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Lee County, North Carolina: environmental and disease records

Cancer mortality in Lee County is 153.6 deaths per 100,000 people per year against a U.S. rate of 143.2. The strongest disease signals are Lung & bronchus deaths at 1.2 times the U.S. rate. Federal databases place 387 regulated facilities, sites and hazards inside the county, led by NPDES wastewater discharge permit (176), Rail grade crossing (55), Brownfield property (44). 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: 35.4673, -79.1896.

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 Lee County compared with the United States
Cancer	Measure	County rate	U.S. rate	Times U.S.	95% interval	Years
Leukemia	New cases	18.8	14.5	1.3x	14.5 to 23.9	2019-2023
Lung & bronchus	New cases	65.5	51.8	1.26xSignificant	58 to 73.9	2019-2023
Esophagus	New cases	5.6	4.6	1.22x	3.5 to 8.5	2019-2023
Lung & bronchus	Deaths	36.5	30.2	1.21xSignificant	31 to 42.9	2020-2024
Esophagus	Deaths	4.2	3.7	1.14x	2.5 to 6.9	2020-2024
Leukemia	Deaths	6.2	5.7	1.09x	3.9 to 9.3	2020-2024
All cancer	Deaths	153.6	143.2	1.07x	141.7 to 166.3	2020-2024
Non-Hodgkin lymphoma	Deaths	5.1	4.8	1.06x	3.2 to 8	2020-2024
Kidney & renal pelvis	New cases	18.9	17.9	1.06x	14.8 to 24	2019-2023
Stomach	New cases	6.9	6.6	1.05x	4.6 to 10.1	2019-2023
Pancreas	Deaths	11.8	11.3	1.04x	8.7 to 15.7	2020-2024
All cancer	New cases	470.1	453.4	1.04x	448.6 to 492.4	2019-2023
Bladder	New cases	19.2	18.7	1.03x	15.2 to 24.1	2019-2023
Non-Hodgkin lymphoma	New cases	18.7	18.5	1.01x	14.5 to 23.7	2019-2023
Pancreas	New cases	12.9	13.9	0.93x	9.5 to 17	2019-2023
Melanoma of the skin	New cases	21	23.8	0.88x	16.5 to 26.2	2019-2023
Liver & bile duct	Deaths	4.8	6.6	0.73x	2.9 to 7.5	2020-2024
Liver & bile duct	New cases	5.7	8.7	0.66x	3.7 to 8.6	2019-2023
Thyroid	New cases	7.3	13	0.56x	4.6 to 10.9	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 Lee County
Measure	County	U.S. median	Difference	Unit
Premature death	12,121.7	9,842.6	+23%	years of life lost before age 75 per 100,000
Life expectancy	73.7	75.3	-2%	years
Child mortality	69.9	59.8	+17%	deaths under age 18 per 100,000
Infant mortality	8	6.2	+29%	deaths under age 1 per 1,000 live births
Injury deaths	112.6	96.9	+16%	deaths per 100,000
Drug overdose deaths	53.1	28.6	+86%	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.

Formaldehyde21.34 per million
Carbon Tetrachloride2.94 per million
Acetaldehyde2.2 per million
Benzene1.01 per million

EPA Air Quality Index

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

Regulated facilities, sites and hazards by type

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

NPDES wastewater discharge permit176
Rail grade crossing55
Brownfield property44
Air permit holder (minor source)30
Gas station (mapped facility)24
Auto repair or body shop (mapped facility)11
Small hazardous waste generator10
Solar power plant8
TRI reporting facility7
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI)7
Large hazardous waste generator4
Hazardous waste transporter2
Wastewater plant (mapped facility)2
Major air pollution source1
Public airport1
Commercial airport1
Dry cleaner (mapped facility)1
Heliport1
Landfill (mapped facility)1
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.

Pentair Water Pool & Spa Inc., Sanford
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Styrene, Diisocyanates. Reports carcinogens. 58,301 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 27330PCFBN1616H (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 8.2
Pilgrim'S Pride Corp Sanford Facility, Sanford
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Nitrate compounds (water dissociable; reportable only when in aqueous solution), Ammonia, Peracetic acid, Hydrogen sulfide and 1 more. 2,615,688 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 27330GLDNP6500Z (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 7.9
Sanford Processing Plant, Sanford
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000551493 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 7.8
Lee Brick & Tile Co, Sanford
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Hydrogen fluoride, Lead compounds, Lead And Lead Compounds, Fluorine. 134,697 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 27330LBRCK3704H (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 6.9
Sti Polymer Inc, Sanford
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Butyl acrylate, Methyl methacrylate, Styrene, Methyl acrylate and 4 more. Reports carcinogens. 1,234 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 2733WSDNTC5618C (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 6.9
Noble Oil Services Inc, Sanford
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Toluene, Ethylene glycol, Polycyclic aromatic compounds, Xylene (mixed isomers) and 4 more. Reports carcinogens. 163 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 2733WNBLLS5617C (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 6.2
Moen Inc, Sanford
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Copper, Nickel compounds, Lead. Reports carcinogens. 61 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 27330STNDY2609C (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 5.9
Pentair Pool Products Incorporated, Sanford
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110002381253 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 5.8
City Of Sanford Big Buffalo Wwtp, Sanford
NPDES wastewater discharge permit.
EPA FRS registry ID 110007670332 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 5.8
Lee Brick And Tile Company, Inc., Sanford
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000346313 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 5.7
Sti Polymer, Inc, Sanford
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110005971779 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 5.1
Noble Oil Services, Sanford
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000900428 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 5
Carolina Trace Wwtp, Sanford
NPDES wastewater discharge permit.
EPA FRS registry ID 110006709874 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 4.5
Hart, James M. - Residence, Sanford
NPDES wastewater discharge permit.
EPA FRS registry ID 110006714537 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 4.5
G S Materials Incorporated-Cam, Lemon Springs
NPDES wastewater discharge permit.
EPA FRS registry ID 110022558392 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 4.5
1650 Cotten Road, Sanford
NPDES wastewater discharge permit.
EPA FRS registry ID 110022567550 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 4.5
Riley Ii Pit, Lemon Springs
NPDES wastewater discharge permit.
EPA FRS registry ID 110043671951 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 4.5
Madeline Hall Pit, Lemon Springs
NPDES wastewater discharge permit.
EPA FRS registry ID 110045404870 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 4.5
Hall-Rackley Pit, Lemon Springs
NPDES wastewater discharge permit.
EPA FRS registry ID 110063912173 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 4.5
Moen Inc., Sanford
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000346359 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 4.1
Bear Creek Arsenal Llc, Sanford
Large hazardous waste generator. Penalties $14,650.
EPA FRS registry ID 110002098765 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 4
Caterpillar Inc, Sanford
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110067041542 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 4
Hallman Foundry, Sanford
NPDES wastewater discharge permit.
EPA FRS registry ID 110001478847 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 3.5
City Of Sanford, Sanford
Small hazardous waste generator. Penalties $2,905.
EPA FRS registry ID 110009846186 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 3.5
City Of Sanford, Sanford
NPDES wastewater discharge permit. Penalties $2,905.
EPA FRS registry ID 110009846186 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 3.5

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 Lee 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 Lee 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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