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Marlboro County, South Carolina: environmental and disease records

Cancer mortality in Marlboro County is 194.8 deaths per 100,000 people per year against a U.S. rate of 143.2, a statistically significant excess. The strongest disease signals are Lung & bronchus deaths at 1.9 times the U.S. rate. Federal databases place 180 regulated facilities, sites and hazards inside the county, led by Rail grade crossing (80), NPDES wastewater discharge permit (46), Air permit holder (minor source) (15). 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: 34.5517, -79.6565.

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 Marlboro County compared with the United States
Cancer	Measure	County rate	U.S. rate	Times U.S.	95% interval	Years
Lung & bronchus	Deaths	58.1	30.2	1.92xSignificant	47.5 to 70.7	2020-2024
Liver & bile duct	Deaths	9.8	6.6	1.48x	5.6 to 16.2	2020-2024
Lung & bronchus	New cases	76.9	51.8	1.48xSignificant	64.7 to 91	2019-2023
All cancer	Deaths	194.8	143.2	1.36xSignificant	174.3 to 217.3	2020-2024
Pancreas	New cases	18.6	13.9	1.34x	12.8 to 26.4	2019-2023
Pancreas	Deaths	13.3	11.3	1.18x	8.4 to 20.3	2020-2024
Kidney & renal pelvis	New cases	19.5	17.9	1.09x	13 to 28.2	2019-2023
All cancer	New cases	442.8	453.4	0.98x	411.7 to 475.9	2019-2023
Non-Hodgkin lymphoma	New cases	15.7	18.5	0.85x	10.2 to 23.5	2019-2023
Bladder	New cases	15.2	18.7	0.81x	9.9 to 22.6	2019-2023
Leukemia	New cases	9.2	14.5	0.63x	5.1 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 Marlboro County
Measure	County	U.S. median	Difference	Unit
Premature death	17,178.1	9,842.6	+75%	years of life lost before age 75 per 100,000
Life expectancy	69.1	75.3	-8%	years
Child mortality	101.1	59.8	+69%	deaths under age 18 per 100,000
Infant mortality	11.5	6.2	+85%	deaths under age 1 per 1,000 live births
Injury deaths	112.6	96.9	+16%	deaths per 100,000
Drug overdose deaths	26.9	28.6	-6%	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.

Formaldehyde21.15 per million
Carbon Tetrachloride2.94 per million
Acetaldehyde2.13 per million
Benzene0.85 per million

EPA Air Quality Index

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

Regulated facilities, sites and hazards by type

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

Rail grade crossing80
NPDES wastewater discharge permit46
Air permit holder (minor source)15
Gas station (mapped facility)15
Major air pollution source5
TRI reporting facility5
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI)5
Large greenhouse gas emitter3
Public airport1
Commercial airport1
Brownfield property1
Correctional facility (prison or jail)1
Biomass power plant1
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.

Marlboro Paper Mill, Bennettsville
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000587464 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 9.8
Domtar Paper Co, Bennettsville
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Methanol, Ammonia, Hydrochloric acid (acid aerosols including mists, vapors, gas, fog, and other airborne forms of any particle size), Hydrogen sulfide and 4 more. Reports carcinogens. 6,090,006 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 29512WLLMTHWY91 (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 9.7
Flakeboard America Ltd Bennettsville, Bennettsville
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Methanol, Formaldehyde, Ammonia, Lead And Lead Compounds and 1 more. Reports carcinogens. 248,186 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 29512FLKBR579WI (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 8.6
Fci Bennettsville, Bennettsville
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Lead. Reports carcinogens. 2,958 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 2951WFCBNN696MU (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 7.2
City Of Bennettsville Wastewater Treatment Plant, Bennettsville
NPDES wastewater discharge permit. Penalties $6,000.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000535421 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 6.8
Marlboro Paper Mill, Bennettsville
Major air pollution source.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000587464 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 6.5
Arauco North America, Inc - Bennettsville Mdf, Bennettsville
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110031339530 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 6.3
J. L. Anderson Co. Inc., Wallace
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Hydrogen fluoride, Manganese. 10,350 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 29596PLMTT3501B (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 6.1
Marlboro Paper Mill, Bennettsville
NPDES wastewater discharge permit.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000587464 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 6
Marley Engineered Products, Bennettsville
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Copper, Chromium, Lead, Diisocyanates. Reports carcinogens. 71 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 29512MRLYLGIBSO (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 5.9
Palmetto Brick, Wallace
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000354018 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 5.8
Marlboro Paper Mill, Bennettsville
Large greenhouse gas emitter.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000587464 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 5.5
Bennettsville Federal Correctional Institution, Bennettsville
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110012164932 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 5.3
Mccoll Town Of, Mccoll
NPDES wastewater discharge permit. Penalties $2,500.
EPA FRS registry ID 110017395086 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 5.3
Mohawk Industries Oak River, Bennettsville
NPDES wastewater discharge permit.
EPA FRS registry ID 110002180434 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 4.5
Clio Wwtf, Clio
NPDES wastewater discharge permit.
EPA FRS registry ID 110009793367 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 4.5
Arauco North America Inc, Bennettsville
Major air pollution source.
EPA FRS registry ID 110040516466 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 4.5
Marley Engineered Products, Bennettsville
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110002232646 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 4.5
Mohawk Industries Oak River, Bennettsville
Air permit holder (minor source).
EPA FRS registry ID 110002180434 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 4
Arauco North America Inc, Bennettsville
NPDES wastewater discharge permit.
EPA FRS registry ID 110040516466 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 4
Palmetto Brick, Wallace
Major air pollution source.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000354018 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 3.8
Delta Mills Inc Delta 2 & 3, Wallace
Major air pollution source.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000354009 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 3.5
Arauco North America Inc, Bennettsville
Large greenhouse gas emitter.
EPA FRS registry ID 110040516466 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 3.5
Americarb Inc Bennettsville Pcc Plant, Bennettsville
Major air pollution source.
EPA FRS registry ID 110046539885 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 3.5
Palmetto Brick, Wallace
NPDES wastewater discharge permit.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000354018 (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.

Bennettsville Federal Correctional Institution, Bennettsville
EPA FRS registry ID
110012164932
Wastewater permit
None on record
EPA detailed facility report

Discovery / public records

Records to request for Marlboro 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 Marlboro 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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