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Buncombe County, North Carolina: environmental and disease records

Cancer mortality in Buncombe County is 135.3 deaths per 100,000 people per year against a U.S. rate of 143.2. Federal databases place 1,007 regulated facilities, sites and hazards inside the county, led by NPDES wastewater discharge permit (545), Rail grade crossing (122), Gas station (mapped facility) (97). 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: 35.6207, -82.5393.

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 Buncombe County compared with the United States
Cancer	Measure	County rate	U.S. rate	Times U.S.	95% interval	Years
Melanoma of the skin	New cases	33.9	23.8	1.42xSignificant	31.2 to 36.8	2019-2023
Liver & bile duct	New cases	10	8.7	1.15x	8.7 to 11.6	2019-2023
Brain & nervous system	New cases	7	6.2	1.13x	5.8 to 8.5	2019-2023
Brain & nervous system	Deaths	4.8	4.4	1.09x	3.8 to 5.9	2020-2024
Lung & bronchus	New cases	56.3	51.8	1.09xSignificant	53.1 to 59.7	2019-2023
Melanoma of the skin	Deaths	2.1	2	1.05x	1.5 to 2.9	2020-2024
Esophagus	New cases	4.8	4.6	1.04x	3.8 to 5.9	2019-2023
Liver & bile duct	Deaths	6.8	6.6	1.03x	5.8 to 8.1	2020-2024
Non-Hodgkin lymphoma	New cases	19	18.5	1.03x	17 to 21.1	2019-2023
All cancer	New cases	464.2	453.4	1.02xSignificant	454.3 to 474.2	2019-2023
Childhood cancer (under 15)	New cases	16.4	16.4	1x	11.3 to 23	2019-2023
Esophagus	Deaths	3.7	3.7	1x	2.9 to 4.7	2020-2024
Bladder	New cases	18.6	18.7	0.99x	16.8 to 20.7	2019-2023
Pancreas	Deaths	11.2	11.3	0.99x	9.8 to 12.8	2020-2024
Bladder	Deaths	3.9	4.1	0.95x	3.1 to 4.9	2020-2024
All cancer	Deaths	135.3	143.2	0.94x	130.2 to 140.5	2020-2024
Kidney & renal pelvis	New cases	16.8	17.9	0.94x	15 to 18.9	2019-2023
Pancreas	New cases	13	13.9	0.94x	11.5 to 14.7	2019-2023
Lung & bronchus	Deaths	28.2	30.2	0.93x	25.9 to 30.6	2020-2024
Leukemia	Deaths	5.2	5.7	0.91x	4.2 to 6.4	2020-2024
Leukemia	New cases	12.7	14.5	0.88x	11.1 to 14.6	2019-2023
Non-Hodgkin lymphoma	Deaths	4	4.8	0.83x	3.2 to 5	2020-2024
Kidney & renal pelvis	Deaths	2.7	3.4	0.79x	2 to 3.6	2020-2024
Thyroid	New cases	9.9	13	0.76x	8.3 to 11.7	2019-2023
Stomach	Deaths	1.9	2.7	0.7x	1.4 to 2.7	2020-2024
Stomach	New cases	4.2	6.6	0.64x	3.3 to 5.3	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 Buncombe County
Measure	County	U.S. median	Difference	Unit
Premature death	8,557	9,842.6	-13%	years of life lost before age 75 per 100,000
Life expectancy	77.4	75.3	+3%	years
Child mortality	52.7	59.8	-12%	deaths under age 18 per 100,000
Infant mortality	5.1	6.2	-17%	deaths under age 1 per 1,000 live births
Injury deaths	110.3	96.9	+14%	deaths per 100,000
Drug overdose deaths	46.5	28.6	+63%	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.

Formaldehyde17.87 per million
Carbon Tetrachloride2.75 per million
Acetaldehyde1.64 per million
Benzene1.06 per million

EPA Air Quality Index 2025

Monitored on 365 days: 268 good, 0 unhealthy for sensitive groups or worse. Median AQI 40, peak 97.

Regulated facilities, sites and hazards by type

1,007 active records inside the county from EPA ECHO, TRI, Superfund, Brownfields, NPDES, EIA, FAA, FRA and corrections data.

NPDES wastewater discharge permit545
Rail grade crossing122
Gas station (mapped facility)97
Auto repair or body shop (mapped facility)57
Small hazardous waste generator37
Air permit holder (minor source)27
Brownfield property25
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI)25
TRI reporting facility24
Major air pollution source10
Large hazardous waste generator7
Dry cleaner (mapped facility)6
Public airport3
Superfund (NPL) site3
EPA air quality monitor2
Crematorium (mapped facility)2
Large greenhouse gas emitter2
Heliport2
Hydroelectric plant2
Solar power plant2
Commercial airport1
Correctional facility (prison or jail)1
Hazardous waste transporter1
Landfill (mapped facility)1
Battery storage plant1
Gas power plant1
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.

CTS of Asheville, Inc., Asheville
Superfund (NPL) site. Hazard Ranking System score 38.4. NPL Site.
EPA site ID NCD003149556 (U.S. EPA Superfund (SEMS/NPL)) Agency record
Severity 10
Blue Ridge Plating Company, Arden
Superfund (NPL) site. Hazard Ranking System score 38.7. NPL Site.
EPA site ID NCD044447589 (U.S. EPA Superfund (SEMS/NPL)) Agency record
Severity 10
Chemtronics, Inc., Swannanoa
Superfund (NPL) site. Hazard Ranking System score 30.2. NPL Site.
EPA site ID NCD095459392 (U.S. EPA Superfund (SEMS/NPL)) Agency record
Severity 10
Day International Inc, Arden
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Toluene, Styrene, Zinc compounds, Diisocyanates. Reports carcinogens. 864,741 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 28704DYNTR95GLE (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 9.1
Day International, Arden
TRI reporting facility. Penalties $4,178.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000351459 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 7.9
Xsys N.A., Arden
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Styrene, Diisocyanates. Reports carcinogens. 12,896 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 2870WXSYSN95GLE (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 7.7
Thermo Fisher Scientific, Asheville
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Manganese, Zinc (fume or dust), Chromium, Nickel and 4 more. Reports carcinogens. 757 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 28804RVCSC275AI (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 6.7
Dave Steel Co Inc, Asheville
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Manganese, Chromium, Copper, Nickel and 2 more. Reports carcinogens. 406 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 2880WDVSTL4MEAD (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 6.5
Duke Energy Asheville Plant, Arden
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000587071 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 6.5
Shakespeare Co Llc, Enka
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Formic acid. 26,662 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 28728SHKSP1451S (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 6.4
Duke Energy Asheville Plant, Arden
Major air pollution source.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000587071 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 6
Asheville Metal Finishing, Asheville
Large hazardous waste generator.
EPA FRS registry ID 110012656731 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 6
Duke Energy Progress Llc-Asheville Steam Electric Plant, Arden
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Polycyclic aromatic compounds, Lead compounds, Naphthalene. Reports carcinogens. 84 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 28704SHVLL200CP (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 6
Unison Engine Components, Asheville
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Nickel, Chromium, Cobalt. Reports carcinogens. 67 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 28803NSNNG41SWE (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 5.9
Xsys North America, Arden
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110071294285 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 5.8
Dodge Mechanical Power Transmission Co, Weaverville
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Ammonia, Copper, Lead, Nickel and 2 more. Reports carcinogens. 35 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 28787RLNCLREEMS (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 5.7
Shakespeare Company, Llc, Enka
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110054251420 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 5.7
Arcadia Farms Llc, Arden
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Ammonia, Lead. Reports carcinogens. 30 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 2870WRCDFR34ARC (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 5.6
Gf Linamar, Llc, Fletcher
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110069993050 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 5.5
Duke Energy Asheville Plant, Arden
NPDES wastewater discharge permit.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000587071 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 5.5
Weaverville Hills Wwtp, Weaverville
NPDES wastewater discharge permit. Penalties $227.
EPA FRS registry ID 110006674269 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 5.5
North View Mobile Home Park, Asheville
NPDES wastewater discharge permit. Penalties $3,289.
EPA FRS registry ID 110009720338 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 5.5
Ridgeview Acres Mobile Home Park, Asheville
NPDES wastewater discharge permit. Penalties $12,210.
EPA FRS registry ID 110009843768 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 5.5
Tyco Electronics/Cii Techs., Fairview
TRI reporting facility. Penalties $577.
EPA FRS registry ID 110012707295 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 5.5
Windy Gap Camp Wwtp, Weaverville
NPDES wastewater discharge permit. Penalties $843.
EPA FRS registry ID 110064342652 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 5.5

Correctional facilities

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

Buncombe County Detention Center, Asheville
EPA FRS registry ID
110055619745
Wastewater permit
None on record
EPA detailed facility report

Discovery / public records

Records to request for Buncombe 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 Buncombe 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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