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Galax city, Virginia: environmental and disease records

Cancer mortality in Galax city is 269.6 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 2 times the U.S. rate. Federal databases place 71 regulated facilities, sites and hazards inside the county, led by Air permit holder (minor source) (22), Gas station (mapped facility) (10), NPDES wastewater discharge permit (9). EPA AirToxScreen estimates a lifetime cancer risk from outdoor air toxics of 20 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: 36.6585, -80.9283.

How this county ranks in Virginia

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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 Galax city compared with the United States
Cancer	Measure	County rate	U.S. rate	Times U.S.	95% interval	Years
Lung & bronchus	Deaths	59.4	30.2	1.97xSignificant	38.9 to 87.8	2020-2024
All cancer	Deaths	269.6	143.2	1.88xSignificant	221.5 to 325.5	2020-2024
Lung & bronchus	New cases	96.5	51.8	1.86xSignificant	68.8 to 132.3	2019-2023
All cancer	New cases	575.5	453.4	1.27xSignificant	502.8 to 656.1	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 Galax city
Measure	County	U.S. median	Difference	Unit
Premature death	19,228	9,842.6	+95%	years of life lost before age 75 per 100,000
Life expectancy	66.4	75.3	-12%	years
Child mortality	n/a	59.8	n/a	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	132.5	96.9	+37%	deaths per 100,000
Drug overdose deaths	n/a	28.6	n/a	deaths per 100,000

Air toxics and air quality

EPA AirToxScreen 2020

Lifetime cancer risk from outdoor air toxics: 20 in a million. EPA treats 100 in a million as the upper end of acceptable risk and 1 in a million as the goal.

Formaldehyde15.56 per million
Carbon Tetrachloride2.76 per million
Acetaldehyde1.42 per million
Benzene0.71 per million

EPA Air Quality Index

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

Regulated facilities, sites and hazards by type

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

Air permit holder (minor source)22
Gas station (mapped facility)10
NPDES wastewater discharge permit9
Small hazardous waste generator8
Auto repair or body shop (mapped facility)4
TRI reporting facility4
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI)4
Major air pollution source3
Brownfield property3
Large hazardous waste generator2
Dry cleaner (mapped facility)1
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.

Vaughan-Bassett Furniture Co. Galax, Galax
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Xylene (mixed isomers), n-Butyl alcohol, Toluene, Ethylbenzene and 1 more. Reports carcinogens. 281,147 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 24333VGHNBOLDTO (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 8.7
Guardian Fabrication Llc - Plant 2, Galax
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Xylene (mixed isomers), Lead. Reports carcinogens. 5,977 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 24333CNSLD110JA (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 7.4
Vaughan-Bassett Furniture Company, Galax
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110008181065 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 6.6
Webb Furniture Enterprises Llc# 4, Galax
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000912987 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 4.5
Moog Inc., Galax
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Lead. Reports carcinogens.
TRI facility ID 24333LCTRT115JA (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 4.5
Guardian Fabrication Llc - Plant #2, Galax
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000343539 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 4
Vaughan Bassett Furniture - Galax Plants #1 And #2, Galax
Major air pollution source.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000585643 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 4
Vaughan-Bassett Furniture Company, Galax
Major air pollution source.
EPA FRS registry ID 110008181065 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 4
Moog Components Group Galax Facility, Galax
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110013288245 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 4
Guardian Fabrication Llc - Plant #2, Galax
Major air pollution source.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000343539 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 3.5
Vaughan Bassett Furniture - Galax Plants #1 And #2, Galax
NPDES wastewater discharge permit.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000585643 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 3.5
Vaughan-Bassett Furniture Company, Galax
NPDES wastewater discharge permit.
EPA FRS registry ID 110008181065 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 3.5
Tg Vaughan Plant, Galax
Brownfield property.
EPA FRS registry ID 110071975272 (U.S. EPA Brownfields (ACRES)) Agency record
Severity 3
Wonderknit, Galax
Brownfield property.
EPA FRS registry ID 110071982189 (U.S. EPA Brownfields (ACRES)) Agency record
Severity 3
Rex Theater, Galax
Brownfield property.
EPA FRS registry ID 110072077737 (U.S. EPA Brownfields (ACRES)) Agency record
Severity 3
Guardian Fabrication Llc - Plant #2, Galax
Large hazardous waste generator.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000343539 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 3
Moog Components Group Galax Facility, Galax
Large hazardous waste generator.
EPA FRS registry ID 110013288245 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 3
Webb Enterprises Llc American Mirror, Galax
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Lead compounds, Lead And Lead Compounds.
TRI facility ID 24333MRCNMPOBOX (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 3
Turman Hardwood Flooring Incorporated, Galax
NPDES wastewater discharge permit.
EPA FRS registry ID 110001887156 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 2.5
Vaughan Bassett Furniture - Galax Plants #1 And #2, Galax
Small hazardous waste generator.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000585643 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 2
Webb Furniture Enterprises Llc# 4, Galax
Small hazardous waste generator.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000912987 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 2
Turman Hardwood Flooring Incorporated, Galax
Air permit holder (minor source).
EPA FRS registry ID 110001887156 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 2
Vaughan-Bassett Furniture Company, Galax
Small hazardous waste generator.
EPA FRS registry ID 110008181065 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 2
Zana's Cleaning Center, Galax
Dry cleaner (mapped facility). Mapped facility presence only; no compliance or exposure measurements.
Record ID node/8319607000 (OpenStreetMap contributors) Agency record
Severity 2
Webb Furniture Enterprises Llc, Galax
NPDES wastewater discharge permit.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000585634 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 1.5

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 Galax city

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