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McKean County, Pennsylvania: environmental and disease records

Cancer mortality in McKean County is 155.6 deaths per 100,000 people per year against a U.S. rate of 143.2. The strongest disease signals are Lung & bronchus deaths at 1.5 times the U.S. rate. Federal databases place 514 regulated facilities, sites and hazards inside the county, led by NPDES wastewater discharge permit (190), Rail grade crossing (141), Air permit holder (minor source) (70). 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: 41.785, -78.5777.

How this county ranks in Pennsylvania

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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 McKean County compared with the United States
Cancer	Measure	County rate	U.S. rate	Times U.S.	95% interval	Years
Esophagus	Deaths	5.7	3.7	1.54x	3.4 to 9.3	2020-2024
Lung & bronchus	Deaths	46.4	30.2	1.54xSignificant	39 to 55.1	2020-2024
Thyroid	New cases	17	13	1.31x	11.5 to 24	2019-2023
Esophagus	New cases	6	4.6	1.3x	3.6 to 9.8	2019-2023
Lung & bronchus	New cases	65.3	51.8	1.26xSignificant	56.2 to 75.6	2019-2023
Leukemia	Deaths	6.7	5.7	1.18x	3.9 to 10.8	2020-2024
All cancer	Deaths	155.6	143.2	1.09x	141.4 to 171	2020-2024
Pancreas	Deaths	11.4	11.3	1.01x	7.9 to 16.3	2020-2024
Stomach	New cases	6.6	6.6	1x	3.9 to 10.7	2019-2023
Liver & bile duct	New cases	8	8.7	0.92x	4.9 to 12.5	2019-2023
All cancer	New cases	404	453.4	0.89x	379.5 to 429.7	2019-2023
Pancreas	New cases	12.3	13.9	0.88x	8.6 to 17.4	2019-2023
Melanoma of the skin	New cases	19.9	23.8	0.84x	14.2 to 27	2019-2023
Leukemia	New cases	11.9	14.5	0.82x	7.8 to 17.4	2019-2023
Liver & bile duct	Deaths	5.4	6.6	0.82x	3.1 to 9	2020-2024
Non-Hodgkin lymphoma	New cases	13.8	18.5	0.75x	9.5 to 19.4	2019-2023
Kidney & renal pelvis	New cases	12.3	17.9	0.69x	8.4 to 17.6	2019-2023
Bladder	New cases	12.3	18.7	0.66x	8.6 to 17.2	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 McKean County
Measure	County	U.S. median	Difference	Unit
Premature death	9,781.6	9,842.6	-1%	years of life lost before age 75 per 100,000
Life expectancy	74.7	75.3	-1%	years
Child mortality	49.8	59.8	-17%	deaths under age 18 per 100,000
Infant mortality	n/a	6.2	n/a	deaths under age 1 per 1,000 live births
Injury deaths	85.8	96.9	-12%	deaths per 100,000
Drug overdose deaths	27.5	28.6	-4%	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.

Formaldehyde12.06 per million
Carbon Tetrachloride2.86 per million
Benzene1.29 per million
Acetaldehyde1.16 per million

EPA Air Quality Index

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

Regulated facilities, sites and hazards by type

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

NPDES wastewater discharge permit190
Rail grade crossing141
Air permit holder (minor source)70
Gas station (mapped facility)26
Small hazardous waste generator19
Auto repair or body shop (mapped facility)12
TRI reporting facility12
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI)12
Large hazardous waste generator7
Major air pollution source5
Large greenhouse gas emitter5
Hazardous waste transporter4
Public airport2
Heliport2
Scrapyard (mapped facility)2
Commercial airport1
Correctional facility (prison or jail)1
Dry cleaner (mapped facility)1
Landfill (mapped facility)1
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.

International Waxes Inc, Smethport
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Toluene, Xylene (mixed isomers), Ammonia, Cyclohexane and 2 more. Reports carcinogens. 1,598,432 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 16749QKRSTINTER (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 9.3
Ardagh Glass Inc. (Port Allegany), Port Allegany
TRI reporting facility. Penalties $43,208.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000332275 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 9.2
American Refining Group Inc, Bradford
TRI reporting facility. Penalties $223,500.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000332220 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 9.2
American Refining Group Inc., Bradford
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Toluene, Xylene (mixed isomers), n-Hexane, 1,2,4-Trimethylbenzene and 4 more. Reports carcinogens. 643,868 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 16701KNDLL77NKE (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 9
Georgia Pacific Panel Products Llc/Mount Jewett Mdf, Mount Jewett
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Methanol, Formaldehyde, Diisocyanates. Reports carcinogens. 43,808 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 16740LLGHNRD1HU (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 8.1
Ardagh Glass Inc. (Port Allegany), Port Allegany
Major air pollution source. Penalties $43,208.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000332275 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 7.5
Zippo Manufacturing Co, Bradford
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Nickel, Copper, Chromium. Reports carcinogens. 6,080 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 16701ZPPMNCONGR (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 7.4
Ardagh Glass Inc. (Port Allegany), Port Allegany
Large hazardous waste generator. Penalties $43,208.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000332275 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 7
Ardagh Glass Inc. (Port Allegany), Port Allegany
NPDES wastewater discharge permit. Penalties $43,208.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000332275 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 7
Zippo Mfg Co/Congress St, Bradford
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110006377884 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 6.9
Ardagh Glass Inc, Port Allegany
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Sulfuric acid (acid aerosols including mists, vapors, gas, fog, and other airborne forms of any particle size), Lead And Lead Compounds, Lead compounds, Chromium and 1 more. 104,886 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 16743BLLGLONEGL (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 6.9
Allegheny Bradford Corp, Lewis Run
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Nitric acid, Nickel, Chromium. Reports carcinogens. 873 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 16738LLGHN1522S (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 6.8
Georgia Pacific Panel Products Llc/Mount Jewett Mdf, Mount Jewett
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110070834762 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 6.7
Intl Waxes Inc/Farmers Valley, Smethport
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000583850 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 6.6
Ardagh Glass Inc. (Port Allegany), Port Allegany
Large greenhouse gas emitter. Penalties $43,208.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000332275 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 6.5
American Refining Group Inc, Bradford
Major air pollution source. Penalties $223,500.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000332220 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 6.3
Allegheny Surface Technology, Lewis Run
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Nitric acid. 4,057 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 16738LLGHN14EGB (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 5.8
American Refining Group Inc, Bradford
Large hazardous waste generator. Penalties $223,500.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000332220 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 5.8
American Refining Group Inc, Bradford
NPDES wastewater discharge permit. Penalties $223,500.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000332220 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 5.8
Keystone Powdered Metal Co, Lewis Run
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Copper, Manganese compounds, Manganese And Manganese Compounds, Nickel. Reports carcinogens. 37 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 16738KYSTN8HANL (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 5.7
Allegheny Surface Technology, Lewis Run
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000332257 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 5.6
Wr Case & Sons Cutlery Co, Bradford
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Copper, Nickel, Chromium. Reports carcinogens. 17 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 16701WRCSNOWENS (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 5.5
Dresser Pipeline Solutions, Bradford
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000332202 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 5.4
Keystone Powdered Metal Co/Lewis Run, Lewis Run
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000332248 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 5.3
American Refining Group Inc, Bradford
Large greenhouse gas emitter. Penalties $223,500.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000332220 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 5.3

Correctional facilities

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

Bureau Of Prisons Fci Mckean, Bradford
EPA FRS registry ID
110007800166
Wastewater permit
None on record
EPA detailed facility report

Discovery / public records

Records to request for McKean County

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