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Lee County, Mississippi: environmental and disease records

Cancer mortality in Lee County is 198.4 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 1.7 times the U.S. rate and Non-Hodgkin lymphoma deaths at 1.6 times the U.S. rate. Federal databases place 447 regulated facilities, sites and hazards inside the county, led by NPDES wastewater discharge permit (164), Rail grade crossing (99), Gas station (mapped facility) (61). One correctional facility operates 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: 34.2902, -88.685.

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 Lee County compared with the United States
Cancer	Measure	County rate	U.S. rate	Times U.S.	95% interval	Years
Lung & bronchus	Deaths	49.9	30.2	1.65xSignificant	43.9 to 56.6	2020-2024
Non-Hodgkin lymphoma	Deaths	7.5	4.8	1.56xSignificant	5.2 to 10.5	2020-2024
Esophagus	Deaths	5.4	3.7	1.46x	3.5 to 7.9	2020-2024
Leukemia	Deaths	8.2	5.7	1.44x	5.7 to 11.3	2020-2024
Lung & bronchus	New cases	73.8	51.8	1.42xSignificant	66.4 to 81.9	2019-2023
Brain & nervous system	Deaths	6.2	4.4	1.41x	4.1 to 8.9	2020-2024
All cancer	Deaths	198.4	143.2	1.39xSignificant	185.9 to 211.6	2020-2024
Esophagus	New cases	6.3	4.6	1.37x	4.3 to 9	2019-2023
Liver & bile duct	Deaths	8.5	6.6	1.29x	6.2 to 11.5	2020-2024
Bladder	New cases	23.2	18.7	1.24xSignificant	19.1 to 28	2019-2023
Kidney & renal pelvis	New cases	22.2	17.9	1.24xSignificant	18.1 to 26.9	2019-2023
Non-Hodgkin lymphoma	New cases	22.9	18.5	1.24xSignificant	18.7 to 27.7	2019-2023
All cancer	New cases	529.5	453.4	1.17xSignificant	508.9 to 550.7	2019-2023
Pancreas	Deaths	13	11.3	1.15x	10 to 16.7	2020-2024
Kidney & renal pelvis	Deaths	3.9	3.4	1.15x	2.4 to 6	2020-2024
Leukemia	New cases	14.9	14.5	1.03x	11.6 to 18.9	2019-2023
Brain & nervous system	New cases	6.1	6.2	0.98x	3.9 to 9	2019-2023
Bladder	Deaths	3.8	4.1	0.93x	2.3 to 6.1	2020-2024
Pancreas	New cases	12.6	13.9	0.91x	9.7 to 16.2	2019-2023
Liver & bile duct	New cases	7.8	8.7	0.9x	5.6 to 10.6	2019-2023
Stomach	New cases	5.9	6.6	0.89x	3.9 to 8.5	2019-2023
Melanoma of the skin	New cases	20.6	23.8	0.87x	16.6 to 25.4	2019-2023
Thyroid	New cases	6.9	13	0.53x	4.6 to 10	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 Lee County
Measure	County	U.S. median	Difference	Unit
Premature death	12,356.5	9,842.6	+26%	years of life lost before age 75 per 100,000
Life expectancy	72.1	75.3	-4%	years
Child mortality	89.5	59.8	+50%	deaths under age 18 per 100,000
Infant mortality	9.4	6.2	+51%	deaths under age 1 per 1,000 live births
Injury deaths	98.4	96.9	+1%	deaths per 100,000
Drug overdose deaths	21.5	28.6	-25%	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.

Formaldehyde25.51 per million
Carbon Tetrachloride2.93 per million
Acetaldehyde2.54 per million
Benzene0.84 per million

EPA Air Quality Index 2025

Monitored on 242 days: 230 good, 0 unhealthy for sensitive groups or worse. Median AQI 38, peak 64.

Regulated facilities, sites and hazards by type

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

NPDES wastewater discharge permit164
Rail grade crossing99
Gas station (mapped facility)61
Air permit holder (minor source)37
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI)19
TRI reporting facility18
Small hazardous waste generator16
Major air pollution source7
Auto repair or body shop (mapped facility)6
Large hazardous waste generator6
Brownfield property5
Public airport2
EPA air quality monitor1
Commercial airport1
Correctional facility (prison or jail)1
Dry cleaner (mapped facility)1
Large greenhouse gas emitter1
Hazardous waste transporter1
Scrapyard (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.

Norbord Industries Inc, Guntown
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000605186 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 9.1
West Fraser Us Ewp Llc, Guntown
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Methanol, Formaldehyde, Lead And Lead Compounds, Diisocyanates and 2 more. Reports carcinogens. 251,135 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 38849NRBRD1194H (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 8.6
South Atlantic Galvanizing, Shannon
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Zinc compounds, Lead, Chromium and Chromium Compounds(except for chromite ore mined in the Transvaal Region). Reports carcinogens. 24,588 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 3886WSTHTL61CUN (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 7.9
Afi - Verona, Tupelo
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Toluene diisocyanate (mixed isomers). Reports carcinogens. 17,888 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 3880WFVRNX18LIP (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 7.8
Mtd Consumer Group Inc - Tupelo Facility, Verona
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Certain glycol ethers, Manganese, Copper, Nickel and 4 more. Reports carcinogens. 15,403 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 3887WTPLMT5484H (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 7.7
Mtd Products, Verona
TRI reporting facility. Penalties $37,270.
EPA FRS registry ID 110044492894 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 7.6
Fxi Inc. - Baldwyn, Baldwyn
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Toluene diisocyanate (mixed isomers), Diisocyanates. Reports carcinogens. 3,179 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 38824DVNCD976HW (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 7.2
The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co, Tupelo
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Zinc compounds, Cobalt compounds, Thiram, Lead compounds and 1 more. Reports carcinogens. 3,130 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 38802CPRTR1689S (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 7.2
Goodyear Tire And Rubber Company, The, Tupelo
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000375889 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 7
Future Foam Inc., Tupelo
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Toluene diisocyanate (mixed isomers). Reports carcinogens. 1,366 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 38801LPFMN1118C (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 6.9
Auto Parts Manufacturing Mississippi, Inc., Guntown
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110043311626 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 6.8
Auto Parts Manufacturing Mississippi Inc, Guntown
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Nitric acid, Manganese And Manganese Compounds, Manganese compounds, Nickel compounds and 2 more. Reports carcinogens. 958 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 38849TPRTS1TABW (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 6.8
Elite Comfort Solutions - Verona, Shannon
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Toluene diisocyanate (mixed isomers), Diisocyanates. Reports carcinogens. 889 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 3880WLTCMF212CD (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 6.8
Hunter Douglas Tupelo Center, Shannon
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: 1,2,4-Trimethylbenzene. 75,600 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 38868HNTRDRTE2L (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 6.7
Norbord Industries Inc, Guntown
Major air pollution source.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000605186 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 6.5
Apac-Mississippi Inc. Tupelo Asphalt Plant, Tupelo
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Polycyclic aromatic compounds, Lead And Lead Compounds, Benzo[g,h,i]perylene. Reports carcinogens. 329 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 3880WPCMSS459SE (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 6.4
Hunter Douglas Inc, Tupelo Center, Shannon
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000605195 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 6.4
Carpenter Co, Verona
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Toluene diisocyanate (mixed isomers), Toluene-2,4-diisocyanate, Toluene-2,6-diisocyanate. Reports carcinogens. 218 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 38879RCRPNLEEIN (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 6.3
Syntron Material Handling Llc, Saltillo
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Manganese, Nickel, Chromium, Lead. Reports carcinogens. 93 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 38802FMCCRHIGHW (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 6
Fxi Inc. - Tupelo, Verona
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Toluene diisocyanate (mixed isomers), Diisocyanates. Reports carcinogens. 91 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 38879SHLLRLEEIN (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 6
Norbord Industries Inc, Guntown
NPDES wastewater discharge permit.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000605186 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 6
General Atomics Ems Tupelo Div, Shannon
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Zinc (fume or dust), Lead, Copper. Reports carcinogens. 49 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 3886WGNRLT112BR (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 5.8
Mtd Products, Verona
Large hazardous waste generator. Penalties $37,270.
EPA FRS registry ID 110044492894 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 5.8
Afi - Verona, Tupelo
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110071263884 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 5.7
South Atlantic Galvanizing, Shannon
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110067207579 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 5.7

Correctional facilities

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

Lee County Board Of Supervisors, Lee County Adult Detention Center, Tupelo
EPA FRS registry ID
110072113337
Wastewater permit
Yes
EPA detailed facility report

Discovery / public records

Records to request for Lee 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 Lee 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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