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Anderson County, Texas: environmental and disease records

Cancer mortality in Anderson County is 201.2 deaths per 100,000 people per year against a U.S. rate of 143.2, a statistically significant excess. The strongest disease signals are Liver & bile duct deaths at 3.2 times the U.S. rate and Kidney & renal pelvis deaths at 2.2 times the U.S. rate. Federal databases place 230 regulated facilities, sites and hazards inside the county, led by NPDES wastewater discharge permit (78), Rail grade crossing (55), Scrapyard (mapped facility) (36). 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: 31.7939, -95.6881.

How this county ranks in Texas

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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 Anderson County compared with the United States
Cancer	Measure	County rate	U.S. rate	Times U.S.	95% interval	Years
Liver & bile duct	Deaths	21.3	6.6	3.23xSignificant	16.9 to 26.7	2020-2024
Kidney & renal pelvis	Deaths	7.6	3.4	2.24xSignificant	4.8 to 11.5	2020-2024
Esophagus	Deaths	6.9	3.7	1.86xSignificant	4.4 to 10.4	2020-2024
Liver & bile duct	New cases	14.6	8.7	1.68xSignificant	10.9 to 19.3	2019-2023
Leukemia	Deaths	9.5	5.7	1.67xSignificant	6.4 to 13.6	2020-2024
All cancer	Deaths	201.2	143.2	1.41xSignificant	186.2 to 217.1	2020-2024
Lung & bronchus	Deaths	41.9	30.2	1.39xSignificant	35.2 to 49.6	2020-2024
Brain & nervous system	Deaths	5.8	4.4	1.32x	3.6 to 9.1	2020-2024
Kidney & renal pelvis	New cases	23.3	17.9	1.3xSignificant	18.3 to 29.3	2019-2023
Non-Hodgkin lymphoma	Deaths	5.8	4.8	1.21x	3.4 to 9.2	2020-2024
Lung & bronchus	New cases	62.2	51.8	1.2xSignificant	53.9 to 71.5	2019-2023
Leukemia	New cases	17.2	14.5	1.19x	12.8 to 22.6	2019-2023
Pancreas	Deaths	13.2	11.3	1.17x	9.6 to 17.7	2020-2024
Brain & nervous system	New cases	7	6.2	1.13x	4.4 to 10.5	2019-2023
Stomach	New cases	7.2	6.6	1.09x	4.6 to 10.9	2019-2023
Esophagus	New cases	5	4.6	1.09x	2.9 to 8	2019-2023
All cancer	New cases	440.6	453.4	0.97x	418.2 to 463.9	2019-2023
Non-Hodgkin lymphoma	New cases	15.2	18.5	0.82x	11.3 to 20.1	2019-2023
Bladder	New cases	14	18.7	0.75x	10.2 to 18.8	2019-2023
Pancreas	New cases	10.2	13.9	0.73x	7 to 14.3	2019-2023
Melanoma of the skin	New cases	11.4	23.8	0.48x	7.9 to 15.8	2019-2023
Thyroid	New cases	5.7	13	0.44x	3.4 to 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 Anderson County
Measure	County	U.S. median	Difference	Unit
Premature death	11,853.7	9,842.6	+20%	years of life lost before age 75 per 100,000
Life expectancy	72	75.3	-4%	years
Child mortality	51.6	59.8	-14%	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	109.6	96.9	+13%	deaths per 100,000
Drug overdose deaths	20.7	28.6	-28%	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.

Formaldehyde24.85 per million
Carbon Tetrachloride2.89 per million
Acetaldehyde2.11 per million
Ethylene Oxide1.12 per million

EPA Air Quality Index

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

Regulated facilities, sites and hazards by type

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

NPDES wastewater discharge permit78
Rail grade crossing55
Scrapyard (mapped facility)36
Gas station (mapped facility)14
Major air pollution source8
Public airport5
Heliport5
TRI reporting facility5
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI)5
Small hazardous waste generator4
Large hazardous waste generator3
Hazardous waste transporter3
Wastewater plant (mapped facility)3
Air permit holder (minor source)2
Landfill (mapped facility)2
Airfield1
Commercial airport1

Highest-severity records

The 25 records with the highest Envyrofax severity in the county, with the agency identifier to cite in a records request.

Verdant Energy Solutions Palestine, Palestine
TRI reporting facility. Penalties $73,183.
EPA FRS registry ID 110071214719 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 9.1
Sanderson Farms Palestine Processing, Palestine
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Nitrate compounds (water dissociable; reportable only when in aqueous solution), Ammonia, Hydrogen sulfide, Peracetic acid. 2,400,299 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 7580WSNDRS32SAN (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 7.9
Verdant Energy Solutions - Palestine, Palestine
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Ethylene oxide, Methanol, Xylene (mixed isomers), Propylene oxide and 4 more. Reports carcinogens. 2,720 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 7580WBZCHM21872 (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 7.1
Sanderson Farms Palestine Processing, Palestine
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110063235137 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 6.8
Tdcj Coffield Unit, Tennessee Colony
NPDES wastewater discharge permit. Penalties $27,000.
EPA FRS registry ID 110021020072 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 6.8
Verdant Energy Solutions Palestine, Palestine
Large hazardous waste generator. Penalties $73,183.
EPA FRS registry ID 110071214719 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 6.8
Tdcj Beto Unit-Dummy Plant For Powledge I/C, Tennessee Colony
NPDES wastewater discharge permit. Penalties $32,625.
EPA FRS registry ID 110021021124 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 5.8
City Of Elkhart Wwtp, Elkhart
NPDES wastewater discharge permit. Penalties $7,625.
EPA FRS registry ID 110009781646 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 4.8
Potters - Palestine, Palestine
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Lead. Reports carcinogens. 1 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 7580WNNSFL1658W (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 4.7
Best Block Palestine Plant, Palestine
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Lead compounds, Lead, Lead And Lead Compounds. Reports carcinogens.
TRI facility ID 75802PLSTN25WRE (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 4.5
Bc Materials Frankston Plant, Frankston
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Lead. Reports carcinogens.
TRI facility ID 7576WBCMTR18919 (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 4.5
City Of Palestine, Palestine
NPDES wastewater discharge permit.
EPA FRS registry ID 110022908362 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 4.5
Tdcj Powledge Wwtp, Anderson County
NPDES wastewater discharge permit. Penalties $24,000.
EPA FRS registry ID 110009776260 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 4.3
Cayuga Isd, Cayuga
NPDES wastewater discharge permit. Penalties $35,250.
EPA FRS registry ID 110010843043 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 4.3
Cayuga Sand Plant, Cayuga
NPDES wastewater discharge permit.
EPA FRS registry ID 110070563891 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 4.3
Palestine Concrete Tile Co. L.P., Palestine
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110022810500 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 4
Ennis Flint Palestine, Palestine
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110070376790 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 4
Bc Materials Frankston Plant, Frankston
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110071287424 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 4
Bethel Gas Treating Facility, Palestine
Major air pollution source.
EPA FRS registry ID 110007182397 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 3.5
Ram Field Facility, Frankston
Major air pollution source.
EPA FRS registry ID 110007192572 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 3.5
Bethel Comp Sta, Cayuga
Major air pollution source.
EPA FRS registry ID 110007192796 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 3.5
Bethel Compressor Station, Palestine
Major air pollution source.
EPA FRS registry ID 110007201161 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 3.5
Frankston Station, Frankston
Major air pollution source.
EPA FRS registry ID 110007207245 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 3.5
Palestine Contractors, Palestine
Hazardous waste transporter.
EPA FRS registry ID 110009503787 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 3.5
Frankston Caddo Creek Wwtp, Frankston
NPDES wastewater discharge permit.
EPA FRS registry ID 110010923340 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 3.5

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 Anderson County

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