TN / county FIPS 47107 / county research

McMinn County, Tennessee: environmental and disease records

Cancer mortality in McMinn County is 182.8 deaths per 100,000 people per year against a U.S. rate of 143.2, a statistically significant excess. The strongest disease signals are Melanoma of the skin deaths at 2.2 times the U.S. rate and Lung & bronchus deaths at 1.8 times the U.S. rate. Federal databases place 326 regulated facilities, sites and hazards inside the county, led by NPDES wastewater discharge permit (142), Rail grade crossing (65), Gas station (mapped facility) (33). 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: 35.4429, -84.618.

How this county ranks in Tennessee

View on the heat map Scan an address in this county

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 McMinn County compared with the United States
Cancer	Measure	County rate	U.S. rate	Times U.S.	95% interval	Years
Melanoma of the skin	Deaths	4.3	2	2.15xSignificant	2.5 to 7.1	2020-2024
Lung & bronchus	Deaths	52.9	30.2	1.75xSignificant	46.1 to 60.6	2020-2024
Leukemia	Deaths	9.5	5.7	1.67xSignificant	6.5 to 13.5	2020-2024
Kidney & renal pelvis	Deaths	4.9	3.4	1.44x	2.9 to 7.8	2020-2024
Lung & bronchus	New cases	73.8	51.8	1.42xSignificant	65.7 to 82.9	2019-2023
Kidney & renal pelvis	New cases	25.5	17.9	1.42xSignificant	20.2 to 31.7	2019-2023
Esophagus	Deaths	5	3.7	1.35x	3.1 to 7.9	2020-2024
Non-Hodgkin lymphoma	Deaths	6.3	4.8	1.31x	4 to 9.5	2020-2024
Bladder	New cases	24.4	18.7	1.3xSignificant	19.7 to 29.9	2019-2023
All cancer	Deaths	182.8	143.2	1.28xSignificant	169.6 to 196.9	2020-2024
Liver & bile duct	Deaths	8.1	6.6	1.23x	5.5 to 11.5	2020-2024
Bladder	Deaths	5	4.1	1.22x	3.1 to 7.9	2020-2024
Esophagus	New cases	4.9	4.6	1.07x	3 to 7.9	2019-2023
All cancer	New cases	468.9	453.4	1.03x	446.5 to 492.2	2019-2023
Pancreas	Deaths	11.4	11.3	1.01x	8.4 to 15.4	2020-2024
Melanoma of the skin	New cases	23.6	23.8	0.99x	18.7 to 29.5	2019-2023
Stomach	New cases	6.2	6.6	0.94x	3.8 to 9.6	2019-2023
Non-Hodgkin lymphoma	New cases	17	18.5	0.92x	12.8 to 22.2	2019-2023
Brain & nervous system	Deaths	3.9	4.4	0.89x	2.2 to 6.5	2020-2024
Pancreas	New cases	11.8	13.9	0.85x	8.6 to 16	2019-2023
Leukemia	New cases	12.3	14.5	0.85x	8.9 to 16.8	2019-2023
Thyroid	New cases	10.3	13	0.79x	6.9 to 14.9	2019-2023
Brain & nervous system	New cases	4.8	6.2	0.77x	2.8 to 7.9	2019-2023
Liver & bile duct	New cases	5.6	8.7	0.64x	3.6 to 8.6	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 McMinn County
Measure	County	U.S. median	Difference	Unit
Premature death	14,154.3	9,842.6	+44%	years of life lost before age 75 per 100,000
Life expectancy	71.3	75.3	-5%	years
Child mortality	51.3	59.8	-14%	deaths under age 18 per 100,000
Infant mortality	6.7	6.2	+9%	deaths under age 1 per 1,000 live births
Injury deaths	130	96.9	+34%	deaths per 100,000
Drug overdose deaths	55.8	28.6	+95%	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.

Formaldehyde23.81 per million
Carbon Tetrachloride2.89 per million
Acetaldehyde2.55 per million
Benzene0.97 per million

EPA Air Quality Index 2025

Monitored on 357 days: 279 good, 0 unhealthy for sensitive groups or worse. Median AQI 37, peak 71.

Regulated facilities, sites and hazards by type

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

NPDES wastewater discharge permit142
Rail grade crossing65
Gas station (mapped facility)33
Air permit holder (minor source)26
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI)12
TRI reporting facility11
Major air pollution source6
Brownfield property5
Large greenhouse gas emitter5
Small hazardous waste generator4
Large hazardous waste generator3
Wastewater plant (mapped facility)3
Public airport2
Hazardous waste transporter2
Scrapyard (mapped facility)2
EPA air quality monitor1
Commercial airport1
Auto repair or body shop (mapped facility)1
Heliport1
Biomass 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.

Resolute Fp Us Inc - Calhoun Operations, Calhoun
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Methanol, Ammonia, Manganese And Manganese Compounds, Manganese compounds and 4 more. Reports carcinogens. 1,827,142 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 37309BWTRSROUTE (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 9.3
Johns Manville, Etowah
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Methanol, Formaldehyde, Lead compounds, Lead And Lead Compounds and 1 more. Reports carcinogens. 452,882 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 37331MNVLLHWY41 (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 8.8
Oldcastle Infrastructure, Sweetwater
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Styrene. Reports carcinogens. 213,954 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 37874NTDST223HW (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 8.6
Dynasty Spas, Athens
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Styrene. Reports carcinogens. 184,797 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 3730WDYNST11DYN (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 8.5
Dynasty Spas Inc, Athens
TRI reporting facility. Penalties $53,150.
EPA FRS registry ID 110015743329 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 8.5
Waupaca Foundry Inc Plant 6, Etowah
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Benzene, Phenol, Zinc compounds, Barium and 4 more. Reports carcinogens. 50,126 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 37331THYSS134WA (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 8.1
Johns Manville, Etowah
TRI reporting facility. Penalties $3,000.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000745524 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 7.8
Abb Installation Products Inc., Athens
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Zinc compounds, Nitrate compounds (water dissociable; reportable only when in aqueous solution), Chromium compounds (except for chromite ore mined in the Transvaal Region), Chromium and Chromium Compounds(except for chromite ore mined in the Transvaal Region) and 4 more. Reports carcinogens. 596 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 37303MRCNLROUTE (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 6.6
Denso Manufacturing Athens Tennessee Inc, Athens
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: 1,2,4-Trimethylbenzene, Chromium. 14,855 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 37303DNSMF24002 (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 6.2
Lambcon Ready Mix, Athens
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Toluene, Xylene (mixed isomers), Benzene, 1,1,1-Trichloroethane and 3 more. Reports carcinogens. 130 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 3730WLMBCN15CUN (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 6.1
Maclean Power Systems, Sweetwater
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110037144140 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 6.1
Dynasty Spas Inc, Athens
Major air pollution source. Penalties $53,150.
EPA FRS registry ID 110015743329 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 6
Resolute Forest Products Calhoun Operation, Calhoun
TRI reporting facility. Penalties $3,000.
EPA FRS registry ID 110056955157 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 5.6
Denso Manufacturing Athens Tennessee Inc, Athens
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110002106220 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 5.6
Oostanaula Wwtp, Athens
NPDES wastewater discharge permit. Penalties $6,000.
EPA FRS registry ID 110002348941 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 5.5
Dynasty Spas Inc, Athens
NPDES wastewater discharge permit. Penalties $53,150.
EPA FRS registry ID 110015743329 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 5.5
Evonik Corporation, Etowah
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110008124939 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 5.3
Trg East Tn Mhc, Lp- River Rock Mobile Home Park, Englewood
NPDES wastewater discharge permit. Penalties $6,860.
EPA FRS registry ID 110010813726 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 5.3
Lambcon Ready Mix, Athens
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110024413160 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 5.2
Evonik Corp, Etowah
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Lead And Lead Compounds, Mercury And Mercury Compounds, Lead compounds, Mercury compounds. 620 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 37331JMHBRCAMBR (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 5.1
Abb Installation Products Inc., Athens
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000371151 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 5.1
Johns Manville, Etowah
Major air pollution source. Penalties $3,000.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000745524 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 5
Etowah Utilities Board Dba Etowah Utilities Wastewater Treatment Plant, Etowah
NPDES wastewater discharge permit.
EPA FRS registry ID 110009786874 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 4.8
Resolute Forest Products Calhoun Operation, Calhoun
Major air pollution source. Penalties $3,000.
EPA FRS registry ID 110056955157 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 4.8
Athens, Athens
EPA air quality monitor.
Record ID 471071002 (U.S. EPA AirData)
Severity 4.7

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 McMinn County

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

Scan an address in McMinn County View on the heat map All Tennessee counties