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Upshur County, Texas: environmental and disease records

Cancer mortality in Upshur County is 188.4 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 1.6 times the U.S. rate and Lung & bronchus deaths at 1.5 times the U.S. rate. Federal databases place 151 regulated facilities, sites and hazards inside the county, led by NPDES wastewater discharge permit (61), Rail grade crossing (38), Gas station (mapped facility) (23). 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: 32.7099, -94.9274.

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 Upshur County compared with the United States
Cancer	Measure	County rate	U.S. rate	Times U.S.	95% interval	Years
Esophagus	New cases	8.4	4.6	1.83xSignificant	5.2 to 13	2019-2023
Liver & bile duct	Deaths	10.7	6.6	1.62xSignificant	7.2 to 15.5	2020-2024
Liver & bile duct	New cases	13.8	8.7	1.59xSignificant	9.7 to 19.2	2019-2023
Lung & bronchus	Deaths	45.8	30.2	1.52xSignificant	38.2 to 54.5	2020-2024
Leukemia	New cases	21.3	14.5	1.47xSignificant	15.9 to 28.1	2019-2023
Kidney & renal pelvis	New cases	26.1	17.9	1.46xSignificant	20.2 to 33.3	2019-2023
Non-Hodgkin lymphoma	Deaths	6.8	4.8	1.42x	4.1 to 10.9	2020-2024
Lung & bronchus	New cases	70.8	51.8	1.37xSignificant	61.4 to 81.5	2019-2023
Pancreas	New cases	18.6	13.9	1.34x	13.8 to 24.6	2019-2023
All cancer	Deaths	188.4	143.2	1.32xSignificant	172.4 to 205.6	2020-2024
Pancreas	Deaths	14.7	11.3	1.3x	10.5 to 20.2	2020-2024
Bladder	New cases	23.4	18.7	1.25x	17.9 to 30.2	2019-2023
All cancer	New cases	514.5	453.4	1.13xSignificant	487.1 to 543.1	2019-2023
Leukemia	Deaths	5.8	5.7	1.02x	3.3 to 9.7	2020-2024
Non-Hodgkin lymphoma	New cases	17.4	18.5	0.94x	12.7 to 23.4	2019-2023
Thyroid	New cases	11.8	13	0.91x	7.7 to 17.5	2019-2023
Melanoma of the skin	New cases	14.7	23.8	0.62x	10.6 to 20	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 Upshur County
Measure	County	U.S. median	Difference	Unit
Premature death	10,967.6	9,842.6	+11%	years of life lost before age 75 per 100,000
Life expectancy	73.4	75.3	-3%	years
Child mortality	61.8	59.8	+3%	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	89.8	96.9	-7%	deaths per 100,000
Drug overdose deaths	9.5	28.6	-67%	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.

Formaldehyde27.32 per million
Carbon Tetrachloride2.91 per million
Acetaldehyde2.4 per million
Ethylene Oxide2.18 per million

EPA Air Quality Index

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

Regulated facilities, sites and hazards by type

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

NPDES wastewater discharge permit61
Rail grade crossing38
Gas station (mapped facility)23
Air permit holder (minor source)7
Auto repair or body shop (mapped facility)4
TRI reporting facility4
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI)4
Major air pollution source3
Public airport2
Commercial airport1
Large hazardous waste generator1
Small hazardous waste generator1
Hazardous waste transporter1
Heliport1

Highest-severity records

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

Robroy Industries-Texas Llc, Gilmer
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Methyl isobutyl ketone, Zinc (fume or dust), Zinc compounds, Diisononyl Phthalates (DINP) and 3 more. Reports carcinogens. 61,294 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 75644RBRYNHWY27 (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 8.2
Rosewood Dew Point, Gilmer
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Benzene, n-Hexane, Cyclohexane, Toluene and 2 more. Reports carcinogens. 5,467 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 7564WRSWDD7176E (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 7.4
Hixson Lumber Sales, Gilmer
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110057618886 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 7
City Of Gilmer Wwtp, Gilmer
NPDES wastewater discharge permit. Penalties $31,625.
EPA FRS registry ID 110009780978 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 6.5
Duoline Technologies Inc., Gilmer
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: 1,3-Phenylenediamine, 4,4'-Methylenedianiline. Reports carcinogens. 187 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 7564WDLNTC25BLU (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 6.2
Robroy Industries Texas, Gilmer
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000598871 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 5.9
Rosewood Dew Point Control Station, Gilmer
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110059659819 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 5.5
Duoline Technologies Llc, Gilmer
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110043694650 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 5.3
City Of Gladewater Wtp, Gladewater
NPDES wastewater discharge permit.
EPA FRS registry ID 110009782379 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 4.5
Hixson Lumber Sales, Gilmer
NPDES wastewater discharge permit.
EPA FRS registry ID 110057618886 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 4.5
Hixson Lumber Co Llc, Gilmer
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Copper compounds, Copper And Copper Compounds. 20 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 75644DNLMB1215S (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 4
Robroy Industries Texas, Gilmer
Major air pollution source.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000598871 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 3.5
Indian Rock Gas Plant, Gilmer
Major air pollution source.
EPA FRS registry ID 110007203427 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 3.5
Txi Gilmer Ready Mix 267, Gilmer
Major air pollution source.
EPA FRS registry ID 110033807539 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 3.5
Union Hill Isd Wwtp, Gilmer
NPDES wastewater discharge permit.
EPA FRS registry ID 110034218825 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 3.3
Robroy Industries Texas, Gilmer
Large hazardous waste generator.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000598871 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 3
Robroy Industries Texas, Gilmer
NPDES wastewater discharge permit.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000598871 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 3
Txi Gilmer Ready Mix 267, Gilmer
NPDES wastewater discharge permit.
EPA FRS registry ID 110033807539 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 3
Union Grove Isd Wwtp, Gladewater
NPDES wastewater discharge permit.
EPA FRS registry ID 110009774397 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 2.5
Ore City Wwtf, Ore City
NPDES wastewater discharge permit. Penalties $23,187.
EPA FRS registry ID 110015597451 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 2.5
Greenbriar Subdivision, Gilmer
NPDES wastewater discharge permit. Penalties $875.
EPA FRS registry ID 110071181434 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 2.5
Big Sandy Wwtf, Big Sandy
NPDES wastewater discharge permit.
EPA FRS registry ID 110006801201 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 2.3
Barbee Gas Unit 1 176408 Lease Well 4, Gilmer
NPDES wastewater discharge permit.
EPA FRS registry ID 110009115803 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 2
Diana Sud Wwtp, Diana
NPDES wastewater discharge permit.
EPA FRS registry ID 110009780576 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 2
Duoline Technologies Llc, Gilmer
Small hazardous waste generator.
EPA FRS registry ID 110043694650 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 2

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 Upshur 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 Upshur 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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