	Deaths	2.8	3.4	0.82x	2.1 to 3.6	2020-2024
Stomach	New cases	5.3	6.6	0.8x	4.3 to 6.4	2019-2023
Childhood cancer (under 15)	New cases	12.1	16.4	0.74x	8.3 to 17	2019-2023
Esophagus	Deaths	2.7	3.7	0.73x	2.1 to 3.5	2020-2024
Liver & bile duct	Deaths	4.7	6.6	0.71x	3.9 to 5.8	2020-2024
Liver & bile duct	New cases	5.9	8.7	0.68x	4.9 to 7	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 Washtenaw County
Measure	County	U.S. median	Difference	Unit
Premature death	5,792.2	9,842.6	-41%	years of life lost before age 75 per 100,000
Life expectancy	80.5	75.3	+7%	years
Child mortality	43.2	59.8	-28%	deaths under age 18 per 100,000
Infant mortality	5.4	6.2	-12%	deaths under age 1 per 1,000 live births
Injury deaths	66.5	96.9	-31%	deaths per 100,000
Drug overdose deaths	23.1	28.6	-19%	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.

Formaldehyde15.57 per million
Carbon Tetrachloride2.96 per million
Naphthalene1.67 per million
Acetaldehyde1.57 per million

EPA Air Quality Index 2025

Monitored on 365 days: 253 good, 8 unhealthy for sensitive groups or worse. Median AQI 41, peak 152.

Regulated facilities, sites and hazards by type

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

NPDES wastewater discharge permit158
Rail grade crossing123
Gas station (mapped facility)118
Brownfield property116
Industrial wastewater discharge107
Auto repair or body shop (mapped facility)76
Small hazardous waste generator69
Air permit holder (minor source)56
Large hazardous waste generator23
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI)23
TRI reporting facility17
Major air pollution source14
Dry cleaner (mapped facility)12
Hazardous waste transporter10
Public airport8
Scrapyard (mapped facility)8
Heliport6
Correctional facility (prison or jail)4
Large greenhouse gas emitter4
Wastewater plant (mapped facility)4
EPA air quality monitor2
Landfill (mapped facility)2
Gas power plant2
Oil-fired power plant2
Commercial airport1
Biomass 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.

Gelman Sciences Inc., Ann Arbor
Superfund (NPL) site. Hazard Ranking System score 50. NPL Site.
EPA site ID MID005341813 (U.S. EPA Superfund (SEMS/NPL)) Agency record
Severity 10
Dapco Industries, Dexter
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Dichloromethane, Ammonia, Manganese, Copper. Reports carcinogens. 116,764 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 48130DPCND2500B (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 8.4
Faurecia Interior Systems Saline, Llc, Saline
TRI reporting facility. Penalties $75,981.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000592993 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 8.1
Cayman Chemical Co Inc., Ann Arbor
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Dichloromethane. Reports carcinogens. 18,975 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 48108CYMNC118EE (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 7.8
Fci Milan, Milan
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Lead. Reports carcinogens. 15,725 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 4816WFCMLNPBX1X (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 7.7
Faurecia Interior Systems Saline, Llc, Saline
Major air pollution source. Penalties $75,981.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000592993 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 7.5
Gfl Environmental - Arbor Hills Landfill, Northville
Major air pollution source. Penalties $1,480,109.
EPA FRS registry ID 110015815402 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 7.5
Lgc Genomics Llc, Dexter
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Dichloromethane. Reports carcinogens. 2,840 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 4813WLGCGN2434B (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 7.2
Faurecia Interior Systems Saline, Llc, Saline
Large hazardous waste generator. Penalties $75,981.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000592993 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 7
Faurecia Interior Systems Saline, Llc, Saline
NPDES wastewater discharge permit. Penalties $75,981.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000592993 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 7
American Soy Products, Saline
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110010740323 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 7
Alco Manufacturing Corporation, Dexter
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110070059006 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 7
Thetford Corp, Ann Arbor
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Formaldehyde, Methanol. Reports carcinogens. 600 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 48103THTFR7101J (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 6.6
U.S. Epa National Vehicle & Fuel Emissions Laboratory, Ann Arbor
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Toluene, Xylene (mixed isomers). 48,306 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 48105SPNTN2565P (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 6.6
Marsh Plating Corp, Ypsilanti
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Zinc compounds, Nickel compounds, Nitric acid. Reports carcinogens. 439 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 48198MRSHP103NG (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 6.5
Gfl Environmental - Arbor Hills Landfill, Northville
Large greenhouse gas emitter. Penalties $1,480,109.
EPA FRS registry ID 110015815402 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 6.5
Paladin Attachments Llc, Dexter
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Manganese, Lead. Reports carcinogens. 197 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 48130SWPST28NZE (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 6.3
Condat Corp-Saline, Saline
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110015660211 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 6.3
Dapco Industries, Dexter
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000405632 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 6.2
Ycua Regional Wastewater Treatment Plant, Ypsilanti
NPDES wastewater discharge permit.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000540861 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 6
Saline Wwtp, Saline
NPDES wastewater discharge permit.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000733421 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 6
Finishing Services Inc, Ypsilanti
Large hazardous waste generator.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000852435 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 6
Ann Arbor Wwtp, Ann Arbor
NPDES wastewater discharge permit.
EPA FRS registry ID 110009909313 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 5.8
Cayman Chemical Co Inc, Ann Arbor
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110003705027 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 5.6
Marsh Plating Corporation, Ypsilanti
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000406472 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 5.6

Correctional facilities

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

Mi Dept/Corrections, Ypsilanti
EPA FRS registry ID
110003607712
Wastewater permit
None on record
EPA detailed facility report
Mi Dept/Corrections, Chelsea
EPA FRS registry ID
110003680721
Wastewater permit
None on record
EPA detailed facility report
B.O.P. Federal Correctional Institute, Milan
EPA FRS registry ID
110027227249
Wastewater permit
None on record
EPA detailed facility report
Mdoc Women'S Huron Valley Correctional Facility, Ypsilanti
EPA FRS registry ID
110069221773
Wastewater permit
None on record
EPA detailed facility report

Discovery / public records

Records to request for Washtenaw 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 Washtenaw 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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