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Washington County, Virginia: environmental and disease records

Cancer mortality in Washington County is 168.1 deaths per 100,000 people per year against a U.S. rate of 143.2, a statistically significant excess. The strongest disease signals are Melanoma of the skin deaths at 2 times the U.S. rate and Lung & bronchus deaths at 1.4 times the U.S. rate. Federal databases place 386 regulated facilities, sites and hazards inside the county, led by NPDES wastewater discharge permit (153), Air permit holder (minor source) (82), Rail grade crossing (45). 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: 36.7618, -81.9556.

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 Washington County compared with the United States
Cancer	Measure	County rate	U.S. rate	Times U.S.	95% interval	Years
Melanoma of the skin	Deaths	3.9	2	1.95xSignificant	2.2 to 6.7	2020-2024
Lung & bronchus	Deaths	42.4	30.2	1.4xSignificant	36.6 to 49	2020-2024
All cancer	Deaths	168.1	143.2	1.17xSignificant	155.9 to 181.1	2020-2024
Bladder	Deaths	4.7	4.1	1.15x	2.9 to 7.4	2020-2024
Lung & bronchus	New cases	58.6	51.8	1.13x	51.7 to 66.3	2019-2023
Non-Hodgkin lymphoma	Deaths	5.4	4.8	1.13x	3.4 to 8.4	2020-2024
Leukemia	New cases	14.8	14.5	1.02x	10.9 to 19.9	2019-2023
Leukemia	Deaths	5.4	5.7	0.95x	3.5 to 8.3	2020-2024
Pancreas	New cases	12.6	13.9	0.91x	9.5 to 16.6	2019-2023
Brain & nervous system	Deaths	3.9	4.4	0.89x	2.1 to 6.8	2020-2024
Pancreas	Deaths	10	11.3	0.88x	7.3 to 13.6	2020-2024
Liver & bile duct	Deaths	5.8	6.6	0.88x	3.9 to 8.7	2020-2024
Esophagus	New cases	4	4.6	0.87x	2.3 to 6.8	2019-2023
Bladder	New cases	14	18.7	0.75x	10.6 to 18.5	2019-2023
All cancer	New cases	332.9	453.4	0.73x	314.7 to 352	2019-2023
Non-Hodgkin lymphoma	New cases	13.3	18.5	0.72x	10.1 to 17.6	2019-2023
Melanoma of the skin	New cases	16.4	23.8	0.69x	12.3 to 21.5	2019-2023
Liver & bile duct	New cases	5.8	8.7	0.67x	3.8 to 8.8	2019-2023
Kidney & renal pelvis	New cases	11.1	17.9	0.62x	7.7 to 15.6	2019-2023
Stomach	New cases	3.7	6.6	0.56x	2 to 6.4	2019-2023
Thyroid	New cases	7.2	13	0.55x	4.4 to 11.3	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 Washington County
Measure	County	U.S. median	Difference	Unit
Premature death	11,009.9	9,842.6	+12%	years of life lost before age 75 per 100,000
Life expectancy	74.3	75.3	-1%	years
Child mortality	78.5	59.8	+31%	deaths under age 18 per 100,000
Infant mortality	10.5	6.2	+68%	deaths under age 1 per 1,000 live births
Injury deaths	92.8	96.9	-4%	deaths per 100,000
Drug overdose deaths	24.2	28.6	-15%	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.

Formaldehyde16.98 per million
Carbon Tetrachloride2.79 per million
Acetaldehyde1.67 per million
Benzene0.88 per million

EPA Air Quality Index

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

Regulated facilities, sites and hazards by type

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

NPDES wastewater discharge permit153
Air permit holder (minor source)82
Rail grade crossing45
Gas station (mapped facility)42
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI)12
Small hazardous waste generator11
TRI reporting facility11
Auto repair or body shop (mapped facility)9
Large hazardous waste generator6
Major air pollution source3
Brownfield property3
Hazardous waste transporter2
Commercial airport1
Correctional facility (prison or jail)1
Crematorium (mapped facility)1
Large greenhouse gas emitter1
Gas power plant1
Scrapyard (mapped facility)1
Wastewater plant (mapped facility)1

Highest-severity records

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

Appalachian Plastics Inc., Glade Spring
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Styrene, Methyl methacrylate. Reports carcinogens. 214,492 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 24340PPLCHPOBOX (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 8.6
Strongwell Corp Highlands Div, Abingdon
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Styrene, Antimony compounds, Antimony And Antimony Compounds. Reports carcinogens. 34,166 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 24210STRNG26770 (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 8
Azz Galvanizing-Bristol, Bristol
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Zinc compounds, Lead. Reports carcinogens. 4,193 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 24201VSBRS795IN (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 7.3
Hapco, Abingdon
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Aluminum (fume or dust), Zinc (fume or dust), Zinc compounds. 94,239 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 2421WHPCXX26252 (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 6.8
Appalachian Plastics Inc, Glade Spring
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000343557 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 6.1
Hapco/Division Of Kearney National Incorporated, Abingdon
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110002031079 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 6
Strongwell Highlands, Abingdon
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000492592 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 6
Utility Trailer Manufacturing, Glade Spring
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Manganese, Chromium, Nickel, Diisocyanates. Reports carcinogens. 79 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 2434WTLTYT1316M (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 6
Azz Galvanizing- Bristol, Bristol
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110006521549 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 5.3
Utility Trailer Manufacturing Company, Glade Spring
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110020675312 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 4.6
Wolf Hills Fabricators Llc, Abingdon
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Lead. Reports carcinogens.
TRI facility ID 24210JYMNN26161 (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 4.5
Mxi Environmental Services Llc, Abingdon
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Methoxychlor, Methanol, Mercury, Lead and 2 more. Reports carcinogens.
TRI facility ID 2421WMXNVR26319 (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 4.5
Columbus Mckinnon Corp, Damascus
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Lead. Reports carcinogens.
TRI facility ID 24236CLMBSRTE1B (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 4.5
Paramont Mfg Llc, Abingdon
Large hazardous waste generator. Penalties $8,732.
EPA FRS registry ID 110017384114 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 4.3
Ward Taylor And Elizabeth Residences Stp, Glade Spring
NPDES wastewater discharge permit.
EPA FRS registry ID 110070927408 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 4.3
W&W Afco Steel Llc, Bristol
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110001905314 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 4.1
Metal Casting Co, Bristol
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110070814302 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 4.1
Cardinal Cg Abingdon, Abingdon
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Silver, Zinc compounds. 20 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 24210FGCTN1837A (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 4
Joy Mining Machinery, Abingdon
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000343405 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 4
Zenith Fuel Systems Incorporated, Bristol
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110001895851 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 4
Mxi Environmental Services Llc, Abingdon
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110020684641 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 4
Agc Flat Glass North America Abingdon Plant, Abingdon
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110030818998 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 4
Strongwell Highlands, Abingdon
Major air pollution source.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000492592 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 3.8
W&W-Afco Steel Llc, Bristol
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Manganese. 7 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 24202CRLNS1583I (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 3.7
Appalachian Plastics Inc, Glade Spring
Major air pollution source.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000343557 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 3.5

Correctional facilities

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

Sw Va Regional Jail Authority - Abindgon, Abingdon
EPA FRS registry ID
110020683349
Wastewater permit
None on record
EPA detailed facility report

Discovery / public records

Records to request for Washington 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 Washington 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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