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Roanoke city, Virginia: environmental and disease records

Cancer mortality in Roanoke city is 183.8 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 1.5 times the U.S. rate and Lung & bronchus deaths at 1.4 times the U.S. rate. Federal databases place 469 regulated facilities, sites and hazards inside the county, led by NPDES wastewater discharge permit (130), Air permit holder (minor source) (126), Small hazardous waste generator (62). 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: 37.2733, -79.96.

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 Roanoke city compared with the United States
CancerMeasureCounty rateU.S. rateTimes U.S.95% intervalYears
Liver & bile ductDeaths9.86.61.48xSignificant7.5 to 12.62020-2024
StomachDeaths42.71.48x2.5 to 62020-2024
Kidney & renal pelvisDeaths53.41.47x3.4 to 7.22020-2024
Lung & bronchusDeaths43.430.21.44xSignificant38.4 to 48.92020-2024
Lung & bronchusNew cases72.351.81.4xSignificant65.8 to 79.42019-2023
PancreasNew cases17.913.91.29xSignificant14.5 to 21.82019-2023
All cancerDeaths183.8143.21.28xSignificant173.2 to 194.92020-2024
Melanoma of the skinDeaths2.521.25x1.4 to 4.22020-2024
PancreasDeaths13.711.31.21x10.8 to 17.12020-2024
Liver & bile ductNew cases10.48.71.2x8 to 13.32019-2023
EsophagusNew cases5.14.61.11x3.5 to 7.32019-2023
StomachNew cases7.36.61.11x5.3 to 9.92019-2023
Non-Hodgkin lymphomaDeaths5.24.81.08x3.5 to 7.52020-2024
Brain & nervous systemDeaths4.74.41.07x3.1 to 6.82020-2024
All cancerNew cases478.9453.41.06xSignificant461.3 to 4972019-2023
Non-Hodgkin lymphomaNew cases19.518.51.05x16 to 23.52019-2023
LeukemiaDeaths65.71.05x4.2 to 8.32020-2024
Brain & nervous systemNew cases6.46.21.03x4.4 to 8.92019-2023
EsophagusDeaths3.63.70.97x2.3 to 5.42020-2024
ThyroidNew cases12.5130.96x9.6 to 162019-2023
BladderDeaths3.74.10.9x2.4 to 5.62020-2024
Kidney & renal pelvisNew cases1617.90.89x13 to 19.52019-2023
Melanoma of the skinNew cases2123.80.88x17.4 to 25.22019-2023
BladderNew cases16.318.70.87x13.2 to 19.82019-2023
LeukemiaNew cases9.114.50.63x6.8 to 122019-2023

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 Roanoke city
MeasureCountyU.S. medianDifferenceUnit
Premature death15,725.29,842.6+60%years of life lost before age 75 per 100,000
Life expectancy70.275.3-7%years
Child mortality91.159.8+52%deaths under age 18 per 100,000
Infant mortality7.86.2+26%deaths under age 1 per 1,000 live births
Injury deaths167.996.9+73%deaths per 100,000
Drug overdose deaths91.328.6+219%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.

  • Formaldehyde19.3 per million
  • Carbon Tetrachloride2.86 per million
  • Acetaldehyde1.85 per million
  • Benzene1.28 per million

EPA Air Quality Index

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

Regulated facilities, sites and hazards by type

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

  • NPDES wastewater discharge permit130
  • Air permit holder (minor source)126
  • Small hazardous waste generator62
  • Gas station (mapped facility)43
  • Rail grade crossing33
  • Brownfield property30
  • Auto repair or body shop (mapped facility)15
  • Toxic chemical release facility (TRI)8
  • Large hazardous waste generator6
  • TRI reporting facility6
  • Scrapyard (mapped facility)3
  • Major air pollution source2
  • Heliport2
  • Commercial airport1
  • Large greenhouse gas emitter1
  • Hazardous waste transporter1

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. Akzo Nobel Coatings Inc, Roanoke

    Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Xylene (mixed isomers), Methyl isobutyl ketone, n-Butyl alcohol, Methanol and 3 more. Reports carcinogens. 127,183 lbs released over 5 years.

    TRI facility ID 24015RLNCN2837R (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)

    Severity 8.4

  2. Res Dba Steel Dynamics - Roanoke Bar Division, Roanoke

    TRI reporting facility.

    EPA FRS registry ID 110000342889 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record

    Severity 7.9

  3. Steel Dynamics Inc Roanoke Bar Div, Roanoke

    Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Zinc compounds, Manganese compounds, Copper compounds, Manganese And Manganese Compounds and 4 more. Reports carcinogens. 19,678 lbs released over 5 years.

    TRI facility ID 24017RNKLC102WE (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)

    Severity 7.8

  4. Chemsolv Inc, Roanoke

    Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Dichloromethane, Methanol, n-Hexane, Toluene and 4 more. Reports carcinogens. 14,825 lbs released over 5 years.

    TRI facility ID 24013CHMSL1140I (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)

    Severity 7.7

  5. Virginia Transformer Corp., Roanoke

    Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Xylene (mixed isomers). 24,165 lbs released over 5 years.

    TRI facility ID 24012VRGNT220GL (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)

    Severity 6.4

  6. Akzo Nobel Coatings Inc., Roanoke

    TRI reporting facility.

    EPA FRS registry ID 110000342861 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record

    Severity 6

  7. Associated Asphalt Roanoke Llc, Roanoke

    Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Polycyclic aromatic compounds, Benzo[g,h,i]perylene, Lead. Reports carcinogens. 47 lbs released over 5 years.

    TRI facility ID 24015SSCTD2677R (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)

    Severity 5.8

  8. Res Dba Steel Dynamics - Roanoke Bar Division, Roanoke

    Major air pollution source.

    EPA FRS registry ID 110000342889 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record

    Severity 5.8

  9. Associated Asphalt Roanoke, Llc., Roanoke

    TRI reporting facility.

    EPA FRS registry ID 110001895352 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record

    Severity 5.8

  10. Chemsolv Inc, Roanoke

    TRI reporting facility.

    EPA FRS registry ID 110000342843 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record

    Severity 5.7

  11. Res Dba Steel Dynamics - Roanoke Bar Division, Roanoke

    Large hazardous waste generator.

    EPA FRS registry ID 110000342889 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record

    Severity 5.3

  12. Res Dba Steel Dynamics - Roanoke Bar Division, Roanoke

    NPDES wastewater discharge permit.

    EPA FRS registry ID 110000342889 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record

    Severity 5.3

  13. Frank Chervan Incorporated - 20523, Roanoke

    TRI reporting facility.

    EPA FRS registry ID 110000342852 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record

    Severity 5.1

  14. Roanoke/Blacksburg Rgnl (Woodrum Fld), Roanoke

    Commercial airport. O.

    Record ID ROA (FAA / U.S. DOT)

    Severity 5

  15. Frank Chervan Inc, Roanoke

    Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Lead. Reports carcinogens. 2 lbs released over 5 years.

    TRI facility ID 24013HKRFR2005G (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)

    Severity 4.8

  16. Res Dba Steel Dynamics - Roanoke Bar Division, Roanoke

    Large greenhouse gas emitter.

    EPA FRS registry ID 110000342889 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record

    Severity 4.8

  17. Frank Chervan Incorporated - 20523, Roanoke

    Major air pollution source.

    EPA FRS registry ID 110000342852 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record

    Severity 4.5

  18. Progress Rail Services Corp - Roanoke Recycling, Roanoke

    NPDES wastewater discharge permit.

    EPA FRS registry ID 110061910516 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record

    Severity 4.5

  19. Semco Inc, Roanoke

    Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Nickel, Chromium, Manganese. Reports carcinogens.

    TRI facility ID 24012SMCDC1967B (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)

    Severity 4.5

  20. Virginia Transformer Corp, Roanoke

    Small hazardous waste generator. Penalties $35,552.

    EPA FRS registry ID 110000342825 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record

    Severity 4.3

  21. Virginia Transformer Corp, Roanoke

    NPDES wastewater discharge permit. Penalties $35,552.

    EPA FRS registry ID 110000342825 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record

    Severity 4.3

  22. Laurel Creek No. 1 Surface Mine, Roanoke

    NPDES wastewater discharge permit.

    EPA FRS registry ID 110069563369 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record

    Severity 4.3

  23. Semco Ducts & Acoustical Products Inc, Roanoke

    TRI reporting facility.

    EPA FRS registry ID 110024886952 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record

    Severity 4

  24. Virginia Transformer Corp, Roanoke

    Air permit holder (minor source). Penalties $35,552.

    EPA FRS registry ID 110000342825 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record

    Severity 3.8

  25. Shenandoah Auto Parts, Roanoke

    NPDES wastewater discharge permit.

    EPA FRS registry ID 110010917963 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record

    Severity 3.8

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 Roanoke 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 Roanoke 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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