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Harris County, Texas: environmental and disease records

Cancer mortality in Harris County is 131.5 deaths per 100,000 people per year against a U.S. rate of 143.2. The strongest disease signals are Liver & bile duct deaths at 1.3 times the U.S. rate and Stomach deaths at 1.2 times the U.S. rate. Federal databases place 15,945 regulated facilities, sites and hazards inside the county, led by NPDES wastewater discharge permit (9,135), Gas station (mapped facility) (1,963), Rail grade crossing (927). 6 correctional facilities operate in the county. EPA AirToxScreen estimates a lifetime cancer risk from outdoor air toxics of 40 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: 29.834, -95.3864.

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 Harris County compared with the United States
CancerMeasureCounty rateU.S. rateTimes U.S.95% intervalYears
Liver & bile ductNew cases13.28.71.52xSignificant12.7 to 13.72019-2023
Liver & bile ductDeaths8.46.61.27xSignificant8 to 8.82020-2024
StomachDeaths3.32.71.22xSignificant3.1 to 3.62020-2024
StomachNew cases86.61.21xSignificant7.6 to 8.42019-2023
Childhood cancer (under 15)Deaths2.11.91.11x1.7 to 2.62020-2024
Kidney & renal pelvisDeaths3.63.41.06x3.3 to 3.82020-2024
Kidney & renal pelvisNew cases18.917.91.06xSignificant18.3 to 19.42019-2023
PancreasNew cases14.113.91.01x13.6 to 14.62019-2023
ThyroidDeaths0.50.51x0.4 to 0.62020-2024
Childhood cancer (under 15)New cases16.216.40.99x15.1 to 17.32019-2023
LeukemiaNew cases13.714.50.94x13.2 to 14.22019-2023
PancreasDeaths10.611.30.94x10.1 to 112020-2024
Non-Hodgkin lymphomaDeaths4.54.80.94x4.2 to 4.82020-2024
Non-Hodgkin lymphomaNew cases17.218.50.93x16.7 to 17.82019-2023
All cancerDeaths131.5143.20.92x129.9 to 133.12020-2024
All cancerNew cases414.6453.40.91x411.8 to 417.32019-2023
LeukemiaDeaths5.15.70.89x4.8 to 5.42020-2024
Brain & nervous systemNew cases5.56.20.89x5.2 to 5.82019-2023
Brain & nervous systemDeaths3.64.40.82x3.4 to 3.92020-2024
EsophagusNew cases3.74.60.8x3.4 to 3.92019-2023
BladderDeaths3.24.10.78x3 to 3.52020-2024
Lung & bronchusNew cases40.451.80.78x39.5 to 41.22019-2023
Lung & bronchusDeaths23.530.20.78x22.9 to 24.22020-2024
BladderNew cases13.918.70.74x13.4 to 14.52019-2023
ThyroidNew cases9.6130.74x9.2 to 102019-2023
EsophagusDeaths2.53.70.68x2.3 to 2.72020-2024
Melanoma of the skinDeaths1.320.65x1.1 to 1.42020-2024
Melanoma of the skinNew cases13.623.80.57x13.1 to 14.12019-2023

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 Harris County
MeasureCountyU.S. medianDifferenceUnit
Premature death8,156.89,842.6-17%years of life lost before age 75 per 100,000
Life expectancy77.375.3+3%years
Child mortality54.559.8-9%deaths under age 18 per 100,000
Infant mortality5.86.2-6%deaths under age 1 per 1,000 live births
Injury deaths69.396.9-28%deaths per 100,000
Drug overdose deaths21.428.6-25%deaths per 100,000

Air toxics and air quality

EPA AirToxScreen 2020

Lifetime cancer risk from outdoor air toxics: 40 in a million. EPA treats 100 in a million as the upper end of acceptable risk and 1 in a million as the goal.

  • Formaldehyde23.24 per million
  • Ethylene Oxide5.17 per million
  • Carbon Tetrachloride2.89 per million
  • Acetaldehyde1.8 per million

EPA Air Quality Index 2025

Monitored on 365 days: 40 good, 38 unhealthy for sensitive groups or worse. Median AQI 62, peak 172.

Regulated facilities, sites and hazards by type

15,945 active records inside the county from EPA ECHO, TRI, Superfund, Brownfields, NPDES, EIA, FAA, FRA and corrections data.

  • NPDES wastewater discharge permit9,135
  • Gas station (mapped facility)1,963
  • Rail grade crossing927
  • Small hazardous waste generator549
  • Air permit holder (minor source)495
  • Auto repair or body shop (mapped facility)492
  • Toxic chemical release facility (TRI)428
  • Hazardous waste transporter403
  • Large hazardous waste generator366
  • TRI reporting facility355
  • Major air pollution source258
  • Brownfield property136
  • Dry cleaner (mapped facility)121
  • Large greenhouse gas emitter89
  • Heliport58
  • Wastewater plant (mapped facility)34
  • Gas power plant33
  • EPA air quality monitor23
  • Landfill (mapped facility)21
  • Scrapyard (mapped facility)13
  • Superfund (NPL) site13
  • Industrial wastewater discharge11
  • Public airport6
  • Commercial airport6
  • Correctional facility (prison or jail)6
  • Other power plant2
  • Airfield1
  • Oil-fired 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.

  1. Texas Petrochemicals, Houston

    TRI reporting facility. Penalties $12,251,425.

    EPA FRS registry ID 110000461134 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record

    Severity 10

  2. Georgia Gulf Chemicals & Vinyls, Llc - Pasadena, Pasadena

    TRI reporting facility. Penalties $542,068.

    EPA FRS registry ID 110000462623 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record

    Severity 10

  3. Basf Catalysts Llc, Pasadena

    TRI reporting facility. Penalties $109,678.

    EPA FRS registry ID 110000462801 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record

    Severity 10

  4. Kaneka Texas Corporation, Pasadena

    TRI reporting facility. Penalties $145,712.

    EPA FRS registry ID 110000462918 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record

    Severity 10

  5. Baytown Olefins Plant, Baytown

    TRI reporting facility. Penalties $2,204,913.

    EPA FRS registry ID 110000463178 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record

    Severity 10

  6. Clean Harbors Deer Park Llc, La Porte

    TRI reporting facility. Penalties $204,268.

    EPA FRS registry ID 110000463365 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record

    Severity 10

  7. Equistar Chemicals, Pasadena

    TRI reporting facility. Penalties $1,445,000.

    EPA FRS registry ID 110000506079 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record

    Severity 10

  8. Shell Chemical, Deer Park

    TRI reporting facility. Penalties $393,340.

    EPA FRS registry ID 110031267064 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record

    Severity 10

  9. Equistar Chemicals-Laporte, Laporte

    TRI reporting facility. Penalties $4,527,678.

    EPA FRS registry ID 110034641635 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record

    Severity 10

  10. Agrifos Fertilizer L.L.C., Pasadena

    TRI reporting facility. Penalties $64,001.

    EPA FRS registry ID 110056955521 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record

    Severity 10

  11. Patrick Bayou, Deer Park

    Superfund (NPL) site. Hazard Ranking System score 47.8. NPL Site.

    EPA site ID TX0000605329 (U.S. EPA Superfund (SEMS/NPL)) Agency record

    Severity 10

  12. Many Diversified Interests, Inc., Houston

    Superfund (NPL) site. Hazard Ranking System score 32.1. NPL Site.

    EPA site ID TXD008083404 (U.S. EPA Superfund (SEMS/NPL)) Agency record

    Severity 10

  13. Sikes Disposal Pits, Crosby

    Superfund (NPL) site. Hazard Ranking System score 61.6. NPL Site.

    EPA site ID TXD980513956 (U.S. EPA Superfund (SEMS/NPL)) Agency record

    Severity 10

  14. French, Ltd., Crosby

    Superfund (NPL) site. Hazard Ranking System score 63.3. NPL Site.

    EPA site ID TXD980514814 (U.S. EPA Superfund (SEMS/NPL)) Agency record

    Severity 10

  15. Highlands Acid Pit, Highlands

    Superfund (NPL) site. Hazard Ranking System score 37.8. NPL Site.

    EPA site ID TXD980514996 (U.S. EPA Superfund (SEMS/NPL)) Agency record

    Severity 10

  16. Geneva Industries/Fuhrmann Energy, Houston

    Superfund (NPL) site. Hazard Ranking System score 59.5. NPL Site.

    EPA site ID TXD980748453 (U.S. EPA Superfund (SEMS/NPL)) Agency record

    Severity 10

  17. South Cavalcade Street, Houston

    Superfund (NPL) site. Hazard Ranking System score 38.7. NPL Site.

    EPA site ID TXD980810386 (U.S. EPA Superfund (SEMS/NPL)) Agency record

    Severity 10

  18. Sol Lynn/Industrial Transformers, Houston

    Superfund (NPL) site. Hazard Ranking System score 39.7. NPL Site.

    EPA site ID TXD980873327 (U.S. EPA Superfund (SEMS/NPL)) Agency record

    Severity 10

  19. North Cavalcade Street, Houston

    Superfund (NPL) site. Hazard Ranking System score 37.1. NPL Site.

    EPA site ID TXD980873343 (U.S. EPA Superfund (SEMS/NPL)) Agency record

    Severity 10

  20. Crystal Chemical Co., Houston

    Superfund (NPL) site. Hazard Ranking System score 60.9. NPL Site.

    EPA site ID TXD990707010 (U.S. EPA Superfund (SEMS/NPL)) Agency record

    Severity 10

  21. Jones Road Ground Water Plume, Houston

    Superfund (NPL) site. Hazard Ranking System score 46.5. NPL Site.

    EPA site ID TXN000605460 (U.S. EPA Superfund (SEMS/NPL)) Agency record

    Severity 10

  22. San Jacinto River Waste Pits, Channelview

    Superfund (NPL) site. Hazard Ranking System score 50. NPL Site.

    EPA site ID TXN000606611 (U.S. EPA Superfund (SEMS/NPL)) Agency record

    Severity 10

  23. US Oil Recovery, Pasadena

    Superfund (NPL) site. Hazard Ranking System score 50. NPL Site.

    EPA site ID TXN000607093 (U.S. EPA Superfund (SEMS/NPL)) Agency record

    Severity 10

  24. Chevron Phillips Chemical Co - Pasadena Plastics Complex, Pasadena

    Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Ethylene, n-Hexane, Toluene, Zinc compounds and 3 more. Reports carcinogens. Reports PFAS. 556,311 lbs released over 5 years.

    TRI facility ID 77506PHLLP1400J (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)

    Severity 10

  25. Lyondell Chemical Co, Channelview

    Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Methanol, Ethylbenzene, Acetophenone, Styrene and 4 more. Reports carcinogens. 18,154,855 lbs released over 5 years.

    TRI facility ID 77530RCCHM2502S (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)

    Severity 10

Correctional facilities

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

Discovery / public records

Records to request for Harris 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 Harris 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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