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Surry County, North Carolina: environmental and disease records

Cancer mortality in Surry County is 179.3 deaths per 100,000 people per year against a U.S. rate of 143.2, a statistically significant excess. The strongest disease signals are Bladder deaths at 1.7 times the U.S. rate and Lung & bronchus deaths at 1.5 times the U.S. rate. Federal databases place 342 regulated facilities, sites and hazards inside the county, led by NPDES wastewater discharge permit (115), Rail grade crossing (97), Gas station (mapped facility) (38). 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: 36.3991, -80.7065.

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 Surry County compared with the United States
CancerMeasureCounty rateU.S. rateTimes U.S.95% intervalYears
BladderDeaths74.11.71xSignificant4.9 to 9.82020-2024
Lung & bronchusDeaths4530.21.49xSignificant39.6 to 51.12020-2024
Lung & bronchusNew cases7451.81.43xSignificant66.9 to 81.72019-2023
Kidney & renal pelvisNew cases24.517.91.37xSignificant20.1 to 29.52019-2023
LeukemiaDeaths7.75.71.35x5.5 to 10.62020-2024
All cancerDeaths179.3143.21.25xSignificant168 to 191.32020-2024
BladderNew cases23.318.71.25xSignificant19.3 to 27.92019-2023
Liver & bile ductDeaths7.96.61.2x5.8 to 10.72020-2024
PancreasNew cases16.613.91.19x13.2 to 20.62019-2023
LeukemiaNew cases17.314.51.19x13.7 to 21.62019-2023
Melanoma of the skinNew cases28.323.81.19x23.6 to 33.72019-2023
PancreasDeaths12.811.31.13x10 to 16.32020-2024
All cancerNew cases509.7453.41.12xSignificant489.9 to 530.22019-2023
StomachDeaths32.71.11x1.6 to 5.12020-2024
Kidney & renal pelvisDeaths3.73.41.09x2.3 to 5.82020-2024
StomachNew cases6.66.61x4.6 to 9.42019-2023
Brain & nervous systemDeaths4.34.40.98x2.6 to 6.72020-2024
Liver & bile ductNew cases8.48.70.97x6.1 to 11.42019-2023
EsophagusNew cases4.44.60.96x2.8 to 6.82019-2023
Non-Hodgkin lymphomaDeaths4.54.80.94x2.9 to 6.92020-2024
Non-Hodgkin lymphomaNew cases16.918.50.91x13.5 to 212019-2023
ThyroidNew cases11.1130.85x7.9 to 15.12019-2023
EsophagusDeaths33.70.81x1.7 to 52020-2024
Brain & nervous systemNew cases4.86.20.77x2.9 to 7.52019-2023

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 Surry County
MeasureCountyU.S. medianDifferenceUnit
Premature death10,741.79,842.6+9%years of life lost before age 75 per 100,000
Life expectancy73.775.3-2%years
Child mortality59.259.8-1%deaths under age 18 per 100,000
Infant mortality5.96.2-4%deaths under age 1 per 1,000 live births
Injury deaths124.396.9+28%deaths per 100,000
Drug overdose deaths38.328.6+34%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.

  • Formaldehyde18.84 per million
  • Carbon Tetrachloride2.87 per million
  • Acetaldehyde1.9 per million
  • Benzene1.03 per million

EPA Air Quality Index

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

Regulated facilities, sites and hazards by type

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

  • NPDES wastewater discharge permit115
  • Rail grade crossing97
  • Gas station (mapped facility)38
  • Air permit holder (minor source)27
  • Auto repair or body shop (mapped facility)11
  • Small hazardous waste generator11
  • Toxic chemical release facility (TRI)11
  • TRI reporting facility8
  • Large hazardous waste generator4
  • Solar power plant4
  • Major air pollution source3
  • Brownfield property3
  • Commercial airport2
  • Dry cleaner (mapped facility)2
  • Wastewater plant (mapped facility)2
  • Public airport1
  • Large greenhouse gas emitter1
  • Heliport1
  • Biomass power plant1

Highest-severity records

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

  1. Wayne Farms - Dobson Poultry, Dobson

    TRI reporting facility.

    EPA FRS registry ID 110000345109 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record

    Severity 9.2

  2. Weyerhaeuser Nr Co-Elkin Plant, Elkin

    Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Methanol, Phenol, Formaldehyde, Diisocyanates. Reports carcinogens. 566,082 lbs released over 5 years.

    TRI facility ID 28621WYRHSRT3OF (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)

    Severity 8.9

  3. Barnhardt Manufacturing Co Ncfi Polyurethanes Div, Mount Airy

    Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: 1,2-Dichloroethylene, Nonylphenol Ethoxylates, Diethanolamine, Ethylene glycol and 3 more. Reports carcinogens. 18,363 lbs released over 5 years.

    TRI facility ID 27030NRTHC511CA (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)

    Severity 7.8

  4. Wayne-Sanderson Farms Llc - Dobson Fresh Plant, Dobson

    Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Nitrate compounds (water dissociable; reportable only when in aqueous solution), Peracetic acid, Hydrogen sulfide, Ammonia. 937,555 lbs released over 5 years.

    TRI facility ID 27017WYNFR1018E (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)

    Severity 7.6

  5. Weyerhaeuser Nr Company - Elkin Facility, Elkin

    TRI reporting facility.

    EPA FRS registry ID 110000740663 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record

    Severity 7.1

  6. Pilot Mountain Wwtp, Pilot Mountain

    NPDES wastewater discharge permit. Penalties $5,081.

    EPA FRS registry ID 110006644319 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record

    Severity 7

  7. Carpenter Co. - Mt. Airy Nc, Mount Airy

    Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Toluene-2,4-diisocyanate, Tris(1,3-dichloro-2-propyl) phosphate, Diisocyanates, Toluene-2,6-diisocyanate and 2 more. Reports carcinogens. 72 lbs released over 5 years.

    TRI facility ID 2703WCRPNTPBX15 (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)

    Severity 5.9

  8. Ncfi Polyurethanes, Mount Airy

    TRI reporting facility.

    EPA FRS registry ID 110000345172 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record

    Severity 5.9

  9. Dfa Us Inc., Mount Airy

    Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Diisocyanates. 2,357 lbs released over 5 years.

    TRI facility ID 2703WDFSNC511HA (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)

    Severity 5.6

  10. Ottenweller Co Inc, Mount Airy

    Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Manganese And Manganese Compounds, Manganese compounds. 1,900 lbs released over 5 years.

    TRI facility ID 2703WTTNWL41TEC (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)

    Severity 5.5

  11. Mount Airy Wwtp, Mount Airy

    NPDES wastewater discharge permit.

    EPA FRS registry ID 110040038143 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record

    Severity 5.5

  12. Surry County Rest Area, Mount Airy

    NPDES wastewater discharge permit. Penalties $1,113.

    EPA FRS registry ID 110009845169 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record

    Severity 5.3

  13. Altec Industries Inc. - Mount Airy Facility, Mount Airy

    Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Chromium, Nickel. Reports carcinogens. 7 lbs released over 5 years.

    TRI facility ID 2703WLTCND2ALTE (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)

    Severity 5.2

  14. Carpenter Co. - Mt. Airy, Nc, Mt. Airy

    TRI reporting facility.

    EPA FRS registry ID 110071536471 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record

    Severity 4.9

  15. Central Care Wwtp, Mount Airy

    NPDES wastewater discharge permit. Penalties $6,628.

    EPA FRS registry ID 110006709865 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record

    Severity 4.8

  16. Duvaltex, Elkin

    NPDES wastewater discharge permit.

    EPA FRS registry ID 110064595200 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record

    Severity 4.8

  17. Ottenweller Co Inc, Mount Airy

    TRI reporting facility.

    EPA FRS registry ID 110031097872 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record

    Severity 4.5

  18. Wayne Farms - Dobson Poultry, Dobson

    NPDES wastewater discharge permit.

    EPA FRS registry ID 110000345109 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record

    Severity 4.3

  19. Weyerhaeuser Nr Company - Elkin Facility, Elkin

    Major air pollution source.

    EPA FRS registry ID 110000740663 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record

    Severity 4.3

  20. Hope Valley Wwtp, Dobson

    NPDES wastewater discharge permit.

    EPA FRS registry ID 110006708848 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record

    Severity 4.3

  21. Yadkin Valley Sewer Authority Wwtp, Elkin

    NPDES wastewater discharge permit.

    EPA FRS registry ID 110055992715 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record

    Severity 4.3

  22. Elkin Feed Mill, Elkin

    TRI reporting facility.

    EPA FRS registry ID 110000350842 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record

    Severity 4

  23. Perdue Farms Incorporated, Elkin

    TRI reporting facility.

    EPA FRS registry ID 110001491699 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record

    Severity 4

  24. Altec Industries, Inc. - Mount Airy Facility, Mount Airy

    TRI reporting facility.

    EPA FRS registry ID 110067553472 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record

    Severity 4

  25. Weyerhaeuser Nr Company - Elkin Facility, Elkin

    NPDES wastewater discharge permit.

    EPA FRS registry ID 110000740663 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record

    Severity 3.8

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 Surry 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 Surry 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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