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Hancock County, Mississippi: environmental and disease records

Cancer mortality in Hancock County is 166 deaths per 100,000 people per year against a U.S. rate of 143.2, a statistically significant excess. The strongest disease signals are Lung & bronchus deaths at 1.4 times the U.S. rate. Federal databases place 189 regulated facilities, sites and hazards inside the county, led by NPDES wastewater discharge permit (83), Rail grade crossing (57), Major air pollution source (8). 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: 30.4121, -89.5105.

How this county ranks in Mississippi

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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 Hancock County compared with the United States
Cancer	Measure	County rate	U.S. rate	Times U.S.	95% interval	Years
Bladder	Deaths	6.5	4.1	1.59x	4.1 to 10.1	2020-2024
Non-Hodgkin lymphoma	Deaths	7.4	4.8	1.54x	4.6 to 11.5	2020-2024
Lung & bronchus	Deaths	42.2	30.2	1.4xSignificant	35.7 to 49.7	2020-2024
Lung & bronchus	New cases	71.5	51.8	1.38xSignificant	63 to 81	2019-2023
Kidney & renal pelvis	New cases	23.8	17.9	1.33xSignificant	18.6 to 30.1	2019-2023
Brain & nervous system	Deaths	5.7	4.4	1.3x	3.4 to 9.1	2020-2024
All cancer	Deaths	166	143.2	1.16xSignificant	152.4 to 180.6	2020-2024
Leukemia	Deaths	6.3	5.7	1.11x	3.9 to 9.9	2020-2024
Leukemia	New cases	15.8	14.5	1.09x	11.6 to 21.1	2019-2023
Liver & bile duct	Deaths	7.1	6.6	1.08x	4.6 to 10.8	2020-2024
All cancer	New cases	469.3	453.4	1.04x	445.4 to 494.2	2019-2023
Bladder	New cases	18.6	18.7	0.99x	14.3 to 24	2019-2023
Brain & nervous system	New cases	5.9	6.2	0.95x	3.4 to 9.7	2019-2023
Liver & bile duct	New cases	8.2	8.7	0.94x	5.4 to 12.1	2019-2023
Melanoma of the skin	New cases	22.1	23.8	0.93x	16.9 to 28.5	2019-2023
Pancreas	New cases	12.9	13.9	0.93x	9.5 to 17.3	2019-2023
Pancreas	Deaths	10.4	11.3	0.92x	7.4 to 14.4	2020-2024
Non-Hodgkin lymphoma	New cases	15.8	18.5	0.85x	11.6 to 21.1	2019-2023
Stomach	New cases	5.2	6.6	0.79x	2.9 to 8.8	2019-2023
Thyroid	New cases	9	13	0.69x	5.5 to 13.9	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 Hancock County
Measure	County	U.S. median	Difference	Unit
Premature death	11,582.8	9,842.6	+18%	years of life lost before age 75 per 100,000
Life expectancy	74.3	75.3	-1%	years
Child mortality	64.8	59.8	+8%	deaths under age 18 per 100,000
Infant mortality	7.7	6.2	+23%	deaths under age 1 per 1,000 live births
Injury deaths	109.7	96.9	+13%	deaths per 100,000
Drug overdose deaths	43.5	28.6	+52%	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.

Formaldehyde21.45 per million
Carbon Tetrachloride2.91 per million
Acetaldehyde1.71 per million
Benzene0.63 per million

EPA Air Quality Index 2025

Monitored on 365 days: 256 good, 0 unhealthy for sensitive groups or worse. Median AQI 43, peak 84.

Regulated facilities, sites and hazards by type

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

NPDES wastewater discharge permit83
Rail grade crossing57
Major air pollution source8
Small hazardous waste generator8
Air permit holder (minor source)6
TRI reporting facility6
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI)6
Hazardous waste transporter4
Large hazardous waste generator3
Industrial wastewater discharge3
Public airport2
EPA air quality monitor1
Commercial airport1
Large greenhouse gas emitter1

Highest-severity records

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

Alpek Polyester Mississippi Inc, Bay Saint Louis
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Ethylene glycol, Acetaldehyde, 1,4-Dioxane, Antimony And Antimony Compounds and 3 more. Reports carcinogens. 364,403 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 39520WLLMN3303P (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 8.8
Polychemie Inc, Pearlington
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Ammonia, Allyl chloride, Dimethylamine, Allyl alcohol and 3 more. Reports carcinogens. 62,231 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 39572PLYCHPORTB (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 8.2
Calgon Carbon Corporation, Bay St Louis
TRI reporting facility. Penalties $78,500.
EPA FRS registry ID 110002214951 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 8.1
Us Navy - Naval Special Warfare Small Arms Range, Stennis Space Center
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Lead. Reports carcinogens. 47,444 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 3952WNVLSPUPPER (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 8.1
Sabic Innovative Plastics Us Llc, Bay Saint Louis
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Styrene, Acrylonitrile, Ethylbenzene. Reports carcinogens. 21,041 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 39521BRGWRPORTB (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 7.8
Calgon Carbon Corp - Pearl River Plant, Bay Saint Louis
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Hydrochloric acid (acid aerosols including mists, vapors, gas, fog, and other airborne forms of any particle size), Lead And Lead Compounds, Lead compounds, Mercury and 3 more. Reports carcinogens. 9,717 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 39520CLGNC13121 (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 7.6
Polychemie Inc, Pearlington
TRI reporting facility. Penalties $12,000.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000879675 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 7.4
Wellman Of Mississippi Inc, Bay Saint Louis
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000602410 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 7.3
Calgon Carbon Corporation, Bay St Louis
Major air pollution source. Penalties $78,500.
EPA FRS registry ID 110002214951 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 6
Sabic Innovative Plastics - Bay St. Louis, Bay St. Louis
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000607610 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 5.8
Us Navy - Naval Special Warfare Small Arms Range, Stennis Space Center
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110055498340 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 5.8
Nasa John C. Stennis Space Center, Stennis Space Center
Major air pollution source.
EPA FRS registry ID 110011596166 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 5.8
Calgon Carbon Corporation, Bay St Louis
NPDES wastewater discharge permit. Penalties $78,500.
EPA FRS registry ID 110002214951 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 5.5
Nasa John C. Stennis Space Center, Stennis Space Center
Large hazardous waste generator.
EPA FRS registry ID 110011596166 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 5.3
Nasa John C. Stennis Space Center, Stennis Space Center
NPDES wastewater discharge permit.
EPA FRS registry ID 110011596166 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 5.3
Waveland, Waveland
EPA air quality monitor.
Record ID 280450003 (U.S. EPA AirData)
Severity 5.1
Stennis Intl, Bay St Louis
Commercial airport. O.
Record ID HSA (FAA / U.S. DOT)
Severity 5
Gulf States Ready-Mix Plant 25, Bay Saint Louis
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Lead. Reports carcinogens. 1 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 3952WGLFST121HI (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 4.8
Jindal Tubular Usa Llc, Bay St. Louis
NPDES wastewater discharge permit. Penalties $175,000.
EPA FRS registry ID 110058313640 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 4.8
Wellman Of Mississippi Inc, Bay Saint Louis
Major air pollution source.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000602410 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 4.5
Polychemie Inc, Pearlington
Large hazardous waste generator. Penalties $12,000.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000879675 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 4.5
Hcua, Southern Regional Wwtp, Waveland
NPDES wastewater discharge permit.
EPA FRS registry ID 110002208307 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 4.5
Pearlington Clay Llc, Zengarling Pit, Waveland
NPDES wastewater discharge permit.
EPA FRS registry ID 110029520800 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 4.3
Bourgeois Trucking And Equipment Llc Pit #3, Bay St. Louis
NPDES wastewater discharge permit.
EPA FRS registry ID 110038338135 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 4.3
Jindal Tubular Usa Llc, Bay St. Louis
Air permit holder (minor source). Penalties $175,000.
EPA FRS registry ID 110058313640 (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.

No correctional facility with an EPA record is located in this county.

Discovery / public records

Records to request for Hancock County

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