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Columbiana County, Ohio: environmental and disease records

Cancer mortality in Columbiana County is 172.4 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 1.7 times the U.S. rate and Esophagus deaths at 1.6 times the U.S. rate. Federal databases place 378 regulated facilities, sites and hazards inside the county, led by Rail grade crossing (103), Air permit holder (minor source) (83), NPDES wastewater discharge permit (66). 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: 40.7631, -80.803.

How this county ranks in Ohio

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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 Columbiana County compared with the United States
Cancer	Measure	County rate	U.S. rate	Times U.S.	95% interval	Years
Melanoma of the skin	Deaths	3.4	2	1.7xSignificant	2.2 to 5.2	2020-2024
Esophagus	Deaths	5.8	3.7	1.57xSignificant	4.2 to 7.9	2020-2024
Kidney & renal pelvis	Deaths	5.1	3.4	1.5xSignificant	3.6 to 7.1	2020-2024
Bladder	New cases	26.6	18.7	1.42xSignificant	23 to 30.7	2019-2023
Lung & bronchus	Deaths	42.7	30.2	1.41xSignificant	38.2 to 47.8	2020-2024
Esophagus	New cases	6.4	4.6	1.39xSignificant	4.8 to 8.6	2019-2023
Lung & bronchus	New cases	68.2	51.8	1.32xSignificant	62.5 to 74.4	2019-2023
Bladder	Deaths	5.1	4.1	1.24x	3.6 to 7	2020-2024
Liver & bile duct	New cases	10.8	8.7	1.24x	8.6 to 13.5	2019-2023
Liver & bile duct	Deaths	8	6.6	1.21x	6.1 to 10.3	2020-2024
All cancer	Deaths	172.4	143.2	1.2xSignificant	163.1 to 182.2	2020-2024
Pancreas	Deaths	13.6	11.3	1.2x	11.1 to 16.6	2020-2024
Melanoma of the skin	New cases	28.5	23.8	1.2xSignificant	24.4 to 33	2019-2023
Brain & nervous system	New cases	7.2	6.2	1.16x	5.1 to 10	2019-2023
Non-Hodgkin lymphoma	New cases	21.1	18.5	1.14x	17.6 to 25.1	2019-2023
All cancer	New cases	486.8	453.4	1.07xSignificant	470.4 to 503.8	2019-2023
Pancreas	New cases	14.7	13.9	1.06x	12.1 to 17.8	2019-2023
Leukemia	Deaths	6	5.7	1.05x	4.3 to 8.1	2020-2024
Stomach	New cases	6.4	6.6	0.97x	4.7 to 8.6	2019-2023
Thyroid	New cases	12.4	13	0.95x	9.5 to 15.9	2019-2023
Kidney & renal pelvis	New cases	16.9	17.9	0.94x	13.9 to 20.5	2019-2023
Non-Hodgkin lymphoma	Deaths	4.4	4.8	0.92x	3.1 to 6.2	2020-2024
Brain & nervous system	Deaths	3.8	4.4	0.86x	2.4 to 5.8	2020-2024
Leukemia	New cases	12.5	14.5	0.86x	9.9 to 15.5	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 Columbiana County
Measure	County	U.S. median	Difference	Unit
Premature death	10,610.7	9,842.6	+8%	years of life lost before age 75 per 100,000
Life expectancy	74	75.3	-2%	years
Child mortality	50.3	59.8	-16%	deaths under age 18 per 100,000
Infant mortality	6.1	6.2	-1%	deaths under age 1 per 1,000 live births
Injury deaths	103.5	96.9	+7%	deaths per 100,000
Drug overdose deaths	43.6	28.6	+52%	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.

Formaldehyde16.03 per million
Carbon Tetrachloride2.92 per million
Benzene1.79 per million
Acetaldehyde1.64 per million

EPA Air Quality Index 2025

Monitored on 61 days: 61 good, 0 unhealthy for sensitive groups or worse. Median AQI 12, peak 31.

Regulated facilities, sites and hazards by type

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

Rail grade crossing103
Air permit holder (minor source)83
NPDES wastewater discharge permit66
Brownfield property30
Gas station (mapped facility)24
TRI reporting facility12
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI)12
Small hazardous waste generator10
Major air pollution source6
Public airport5
Hazardous waste transporter5
Large hazardous waste generator4
EPA air quality monitor3
Large greenhouse gas emitter3
Heliport3
Auto repair or body shop (mapped facility)2
Landfill (mapped facility)2
Correctional facility (prison or jail)1
Gas power plant1
Scrapyard (mapped facility)1
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.

Nease Chemical, Salem
Superfund (NPL) site. Hazard Ranking System score 47.2. NPL Site.
EPA site ID OHD980610018 (U.S. EPA Superfund (SEMS/NPL)) Agency record
Severity 10
Heritage Thermal Services, East Liverpool
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Zinc compounds, Lead, Copper, Nickel and 4 more. Reports carcinogens. Reports PFAS. 1,144 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 43920VNRLL1250S (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 8.3
Heritage Thermal Services, East Liverpool
TRI reporting facility. Penalties $288,000.
EPA FRS registry ID 110027242320 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 8.3
Ventra Salem Llc., Salem
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: 1,2,4-Trimethylbenzene, Xylene (mixed isomers), Toluene, Ethylbenzene and 1 more. Reports carcinogens. 38,776 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 44460WRRNM800PE (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 8
As America Inc, Salem
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Styrene, Diisocyanates. Reports carcinogens. 27,817 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 44460MRCNS605SE (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 7.9
Utica East Ohio Midstream Llc Kensington Processing Plant, Kensington
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: n-Hexane, Benzene, Cyclohexane, Ethylbenzene. Reports carcinogens. 15,193 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 4442WTCSTH11543 (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 7.7
Federal Correctional Institution-Elkton, Lisbon
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Lead. Reports carcinogens. 8,266 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 4441WFDRLC873SC (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 7.5
Marathon Petroleum Co - Wellsville Oh Asp Terminal, Wellsville
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: n-Hexane, Cyclohexane, Benzene, Xylene (mixed isomers) and 4 more. Reports carcinogens. 2,248 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 43968MRTHN21STN (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 7.1
Quaker City Castings, Salem
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Copper, Nickel compounds, Chromium, Nickel And Nickel Compounds and 4 more. Reports carcinogens. 2,218 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 44460QKRCT310EU (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 7.1
Heritage Thermal Services, East Liverpool
Major air pollution source. Penalties $288,000.
EPA FRS registry ID 110027242320 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 6.8
Heritage Thermal Services, East Liverpool
Large hazardous waste generator. Penalties $288,000.
EPA FRS registry ID 110027242320 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 6.3
Heritage Thermal Services, East Liverpool
NPDES wastewater discharge permit. Penalties $288,000.
EPA FRS registry ID 110027242320 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 6.3
Fresh Mark Salem, Salem
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Ammonia, Sodium nitrite. 11,114 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 44460CRRGH1735L (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 6.1
Fresh Mark Salem, Salem
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000389730 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 5.9
Ventra Salem, Llc (0215090195), Salem
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110042089931 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 5.8
American Standard Inc, Salem
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000389767 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 5.8
Heritage Thermal Services, East Liverpool
Large greenhouse gas emitter. Penalties $288,000.
EPA FRS registry ID 110027242320 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 5.8
Utica East Ohio Midstream Llc Kensington Processing Plant, Kensington
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110066962861 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 5.7
Albco Foundry Inc, Lisbon
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Copper compounds, Zinc compounds, Aluminum (fume or dust), Lead compounds. 3,456 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 44432LBCFN230WM (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 5.7
Albco Foundry And Machine, Inc., Lisbon
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000389669 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 5.3
Quaker City Castings (0215090009), Salem
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000389776 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 5.1
Buckeye Transfer Inc, Columbiana
Major air pollution source.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000389598 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 5
Marathon Petroleum Company Lp, Wellsville
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110007157165 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 4.7
Buckeye Transfer Inc, Columbiana
Large hazardous waste generator.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000389598 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 4.5
Buckeye Transfer Inc, Columbiana
NPDES wastewater discharge permit.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000389598 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 4.5

Correctional facilities

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

Federal Correctional Institution-Elkton, Lisbon
EPA FRS registry ID
110016760922
Wastewater permit
None on record
EPA detailed facility report

Discovery / public records

Records to request for Columbiana County

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