TN / county FIPS 47163 / county research

Sullivan County, Tennessee: environmental and disease records

Cancer mortality in Sullivan County is 179 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 1.5 times the U.S. rate and Kidney & renal pelvis deaths at 1.5 times the U.S. rate. Federal databases place 569 regulated facilities, sites and hazards inside the county, led by NPDES wastewater discharge permit (274), Air permit holder (minor source) (59), Gas station (mapped facility) (54). 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: 36.5043, -82.3113.

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 Sullivan County compared with the United States
Cancer	Measure	County rate	U.S. rate	Times U.S.	95% interval	Years
Lung & bronchus	Deaths	46.4	30.2	1.54xSignificant	42.8 to 50.3	2020-2024
Kidney & renal pelvis	Deaths	5.1	3.4	1.5xSignificant	3.9 to 6.7	2020-2024
Non-Hodgkin lymphoma	Deaths	7	4.8	1.46xSignificant	5.6 to 8.8	2020-2024
Thyroid	New cases	18.8	13	1.45xSignificant	15.9 to 22	2019-2023
Melanoma of the skin	Deaths	2.8	2	1.4x	1.9 to 4.1	2020-2024
Lung & bronchus	New cases	70.2	51.8	1.36xSignificant	65.6 to 75	2019-2023
Leukemia	Deaths	7.7	5.7	1.35xSignificant	6.2 to 9.5	2020-2024
Esophagus	Deaths	4.8	3.7	1.3x	3.7 to 6.3	2020-2024
All cancer	Deaths	179	143.2	1.25xSignificant	171.5 to 186.7	2020-2024
Kidney & renal pelvis	New cases	22.1	17.9	1.23xSignificant	19.3 to 25.2	2019-2023
Liver & bile duct	Deaths	8	6.6	1.21x	6.6 to 9.8	2020-2024
Liver & bile duct	New cases	10.3	8.7	1.18x	8.6 to 12.3	2019-2023
Leukemia	New cases	17.1	14.5	1.18xSignificant	14.7 to 19.8	2019-2023
Brain & nervous system	Deaths	5	4.4	1.14x	3.7 to 6.5	2020-2024
Melanoma of the skin	New cases	26.7	23.8	1.12x	23.7 to 30	2019-2023
Esophagus	New cases	5.1	4.6	1.11x	3.9 to 6.6	2019-2023
Non-Hodgkin lymphoma	New cases	19.9	18.5	1.08x	17.4 to 22.8	2019-2023
Bladder	Deaths	4.4	4.1	1.07x	3.4 to 5.9	2020-2024
All cancer	New cases	468.8	453.4	1.03xSignificant	456.1 to 481.9	2019-2023
Bladder	New cases	18.9	18.7	1.01x	16.5 to 21.5	2019-2023
Childhood cancer (under 15)	New cases	16	16.4	0.98x	9.8 to 24.7	2019-2023
Pancreas	Deaths	11	11.3	0.97x	9.2 to 13	2020-2024
Pancreas	New cases	13.1	13.9	0.94x	11.1 to 15.3	2019-2023
Brain & nervous system	New cases	5.4	6.2	0.87x	4 to 7.2	2019-2023
Stomach	New cases	3.9	6.6	0.59x	2.8 to 5.3	2019-2023
Stomach	Deaths	1.4	2.7	0.52x	0.8 to 2.4	2020-2024

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 Sullivan County
Measure	County	U.S. median	Difference	Unit
Premature death	12,612.1	9,842.6	+28%	years of life lost before age 75 per 100,000
Life expectancy	72.7	75.3	-3%	years
Child mortality	62.3	59.8	+4%	deaths under age 18 per 100,000
Infant mortality	6.3	6.2	+1%	deaths under age 1 per 1,000 live births
Injury deaths	120.3	96.9	+24%	deaths per 100,000
Drug overdose deaths	44.1	28.6	+54%	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.

Formaldehyde20.56 per million
Carbon Tetrachloride2.83 per million
Acetaldehyde2.11 per million
Benzene1.17 per million

EPA Air Quality Index 2025

Monitored on 361 days: 296 good, 0 unhealthy for sensitive groups or worse. Median AQI 40, peak 90.

Regulated facilities, sites and hazards by type

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

NPDES wastewater discharge permit274
Air permit holder (minor source)59
Gas station (mapped facility)54
Rail grade crossing54
Small hazardous waste generator17
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI)17
Large hazardous waste generator16
Auto repair or body shop (mapped facility)15
TRI reporting facility14
Major air pollution source8
EPA air quality monitor8
Brownfield property7
Heliport6
Public airport3
Landfill (mapped facility)3
Wastewater plant (mapped facility)3
Large greenhouse gas emitter2
Hydroelectric plant2
Scrapyard (mapped facility)2
Commercial airport1
Correctional facility (prison or jail)1
Hazardous waste transporter1
Biomass power plant1
Coal 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.

Tennessee Operations, Kingsport
TRI reporting facility. Penalties $770,486.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000574423 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 10
Eastman Chemical Co Tennessee Operations, Kingsport
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Nitrate compounds (water dissociable; reportable only when in aqueous solution), Methanol, Barium compounds (except for barium sulfate (CAS No. 7727-43-7)), Formic acid and 4 more. Reports carcinogens. 17,645,655 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 37662TNNSSEASTM (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 10
Domtar Paper Company, Llc - Kingsport Mill, Kingsport
TRI reporting facility. Penalties $35,360.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000372329 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 9.9
Microporous Llc, Piney Flats
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Trichloroethylene. Reports carcinogens. 518,087 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 37686MCRPR596IN (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 8.9
Domtar Paper Co Llc Kingsport Mill, Kingsport
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Methanol, Hydrochloric acid (acid aerosols including mists, vapors, gas, fog, and other airborne forms of any particle size), Ammonia, Manganese And Manganese Compounds and 4 more. Reports carcinogens. 285,406 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 37662MDPPRPOBOX (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 8.7
Bristol Metals Lp, Bristol
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Hydrogen fluoride, Nitric acid, Chromium and Chromium Compounds(except for chromite ore mined in the Transvaal Region), Nickel And Nickel Compounds and 4 more. Reports carcinogens. 85,119 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 37621BRSTL390BR (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 8.3
Primester Gp, Kingsport
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Propylene, Chlorodifluoromethane (HCFC-22), Nitrate compounds (water dissociable; reportable only when in aqueous solution), Sodium nitrite and 3 more. Reports carcinogens. 29,867 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 3766WPRMST181WA (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 7.9
Tri-City Extrusion, Bristol
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Zinc compounds, Aluminum (fume or dust), Chromium and Chromium Compounds(except for chromite ore mined in the Transvaal Region), Lead And Lead Compounds and 4 more. Reports carcinogens. 9,563 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 3762WTRCTY161AR (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 7.6
Tennessee Operations, Kingsport
Major air pollution source. Penalties $770,486.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000574423 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 7.5
Primester, Kingsport
TRI reporting facility. Penalties $8,250.
EPA FRS registry ID 110069993398 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 7.5
Seaman Corp-Bristol Plant, Bristol
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Toluene, Antimony compounds, Barium compounds (except for barium sulfate (CAS No. 7727-43-7)), Lead compounds and 4 more. Reports PFAS. 5,858 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 37620SMNCRINDUS (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 7.4
Domtar Paper Company, Llc - Kingsport Mill, Kingsport
Major air pollution source. Penalties $35,360.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000372329 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 7.3
Tennessee Operations, Kingsport
Large hazardous waste generator. Penalties $770,486.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000574423 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 7
Tennessee Operations, Kingsport
NPDES wastewater discharge permit. Penalties $770,486.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000574423 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 7
Upm Pharmaceuticals Inc, Bristol
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Hydrochloric acid (acid aerosols including mists, vapors, gas, fog, and other airborne forms of any particle size), Methanol, Dichloromethane, Zinc compounds and 2 more. Reports carcinogens. 1,730 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 37620BCHML501FI (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 7
Domtar Paper Company, Llc - Kingsport Mill, Kingsport
NPDES wastewater discharge permit. Penalties $35,360.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000372329 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 6.8
Tri-City Extrusion Plant #2, Bristol
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Zinc compounds, Aluminum (fume or dust), Chromium compounds (except for chromite ore mined in the Transvaal Region), Lead compounds and 1 more. Reports carcinogens. 687 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 3762WTRCTY136LA (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 6.7
Modern Forge Tennessee Llc., Piney Flats
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Chromium, Manganese, Nickel, Lead. Reports carcinogens. 677 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 37686MDRNF501RO (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 6.7
Bristol Metals Limited Partnership, Bristol
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000372178 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 6.4
Microporous Llc, Piney Flats
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110002106541 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 6.3
Domtar Paper Company, Llc - Kingsport Mill, Kingsport
Large greenhouse gas emitter. Penalties $35,360.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000372329 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 6.3
Polymer Industrial Products, Piney Flats
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Toluene, Xylene (mixed isomers), Zinc compounds. 15,563 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 37686PLYMR688IN (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 6.2
Tennessee Eastman Operations, Kingsport
Coal power plant.
Record ID 50481 (U.S. Energy Information Administration)
Severity 6.2
Kingsport Stp, Kingsport
NPDES wastewater discharge permit.
EPA FRS registry ID 110004955861 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 6
Tri-City Extrusion Inc, Bristol
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110032660868 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 5.8

Correctional facilities

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

Sullivan County Jail Expansion, Blountville
EPA FRS registry ID
110071238226
Wastewater permit
Yes
EPA detailed facility report

Discovery / public records

Records to request for Sullivan 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 Sullivan 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 Sullivan County View on the heat map All Tennessee counties