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Beaufort County, North Carolina: environmental and disease records

Cancer mortality in Beaufort County is 156.5 deaths per 100,000 people per year against a U.S. rate of 143.2, a statistically significant excess. The strongest disease signals are Liver & bile duct deaths at 1.5 times the U.S. rate and Lung & bronchus deaths at 1.3 times the U.S. rate. Federal databases place 356 regulated facilities, sites and hazards inside the county, led by Rail grade crossing (169), NPDES wastewater discharge permit (86), Air permit holder (minor source) (19). 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: 35.4781, -76.7757.

How this county ranks in North Carolina

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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 Beaufort County compared with the United States
Cancer	Measure	County rate	U.S. rate	Times U.S.	95% interval	Years
Liver & bile duct	Deaths	9.8	6.6	1.48xSignificant	6.8 to 14	2020-2024
Brain & nervous system	New cases	8.5	6.2	1.37x	5 to 13.5	2019-2023
Lung & bronchus	Deaths	39.1	30.2	1.29xSignificant	33.1 to 46	2020-2024
Non-Hodgkin lymphoma	New cases	21.8	18.5	1.18x	16.8 to 28.2	2019-2023
Kidney & renal pelvis	New cases	20.8	17.9	1.16x	15.7 to 27.1	2019-2023
Liver & bile duct	New cases	10.1	8.7	1.16x	7.2 to 14.1	2019-2023
Stomach	New cases	7.4	6.6	1.12x	4.8 to 11.1	2019-2023
Lung & bronchus	New cases	58	51.8	1.12x	50.6 to 66.5	2019-2023
All cancer	Deaths	156.5	143.2	1.09xSignificant	143.7 to 170.4	2020-2024
All cancer	New cases	491	453.4	1.08xSignificant	466.7 to 516.5	2019-2023
Esophagus	New cases	4.9	4.6	1.07x	2.9 to 8.2	2019-2023
Thyroid	New cases	13.7	13	1.05x	9 to 20	2019-2023
Brain & nervous system	Deaths	4.5	4.4	1.02x	2.5 to 7.7	2020-2024
Pancreas	Deaths	11.1	11.3	0.98x	8 to 15.3	2020-2024
Melanoma of the skin	New cases	22.9	23.8	0.96x	17.5 to 29.5	2019-2023
Pancreas	New cases	12.5	13.9	0.9x	9.2 to 16.9	2019-2023
Bladder	New cases	15.3	18.7	0.82x	11.7 to 20	2019-2023
Leukemia	New cases	11.3	14.5	0.78x	8.1 to 15.7	2019-2023
Leukemia	Deaths	4.3	5.7	0.75x	2.4 to 7.5	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 Beaufort County
Measure	County	U.S. median	Difference	Unit
Premature death	12,292.8	9,842.6	+25%	years of life lost before age 75 per 100,000
Life expectancy	73.7	75.3	-2%	years
Child mortality	93.7	59.8	+57%	deaths under age 18 per 100,000
Infant mortality	10.1	6.2	+63%	deaths under age 1 per 1,000 live births
Injury deaths	112.2	96.9	+16%	deaths per 100,000
Drug overdose deaths	42.7	28.6	+49%	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.

Formaldehyde16.93 per million
Carbon Tetrachloride2.96 per million
Acetaldehyde1.59 per million
Benzene0.75 per million

EPA Air Quality Index

No EPA air quality monitor reports daily AQI for this county.

Regulated facilities, sites and hazards by type

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

Rail grade crossing169
NPDES wastewater discharge permit86
Air permit holder (minor source)19
Gas station (mapped facility)19
Auto repair or body shop (mapped facility)13
Brownfield property11
Solar power plant10
Small hazardous waste generator9
TRI reporting facility4
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI)4
Major air pollution source3
EPA air quality monitor1
Public airport1
Commercial airport1
Large greenhouse gas emitter1
Large hazardous waste generator1
Heliport1
Other power plant1
Superfund (NPL) site1
Wastewater plant (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.

FCX, Inc. (Washington Plant), Washington
Superfund (NPL) site. Hazard Ranking System score 40.4. NPL Site.
EPA site ID NCD981475932 (U.S. EPA Superfund (SEMS/NPL)) Agency record
Severity 10
Pcs Phosphate Co Inc, Aurora
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Hydrogen sulfide, Zinc compounds, Ammonia, Chromium and Chromium Compounds(except for chromite ore mined in the Transvaal Region) and 4 more. Reports carcinogens. 21,725,518 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 27806TXSGLHIGHW (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 10
Iconic Marine Group Llc, Washington
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Styrene, Methyl methacrylate. Reports carcinogens. 215,385 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 2788WCNCMR1653W (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 8.6
Seolta Holdings Llc, Washington
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Styrene. Reports carcinogens. 22,670 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 27889STNDYCLARK (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 7.8
Clarcor Engine Mobile Solutions, Llc, Washington
TRI reporting facility. Penalties $19,953.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000347768 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 7
Nutrien Aurora Facility, Aurora
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000586376 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 7
Iconic Marine Group, Llc, Washington
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110070083321 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 6.1
Aaf International, Washington
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Nickel, Chromium, Manganese, Diisocyanates and 1 more. Reports carcinogens. 23 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 27889FLNDRFLAND (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 5.6
Keyzer Catering Wwtp, Pantego
NPDES wastewater discharge permit. Penalties $4,723.
EPA FRS registry ID 110006709972 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 5.3
Aurora Mine, Aurora
NPDES wastewater discharge permit.
EPA FRS registry ID 110064629415 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 5.3
Aurora Wwtp, Aurora
NPDES wastewater discharge permit. Penalties $11,961.
EPA FRS registry ID 110009719475 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 5
Edgewood Drive Wtp, Chocowinity
NPDES wastewater discharge permit. Penalties $1,956.
EPA FRS registry ID 110009842386 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 5
Belhaven Wwtp, Belhaven
NPDES wastewater discharge permit.
EPA FRS registry ID 110006710639 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 4.5
Flanders Filters, Inc.-Aaf Washington, Washington
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000347722 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 4.3
Clarcor Engine Mobile Solutions, Llc, Washington
Large hazardous waste generator. Penalties $19,953.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000347768 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 4.3
Fountain Powerboats Incorporated, Washington
Major air pollution source.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000347731 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 3.5
Nutrien Aurora Facility, Aurora
Major air pollution source.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000586376 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 3.5
Hill Road Wtp, Chocowinity
NPDES wastewater discharge permit.
EPA FRS registry ID 110017696965 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 3.5
Iconic Marine Group, Llc, Washington
Major air pollution source.
EPA FRS registry ID 110070083321 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 3.5
Kelly Children'S Home, Washington
Brownfield property.
EPA FRS registry ID 110071973374 (U.S. EPA Brownfields (ACRES)) Agency record
Severity 3
Former Dr. Pepper Plant, Washington
Brownfield property.
EPA FRS registry ID 110071976174 (U.S. EPA Brownfields (ACRES)) Agency record
Severity 3
Former Stanadyne Facility, Washingtown
Brownfield property.
EPA FRS registry ID 110071977327 (U.S. EPA Brownfields (ACRES)) Agency record
Severity 3
427 & 429 Bridge Street, Washington
Brownfield property.
EPA FRS registry ID 110071978271 (U.S. EPA Brownfields (ACRES)) Agency record
Severity 3
Washington-Beaufort County Industrial Park, Washington
Brownfield property.
EPA FRS registry ID 110071980351 (U.S. EPA Brownfields (ACRES)) Agency record
Severity 3
Bridge Street Warehouse, Washington
Brownfield property.
EPA FRS registry ID 110071981333 (U.S. EPA Brownfields (ACRES)) Agency record
Severity 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 Beaufort County

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