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New Hanover County, North Carolina: environmental and disease records

Cancer mortality in New Hanover County is 150 deaths per 100,000 people per year against a U.S. rate of 143.2, a statistically significant excess. The strongest disease signals are Melanoma of the skin deaths at 1.6 times the U.S. rate. Federal databases place 744 regulated facilities, sites and hazards inside the county, led by NPDES wastewater discharge permit (415), Rail grade crossing (78), Gas station (mapped facility) (58). One correctional facility operates in the county. 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: 34.1565, -77.8939.

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 New Hanover 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	40.4	23.8	1.7xSignificant	37 to 44	2019-2023
Melanoma of the skin	Deaths	3.1	2	1.55xSignificant	2.3 to 4.2	2020-2024
Thyroid	New cases	16	13	1.23xSignificant	13.8 to 18.5	2019-2023
Esophagus	New cases	5.6	4.6	1.22x	4.4 to 6.9	2019-2023
Esophagus	Deaths	4.5	3.7	1.22x	3.5 to 5.7	2020-2024
Leukemia	New cases	16.8	14.5	1.16xSignificant	14.7 to 19.1	2019-2023
Bladder	New cases	21.5	18.7	1.15xSignificant	19.2 to 24	2019-2023
Pancreas	New cases	15.8	13.9	1.14x	13.9 to 18	2019-2023
Leukemia	Deaths	6.3	5.7	1.11x	5.1 to 7.8	2020-2024
All cancer	New cases	495.2	453.4	1.09xSignificant	483.7 to 506.9	2019-2023
Non-Hodgkin lymphoma	New cases	20.2	18.5	1.09x	17.9 to 22.7	2019-2023
Lung & bronchus	Deaths	32.4	30.2	1.07x	29.6 to 35.3	2020-2024
Pancreas	Deaths	11.9	11.3	1.05x	10.3 to 13.8	2020-2024
All cancer	Deaths	150	143.2	1.05xSignificant	143.9 to 156.4	2020-2024
Kidney & renal pelvis	New cases	18.5	17.9	1.03x	16.4 to 20.9	2019-2023
Lung & bronchus	New cases	52.2	51.8	1.01x	48.7 to 55.9	2019-2023
Non-Hodgkin lymphoma	Deaths	4.8	4.8	1x	3.8 to 6.1	2020-2024
Brain & nervous system	Deaths	4.3	4.4	0.98x	3.3 to 5.6	2020-2024
Kidney & renal pelvis	Deaths	3.3	3.4	0.97x	2.5 to 4.4	2020-2024
Stomach	New cases	5.9	6.6	0.89x	4.7 to 7.2	2019-2023
Stomach	Deaths	2.4	2.7	0.89x	1.7 to 3.3	2020-2024
Brain & nervous system	New cases	5.5	6.2	0.89x	4.3 to 7	2019-2023
Bladder	Deaths	3.6	4.1	0.88x	2.7 to 4.7	2020-2024
Childhood cancer (under 15)	New cases	14.4	16.4	0.88x	9.3 to 21.3	2019-2023
Liver & bile duct	New cases	7.2	8.7	0.83x	5.9 to 8.6	2019-2023
Liver & bile duct	Deaths	5.1	6.6	0.77x	4.1 to 6.4	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 New Hanover County
Measure	County	U.S. median	Difference	Unit
Premature death	8,454	9,842.6	-14%	years of life lost before age 75 per 100,000
Life expectancy	77.6	75.3	+3%	years
Child mortality	45.5	59.8	-24%	deaths under age 18 per 100,000
Infant mortality	5.5	6.2	-11%	deaths under age 1 per 1,000 live births
Injury deaths	95.3	96.9	-2%	deaths per 100,000
Drug overdose deaths	40.8	28.6	+43%	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.

Formaldehyde16.35 per million
Carbon Tetrachloride2.94 per million
Acetaldehyde1.29 per million
Benzene0.89 per million

EPA Air Quality Index 2025

Monitored on 365 days: 281 good, 2 unhealthy for sensitive groups or worse. Median AQI 41, peak 121.

Regulated facilities, sites and hazards by type

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

NPDES wastewater discharge permit415
Rail grade crossing78
Gas station (mapped facility)58
Air permit holder (minor source)48
Small hazardous waste generator29
Brownfield property27
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI)16
TRI reporting facility14
Auto repair or body shop (mapped facility)13
Large hazardous waste generator12
Major air pollution source11
Dry cleaner (mapped facility)4
Large greenhouse gas emitter4
Heliport4
Solar power plant2
EPA air quality monitor1
Public airport1
Commercial airport1
Correctional facility (prison or jail)1
Crematorium (mapped facility)1
Hazardous waste transporter1
Gas power plant1
Scrapyard (mapped facility)1
Superfund (NPL) site1

Highest-severity records

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

Horton Iron and Metal, Wilmington
Superfund (NPL) site. Hazard Ranking System score 48. NPL Site.
EPA site ID NCN000407480 (U.S. EPA Superfund (SEMS/NPL)) Agency record
Severity 10
Castle Hayne, Nc, Castle Hayne
TRI reporting facility. Penalties $8,000.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000350272 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 10
American Chrome & Chemicals, Castle Hayne
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Chromium and Chromium Compounds(except for chromite ore mined in the Transvaal Region), Vanadium compounds, Manganese And Manganese Compounds, Nickel And Nickel Compounds and 4 more. Reports carcinogens. 6,229,522 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 28429CCDNTOFFST (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 9.7
Corning Inc, Wilmington
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Chlorine, Hydrochloric acid (acid aerosols including mists, vapors, gas, fog, and other airborne forms of any particle size), 1-Bromopropane. Reports carcinogens. 583,453 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 28405CRNNG310NC (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 8.9
Fortron Industries, Llc, Wilmington
TRI reporting facility. Penalties $10,873.
EPA FRS registry ID 110009842536 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 8.8
Corning Incorporated, Wilmington
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110038493252 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 8.5
Fortron Industries Llc, Wilmington
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: 1,4-Dichlorobenzene, N-Methyl-2-pyrrolidone, Phenol, Hydrogen sulfide. Reports carcinogens. 166,864 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 28402FRTRNHWY42 (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 8.5
Stepan Co, Wilmington
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Nitrate compounds (water dissociable; reportable only when in aqueous solution), 1,4-Dioxane, Phthalic anhydride, Sodium nitrite. Reports carcinogens. 91,567 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 28402CPNDSHIGHW (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 8.3
Gev Company/Geh Nea/Gnf-A, Wilmington
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Nitrate compounds (water dissociable; reportable only when in aqueous solution), Nitric acid, Hydrogen fluoride, Nickel and 2 more. Reports carcinogens. 47,562 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 28402GCMPNCASTL (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 8.1
Invista Wilmington, Wilmington
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110007116101 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 7.7
Castle Hayne, Nc, Castle Hayne
Major air pollution source. Penalties $8,000.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000350272 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 6.8
Cti Of North Carolina, Inc., Wilmington
Major air pollution source. Penalties $7,052.
EPA FRS registry ID 110001480399 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 6.8
Wilbara Llc, Wilmington
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Sulfuric acid (acid aerosols including mists, vapors, gas, fog, and other airborne forms of any particle size). 73,516 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 2840WWLBRL462HI (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 6.7
Castle Hayne, Nc, Castle Hayne
Large hazardous waste generator. Penalties $8,000.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000350272 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 6.3
Castle Hayne, Nc, Castle Hayne
NPDES wastewater discharge permit. Penalties $8,000.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000350272 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 6.3
Cti Of North Carolina, Inc., Wilmington
Large hazardous waste generator. Penalties $7,052.
EPA FRS registry ID 110001480399 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 6.3
Cti Of North Carolina, Inc., Wilmington
NPDES wastewater discharge permit. Penalties $7,052.
EPA FRS registry ID 110001480399 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 6.3
Fortron Industries, Llc, Wilmington
Major air pollution source. Penalties $10,873.
EPA FRS registry ID 110009842536 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 6.3
Senneca Holdings (Hmf Express), Wilmington
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Manganese, Chromium, Copper, Nickel and 1 more. Reports carcinogens. 139 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 2840WSNNCH251NR (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 6.1
New Hanover County Secure Landfill, Wilmington
Major air pollution source. Penalties $2,443.
EPA FRS registry ID 110018631248 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 6
Wilbara Llc, Wilmington
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110056968116 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 5.9
Ge Wfsc Road Improvement, Wilmington
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000745230 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 5.8
Castle Hayne, Nc, Castle Hayne
Large greenhouse gas emitter. Penalties $8,000.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000350272 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 5.8
Fortron Industries, Llc, Wilmington
Large hazardous waste generator. Penalties $10,873.
EPA FRS registry ID 110009842536 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 5.8
Fortron Industries, Llc, Wilmington
NPDES wastewater discharge permit. Penalties $10,873.
EPA FRS registry ID 110009842536 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 5.8

Correctional facilities

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

New Hanover County Jail Vice And Detectives Facility, Wilmington
EPA FRS registry ID
110071910692
Wastewater permit
Yes
EPA detailed facility report

Discovery / public records

Records to request for New Hanover 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 New Hanover 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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