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Calhoun County, South Carolina: environmental and disease records

Cancer mortality in Calhoun County is 167.1 deaths per 100,000 people per year against a U.S. rate of 143.2, a statistically significant excess. Federal databases place 160 regulated facilities, sites and hazards inside the county, led by NPDES wastewater discharge permit (63), Rail grade crossing (45), Air permit holder (minor source) (16). 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: 33.6728, -80.7855.

How this county ranks in South 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 Calhoun County compared with the United States
Cancer	Measure	County rate	U.S. rate	Times U.S.	95% interval	Years
All cancer	Deaths	167.1	143.2	1.17xSignificant	143.8 to 193.7	2020-2024
Lung & bronchus	Deaths	33.8	30.2	1.12x	23.5 to 47.9	2020-2024
Lung & bronchus	New cases	46.8	51.8	0.9x	35.2 to 62.1	2019-2023
Bladder	New cases	16	18.7	0.86x	8.8 to 27.4	2019-2023
All cancer	New cases	350.9	453.4	0.77x	314.5 to 390.9	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 Calhoun County
Measure	County	U.S. median	Difference	Unit
Premature death	14,695	9,842.6	+49%	years of life lost before age 75 per 100,000
Life expectancy	72.5	75.3	-4%	years
Child mortality	84.6	59.8	+42%	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	130.6	96.9	+35%	deaths per 100,000
Drug overdose deaths	28	28.6	-2%	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.

Formaldehyde22.27 per million
Carbon Tetrachloride2.92 per million
Acetaldehyde2.22 per million
Benzene0.75 per million

EPA Air Quality Index

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

Regulated facilities, sites and hazards by type

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

NPDES wastewater discharge permit63
Rail grade crossing45
Air permit holder (minor source)16
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI)7
TRI reporting facility6
Major air pollution source4
Gas station (mapped facility)4
Solar power plant4
Public airport3
Small hazardous waste generator3
Large greenhouse gas emitter2
Brownfield property1
Large hazardous waste generator1
Gas 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.

Alpek Polyester Usa Llc-Columbia Site, Gaston
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Ethylene glycol, Bromomethane, Acetaldehyde, p-Xylene and 4 more. Reports carcinogens. 2,976,982 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 2905WDKMRC57KAV (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 9.5
Alpek Polyester Usa Llc - Columbia Site, Gaston
TRI reporting facility. Penalties $8,000.
EPA FRS registry ID 110043305688 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 9.4
Eastman Chemical Co South Carolina Operations, Gaston
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Acetaldehyde, Ethylene glycol, 1,4-Dioxane, Antimony And Antimony Compounds and 1 more. Reports carcinogens. 84,587 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 29202CRLNSUSHIG (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 8.3
Alaglass Pools, Saint Matthews
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Styrene. Reports carcinogens. 5,772 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 29135LGLSSRURAL (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 7.4
Alaglas Pools, Saint Matthews
TRI reporting facility. Penalties $22,500.
EPA FRS registry ID 110002100315 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 7.3
Dominion Energy South Carolina - Columbia Energy Center, Gaston
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Ammonia. 234,812 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 2905WCLMBN1CALP (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 7.1
Alpek Polyester Usa Llc - Columbia Site, Gaston
Major air pollution source. Penalties $8,000.
EPA FRS registry ID 110043305688 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 6.3
Zeus Co Llc Gsc, Gaston
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Certain glycol ethers. 15,760 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 2905WZSCMP21ZEU (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 6.2
Devro Inc, Swansea
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Nitrate compounds (water dissociable; reportable only when in aqueous solution), Ammonia. 15,684 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 29160TPKNCSTARR (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 6.2
Columbia Energy Center, Gaston
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110016798866 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 6.2
Zeus Co Llc Csc, Gaston
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Certain glycol ethers. 9,770 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 2905WZSCMP11515 (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 6.1
Eastman Chemical Company Sc Operations, Gaston
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110040866783 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 5.9
Alpek Polyester Usa Llc - Columbia Site, Gaston
NPDES wastewater discharge permit. Penalties $8,000.
EPA FRS registry ID 110043305688 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 5.8
Zeus Company Inc Csc, Gaston
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110071434361 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 5.6
Zeus Company Llc, Gaston
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110071434360 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 5.5
Alaglas Pools, Saint Matthews
Major air pollution source. Penalties $22,500.
EPA FRS registry ID 110002100315 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 5.3
Devro Inc, Swansea
NPDES wastewater discharge permit. Penalties $4,000.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000499755 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 4.3
Alpek Polyester Usa Llc - Columbia Site, Gaston
Small hazardous waste generator. Penalties $8,000.
EPA FRS registry ID 110043305688 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 4.3
Srf Ranch Llc/Horsefeathers Rd Mine, Gaston
NPDES wastewater discharge permit.
EPA FRS registry ID 110070688067 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 4.3
Devro Inc, Swansea
Air permit holder (minor source). Penalties $4,000.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000499755 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 3.8
Columbia Energy Center (Sc), Gaston
Gas power plant.
Record ID 55386 (U.S. Energy Information Administration)
Severity 3.5
Columbia Energy Center, Gaston
Major air pollution source.
EPA FRS registry ID 110016798866 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 3.5
Eastman Chemical Company Sc Operations, Gaston
Major air pollution source.
EPA FRS registry ID 110040866783 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 3.5
Hair & Sons Inc/Calhoun Mine, St. Matthews
NPDES wastewater discharge permit.
EPA FRS registry ID 110071821678 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 3.5
Zeus Csc Columbia Manufacturing Facility, Gaston
Small hazardous waste generator. Penalties $2,800.
EPA FRS registry ID 110070633479 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 3.3

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 Calhoun County

South 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 Calhoun County, and their findings.
South 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.
South Carolina health department, environmental epidemiology
Health consultations or assessments by ATSDR or the state health department covering the county, and any exposure investigations.
South 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.
South 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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