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Smyth County, Virginia: environmental and disease records

Cancer mortality in Smyth County is 202.9 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 1.9 times the U.S. rate. Federal databases place 242 regulated facilities, sites and hazards inside the county, led by NPDES wastewater discharge permit (76), Air permit holder (minor source) (57), Rail grade crossing (34). One correctional facility operates in the county. 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: 36.8243, -81.5114.

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 Smyth County compared with the United States
Cancer	Measure	County rate	U.S. rate	Times U.S.	95% interval	Years
Lung & bronchus	Deaths	57.2	30.2	1.89xSignificant	48.2 to 67.7	2020-2024
Liver & bile duct	Deaths	10.1	6.6	1.53x	6.4 to 15.5	2020-2024
Esophagus	New cases	7	4.6	1.52x	3.8 to 12.1	2019-2023
Bladder	Deaths	6.1	4.1	1.49x	3.5 to 10.5	2020-2024
Liver & bile duct	New cases	12.4	8.7	1.43x	8.1 to 18.7	2019-2023
All cancer	Deaths	202.9	143.2	1.42xSignificant	184.7 to 222.8	2020-2024
Lung & bronchus	New cases	72.7	51.8	1.4xSignificant	62.4 to 84.6	2019-2023
Pancreas	Deaths	12.8	11.3	1.13x	8.7 to 18.6	2020-2024
Pancreas	New cases	13.6	13.9	0.98x	9.3 to 19.7	2019-2023
Thyroid	New cases	10.6	13	0.82x	5.8 to 17.7	2019-2023
All cancer	New cases	369.6	453.4	0.82x	343.8 to 397.1	2019-2023
Kidney & renal pelvis	New cases	11.9	17.9	0.66x	7.6 to 18	2019-2023
Leukemia	New cases	8.9	14.5	0.61x	4.9 to 15.1	2019-2023
Bladder	New cases	11.4	18.7	0.61x	7.6 to 17.1	2019-2023
Non-Hodgkin lymphoma	New cases	10.2	18.5	0.55x	6.3 to 16	2019-2023
Melanoma of the skin	New cases	12.7	23.8	0.53x	8.1 to 19.1	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 Smyth County
Measure	County	U.S. median	Difference	Unit
Premature death	14,259.3	9,842.6	+45%	years of life lost before age 75 per 100,000
Life expectancy	70.8	75.3	-6%	years
Child mortality	75.4	59.8	+26%	deaths under age 18 per 100,000
Infant mortality	10.4	6.2	+67%	deaths under age 1 per 1,000 live births
Injury deaths	126.3	96.9	+30%	deaths per 100,000
Drug overdose deaths	37.1	28.6	+30%	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.

Formaldehyde15.01 per million
Carbon Tetrachloride2.75 per million
Acetaldehyde1.37 per million
Benzene0.7 per million

EPA Air Quality Index

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

Regulated facilities, sites and hazards by type

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

NPDES wastewater discharge permit76
Air permit holder (minor source)57
Rail grade crossing34
Gas station (mapped facility)23
Brownfield property21
Small hazardous waste generator8
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI)5
Large hazardous waste generator4
TRI reporting facility4
Major air pollution source3
Public airport2
Auto repair or body shop (mapped facility)2
Commercial airport1
Correctional facility (prison or jail)1
Superfund (NPL) site1

Highest-severity records

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

Saltville Waste Disposal Ponds, Saltville
Superfund (NPL) site. Hazard Ranking System score 29.5. NPL Site.
EPA site ID VAD003127578 (U.S. EPA Superfund (SEMS/NPL)) Agency record
Severity 10
Westlake Royal Building Products, Marion
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Zinc compounds, Chromium and Chromium Compounds(except for chromite ore mined in the Transvaal Region), Copper And Copper Compounds, Chromium and 4 more. Reports carcinogens. 1,428 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 24354DGMLDHWY11 (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 6.9
Mec Inc., Atkins
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Copper, Manganese, Nickel, Silver. Reports carcinogens. 859 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 2431WMCNCX249MU (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 6.8
Utility Trailer Manufacturing, Atkins
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Manganese, Chromium, Nickel, Triethylamine and 2 more. Reports carcinogens. 83 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 24311TLTYTSTATE (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 6
Royal Mouldings Limited, Marion
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000603963 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 5.5
Heniff Transportation Systems Llc, Marion
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Ammonia, n-Butyl alcohol. 1,600 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 2435WSPRFL4625L (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 5.5
Mec Inc., Atkins
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110071956009 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 5.4
Utility Trailer Manufacturing Co, Atkins
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110020667884 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 4.8
General Dynamics-Ots Inc, Marion
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000343575 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 4
Smyth County Public Schools - Northwood Middle, Saltville
NPDES wastewater discharge permit.
EPA FRS registry ID 110009768402 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 4
Wellborn Cabinet Inc -2, Atkins
Major air pollution source.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000343496 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 3.5
General Dynamics Ots Inc, Marion
Major air pollution source.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000748790 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 3.5
Marion Wwtp, Marion
NPDES wastewater discharge permit.
EPA FRS registry ID 110010913388 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 3.5
Pcs Phosphate Company Incorporated - Saltville, Saltville
Major air pollution source.
EPA FRS registry ID 110020672100 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 3.5
Usda Usfs R08 Usda - Forest Service - Grindstone Recreation Area, Marion
NPDES wastewater discharge permit.
EPA FRS registry ID 110040769219 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 3.5
Royal Mouldings Limited, Marion
Large hazardous waste generator.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000603963 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 3.3
Titan Wheel Company Of Virginia, Llc, Saltville
Brownfield property.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000343600 (U.S. EPA Brownfields (ACRES)) Agency record
Severity 3
Pcs Phosphate Company Incorporated - Saltville, Saltville
Brownfield property.
EPA FRS registry ID 110020672100 (U.S. EPA Brownfields (ACRES)) Agency record
Severity 3
General Shale, Atkins
Brownfield property.
EPA FRS registry ID 110041111944 (U.S. EPA Brownfields (ACRES)) Agency record
Severity 3
Callan Drive Housing, Marion
Brownfield property.
EPA FRS registry ID 110071509702 (U.S. EPA Brownfields (ACRES)) Agency record
Severity 3
Saltville Town Shop, Saltville
Brownfield property.
EPA FRS registry ID 110071974047 (U.S. EPA Brownfields (ACRES)) Agency record
Severity 3
Laurel Valley Grocery & Cafe, Troutdale
Brownfield property.
EPA FRS registry ID 110071975270 (U.S. EPA Brownfields (ACRES)) Agency record
Severity 3
Konnarock School, Troutdale
Brownfield property.
EPA FRS registry ID 110071975271 (U.S. EPA Brownfields (ACRES)) Agency record
Severity 3
Cardwell Property, Saltville
Brownfield property.
EPA FRS registry ID 110071975745 (U.S. EPA Brownfields (ACRES)) Agency record
Severity 3
Saltville Volunteer Rescue Building, Saltville
Brownfield property.
EPA FRS registry ID 110071977684 (U.S. EPA Brownfields (ACRES)) Agency record
Severity 3

Correctional facilities

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

Marion Correction Treatment Center, Marion
EPA FRS registry ID
110021608946
Wastewater permit
Yes
EPA detailed facility report

Discovery / public records

Records to request for Smyth County

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 Smyth County, 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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