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Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania: environmental and disease records

Cancer mortality in Philadelphia County is 158.5 deaths per 100,000 people per year against a U.S. rate of 143.2, a statistically significant excess. The strongest disease signals are Childhood cancer (under 15) deaths at 1.5 times the U.S. rate and Liver & bile duct deaths at 1.4 times the U.S. rate. Federal databases place 2,410 regulated facilities, sites and hazards inside the county, led by NPDES wastewater discharge permit (531), Air permit holder (minor source) (470), Brownfield property (336). 3 correctional facilities operate 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: 40.0026, -75.1391.

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 Philadelphia County compared with the United States
CancerMeasureCounty rateU.S. rateTimes U.S.95% intervalYears
Childhood cancer (under 15)Deaths2.91.91.53xSignificant2.1 to 3.92020-2024
Liver & bile ductNew cases12.28.71.4xSignificant11.5 to 12.92019-2023
Liver & bile ductDeaths9.16.61.38xSignificant8.5 to 9.72020-2024
StomachDeaths3.42.71.26xSignificant3 to 3.82020-2024
StomachNew cases86.61.21xSignificant7.4 to 8.62019-2023
Lung & bronchusDeaths35.130.21.16xSignificant33.9 to 36.42020-2024
Lung & bronchusNew cases59.951.81.16xSignificant58.2 to 61.52019-2023
PancreasDeaths12.711.31.12xSignificant12 to 13.52020-2024
PancreasNew cases15.413.91.11xSignificant14.6 to 16.32019-2023
All cancerDeaths158.5143.21.11xSignificant155.8 to 161.22020-2024
Childhood cancer (under 15)New cases1816.41.1x15.8 to 20.32019-2023
ThyroidDeaths0.50.51x0.4 to 0.72020-2024
All cancerNew cases435.1453.40.96x430.6 to 439.62019-2023
EsophagusDeaths3.53.70.95x3.1 to 3.92020-2024
Kidney & renal pelvisNew cases16.717.90.93x15.8 to 17.62019-2023
BladderDeaths3.74.10.9x3.3 to 4.22020-2024
BladderNew cases1618.70.86x15.1 to 16.92019-2023
Brain & nervous systemNew cases5.36.20.85x4.8 to 5.82019-2023
EsophagusNew cases3.94.60.85x3.5 to 4.32019-2023
ThyroidNew cases10.9130.84x10.2 to 11.72019-2023
Non-Hodgkin lymphomaNew cases15.318.50.83x14.5 to 16.22019-2023
LeukemiaDeaths4.75.70.82x4.3 to 5.22020-2024
Kidney & renal pelvisDeaths2.83.40.82x2.5 to 3.22020-2024
Non-Hodgkin lymphomaDeaths3.84.80.79x3.4 to 4.22020-2024
Brain & nervous systemDeaths3.24.40.73x2.9 to 3.62020-2024
LeukemiaNew cases10.414.50.72x9.7 to 11.12019-2023
Melanoma of the skinDeaths1.120.55x0.9 to 1.42020-2024
Melanoma of the skinNew cases7.723.80.32x7.1 to 8.42019-2023

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 Philadelphia County
MeasureCountyU.S. medianDifferenceUnit
Premature death11,853.89,842.6+20%years of life lost before age 75 per 100,000
Life expectancy73.975.3-2%years
Child mortality75.659.8+27%deaths under age 18 per 100,000
Infant mortality7.46.2+19%deaths under age 1 per 1,000 live births
Injury deaths138.696.9+43%deaths per 100,000
Drug overdose deaths75.428.6+164%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.

  • Formaldehyde19.78 per million
  • Carbon Tetrachloride3 per million
  • Benzene2.44 per million
  • Naphthalene1.96 per million

EPA Air Quality Index 2025

Monitored on 365 days: 184 good, 8 unhealthy for sensitive groups or worse. Median AQI 50, peak 147.

Regulated facilities, sites and hazards by type

2,410 active records inside the county from EPA ECHO, TRI, Superfund, Brownfields, NPDES, EIA, FAA, FRA and corrections data.

  • NPDES wastewater discharge permit531
  • Air permit holder (minor source)470
  • Brownfield property336
  • Small hazardous waste generator284
  • Gas station (mapped facility)195
  • Auto repair or body shop (mapped facility)192
  • Rail grade crossing103
  • Large hazardous waste generator72
  • Hazardous waste transporter39
  • Major air pollution source33
  • Toxic chemical release facility (TRI)31
  • Dry cleaner (mapped facility)30
  • TRI reporting facility26
  • Heliport14
  • Scrapyard (mapped facility)12
  • EPA air quality monitor9
  • Large greenhouse gas emitter9
  • Gas power plant5
  • Oil-fired power plant4
  • Wastewater plant (mapped facility)4
  • Correctional facility (prison or jail)3
  • Landfill (mapped facility)2
  • Superfund (NPL) site2
  • Commercial airport1
  • Crematorium (mapped facility)1
  • Biomass power plant1
  • Solar 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. Metal Banks, Philadelphia

    Superfund (NPL) site. Hazard Ranking System score 33.2. NPL Site.

    EPA site ID PAD046557096 (U.S. EPA Superfund (SEMS/NPL)) Agency record

    Severity 10

  2. Franklin Slag Pile (MDC), Philadelphia

    Superfund (NPL) site. Hazard Ranking System score 50.2. NPL Site.

    EPA site ID PASFN0305549 (U.S. EPA Superfund (SEMS/NPL)) Agency record

    Severity 10

  3. Sun Chem Corp/Hunting Park Plt, Philadelphia

    TRI reporting facility. Penalties $44,450.

    EPA FRS registry ID 110000336761 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record

    Severity 9.1

  4. Advansix Resins & Chemicals Llc, Philadelphia

    Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Cumene, Phenol, Cumene hydroperoxide, Acetophenone and 4 more. Reports carcinogens. 707,109 lbs released over 5 years.

    TRI facility ID 19137LLDSGMARGA (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)

    Severity 9

  5. Hanwha Philly Shipyard Inc, Philadelphia

    Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Xylene (mixed isomers), Ethylbenzene, Zinc compounds, Manganese compounds and 4 more. Reports carcinogens. 115,647 lbs released over 5 years.

    TRI facility ID 1911WKRPHL21KIT (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)

    Severity 8.4

  6. Advansix Inc, Philadelphia

    TRI reporting facility. Penalties $102,031.

    EPA FRS registry ID 110038495768 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record

    Severity 8.4

  7. Philadelphia Energy Solutions Refining Philadelphia Refinery, Philadelphia

    Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Nitrate compounds (water dissociable; reportable only when in aqueous solution), n-Hexane, Toluene, Benzene and 4 more. Reports carcinogens. 97,657 lbs released over 5 years.

    TRI facility ID 19145TLNTC3144P (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)

    Severity 8.3

  8. Ineos Composites Philadelphia Plant, Philadelphia

    Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Styrene, Methyl methacrylate, Dicyclopentadiene, Maleic anhydride and 4 more. Reports carcinogens. 47,448 lbs released over 5 years.

    TRI facility ID 19148SHLND2801S (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)

    Severity 8.1

  9. Purolite Llc, Philadelphia

    Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Styrene. Reports carcinogens. 15,754 lbs released over 5 years.

    TRI facility ID 19134PRLTC3620G (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)

    Severity 7.7

  10. Sun Chem Corp/Hunting Park Plt, Philadelphia

    Major air pollution source. Penalties $44,450.

    EPA FRS registry ID 110000336761 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record

    Severity 7.5

  11. Penn Fishing Tackle Manufacturing Co, Philadelphia

    Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Dichloromethane. Reports carcinogens. 6,401 lbs released over 5 years.

    TRI facility ID 19132PNNFS3028W (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)

    Severity 7.4

  12. Purolite Llc An Ecolab Co, Philadelphia

    TRI reporting facility. Penalties $6,400.

    EPA FRS registry ID 110000336878 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record

    Severity 7.2

  13. Ineos Composites Us/Phila, Philadelphia

    TRI reporting facility. Penalties $4,803.

    EPA FRS registry ID 110000337047 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record

    Severity 7.1

  14. Sun Chem Corp/Hunting Park Plt, Philadelphia

    Large hazardous waste generator. Penalties $44,450.

    EPA FRS registry ID 110000336761 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record

    Severity 7

  15. Sun Chem Corp/Hunting Park Plt, Philadelphia

    NPDES wastewater discharge permit. Penalties $44,450.

    EPA FRS registry ID 110000336761 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record

    Severity 7

  16. Thomas Jefferson Univ Hosp, Philadelphia

    Large hazardous waste generator. Penalties $215,070.

    EPA FRS registry ID 110028054236 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record

    Severity 7

  17. Quaker City Chemicals, Philadelphia

    Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Toluene, Methanol, Xylene (mixed isomers), Ethylene glycol and 4 more. Reports carcinogens. 1,622 lbs released over 5 years.

    TRI facility ID 19136QKRCT7360M (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)

    Severity 7

  18. Ardex Laboratories Inc, Philadelphia

    TRI reporting facility. Penalties $24,500.

    EPA FRS registry ID 110000336592 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record

    Severity 6.6

  19. Grays Ferry Cogen Partnership/Phila, Philadelphia

    Major air pollution source. Penalties $88,160.

    EPA FRS registry ID 110071723052 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record

    Severity 6.5

  20. North East Waste (NEW), Philadelphia

    EPA air quality monitor.

    Record ID 421010048 (U.S. EPA AirData)

    Severity 6.5

  21. Air Management Services Laboratory (AMS LAB), Philadelphia

    EPA air quality monitor.

    Record ID 421010004 (U.S. EPA AirData)

    Severity 6.4

  22. Coating & Converting Technologies Corp., Philadelphia

    Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Toluene, n-Hexane. 28,809 lbs released over 5 years.

    TRI facility ID 19148CTNGC8MRRI (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)

    Severity 6.4

  23. Coating & Converting Technologies Corp, Philadelphia

    TRI reporting facility.

    EPA FRS registry ID 110024522462 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record

    Severity 6.3

  24. Schuylkill Generating Station, Philadelphia

    Major air pollution source. Penalties $12,938.

    EPA FRS registry ID 110000744990 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record

    Severity 6.3

  25. Kingsbury Company, Philadelphia

    Large hazardous waste generator. Penalties $129,200.

    EPA FRS registry ID 110001053573 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record

    Severity 6.3

Correctional facilities

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

Discovery / public records

Records to request for Philadelphia 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 Philadelphia 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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