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Whatcom County, Washington: environmental and disease records

Cancer mortality in Whatcom County is 138.1 deaths per 100,000 people per year against a U.S. rate of 143.2. The strongest disease signals are Melanoma of the skin deaths at 1.5 times the U.S. rate. Federal databases place 901 regulated facilities, sites and hazards inside the county, led by NPDES wastewater discharge permit (396), Rail grade crossing (145), Gas station (mapped facility) (120). 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: 48.8208, -121.726.

How this county ranks in Washington

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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 Whatcom County compared with the United States
CancerMeasureCounty rateU.S. rateTimes U.S.95% intervalYears
Melanoma of the skinDeaths2.921.45xSignificant2.1 to 42020-2024
EsophagusNew cases64.61.3xSignificant4.8 to 7.52019-2023
LeukemiaNew cases1814.51.24xSignificant15.7 to 20.52019-2023
Kidney & renal pelvisDeaths4.23.41.24x3.1 to 5.42020-2024
LeukemiaDeaths75.71.23x5.7 to 8.52020-2024
Melanoma of the skinNew cases28.923.81.21xSignificant26.1 to 31.92019-2023
BladderNew cases22.618.71.21xSignificant20.2 to 25.22019-2023
Brain & nervous systemNew cases7.46.21.19x6 to 9.12019-2023
EsophagusDeaths4.43.71.19x3.4 to 5.62020-2024
Non-Hodgkin lymphomaNew cases20.818.51.12x18.4 to 23.42019-2023
Brain & nervous systemDeaths4.94.41.11x3.8 to 6.22020-2024
All cancerNew cases479.5453.41.06xSignificant467.9 to 491.42019-2023
PancreasNew cases14.213.91.02x12.3 to 16.32019-2023
StomachNew cases6.76.61.02x5.4 to 8.22019-2023
Non-Hodgkin lymphomaDeaths4.84.81x3.7 to 6.12020-2024
Kidney & renal pelvisNew cases17.717.90.99x15.5 to 20.12019-2023
PancreasDeaths10.911.30.96x9.3 to 12.72020-2024
All cancerDeaths138.1143.20.96x132.1 to 144.32020-2024
BladderDeaths3.94.10.95x2.9 to 52020-2024
Liver & bile ductNew cases7.88.70.9x6.4 to 9.42019-2023
Lung & bronchusNew cases45.351.80.87x41.9 to 48.92019-2023
ThyroidNew cases11.3130.87x9.4 to 13.42019-2023
Childhood cancer (under 15)New cases14.216.40.87x9.2 to 20.92019-2023
Liver & bile ductDeaths5.66.60.85x4.5 to 6.92020-2024
Lung & bronchusDeaths25.430.20.84x22.9 to 28.12020-2024
StomachDeaths2.22.70.81x1.5 to 3.22020-2024

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 Whatcom County
MeasureCountyU.S. medianDifferenceUnit
Premature death6,158.79,842.6-37%years of life lost before age 75 per 100,000
Life expectancy79.675.3+6%years
Child mortality32.559.8-46%deaths under age 18 per 100,000
Infant mortality3.66.2-43%deaths under age 1 per 1,000 live births
Injury deaths65.396.9-33%deaths per 100,000
Drug overdose deaths22.228.6-23%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.

  • Formaldehyde13.38 per million
  • Carbon Tetrachloride3.01 per million
  • Acetaldehyde1.91 per million
  • Naphthalene1.62 per million

EPA Air Quality Index 2025

Monitored on 364 days: 342 good, 1 unhealthy for sensitive groups or worse. Median AQI 31, peak 152.

Regulated facilities, sites and hazards by type

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

  • NPDES wastewater discharge permit396
  • Rail grade crossing145
  • Gas station (mapped facility)120
  • Auto repair or body shop (mapped facility)53
  • Small hazardous waste generator23
  • Large hazardous waste generator21
  • Toxic chemical release facility (TRI)18
  • Brownfield property17
  • Air permit holder (minor source)15
  • TRI reporting facility15
  • Public airport12
  • Major air pollution source11
  • Large greenhouse gas emitter9
  • Wastewater plant (mapped facility)9
  • Hydroelectric plant7
  • EPA air quality monitor5
  • Heliport5
  • Dry cleaner (mapped facility)4
  • Hazardous waste transporter4
  • Gas power plant4
  • Airfield2
  • Crematorium (mapped facility)2
  • Commercial airport1
  • Battery storage plant1
  • Scrapyard (mapped facility)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.

  1. Maax Us Corp, Bellingham

    TRI reporting facility. Penalties $1,500.

    EPA FRS registry ID 110000490059 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record

    Severity 10

  2. Phillips 66 Refinery, Ferndale

    TRI reporting facility. Penalties $60,548.

    EPA FRS registry ID 110000490139 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record

    Severity 10

  3. Oeser Co, Bellingham

    Superfund (NPL) site. Hazard Ranking System score 69.3. NPL Site.

    EPA site ID WAD008957243 (U.S. EPA Superfund (SEMS/NPL)) Agency record

    Severity 10

  4. Bp Cherry Point Refinery, Blaine

    TRI reporting facility. Penalties $522,130.

    EPA FRS registry ID 110070752633 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record

    Severity 9.5

  5. Bp Cherry Point Refinery, Blaine

    Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Sulfuric acid (acid aerosols including mists, vapors, gas, fog, and other airborne forms of any particle size), Nitrate compounds (water dissociable; reportable only when in aqueous solution), Cyclohexane, n-Hexane and 4 more. Reports carcinogens. 1,434,331 lbs released over 5 years.

    TRI facility ID 98248RCCHR4519G (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)

    Severity 9.2

  6. Phillips 66 Ferndale Refinery, Ferndale

    Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Nitrate compounds (water dissociable; reportable only when in aqueous solution), Toluene, n-Hexane, Xylene (mixed isomers) and 4 more. Reports carcinogens. 1,254,582 lbs released over 5 years.

    TRI facility ID 98248MBLLC3901U (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)

    Severity 9.2

  7. Chemco, Inc., Ferndale

    TRI reporting facility.

    EPA FRS registry ID 110000490102 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record

    Severity 9.1

  8. Pse Encogen Nw Generating Facility, Bellingham

    TRI reporting facility.

    EPA FRS registry ID 110000490013 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record

    Severity 9.1

  9. Praxair Inc Ferndale Co2 Plant, Ferndale

    TRI reporting facility.

    EPA FRS registry ID 110000490120 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record

    Severity 8.9

  10. Intalco Aluminum Llc, Ferndale

    Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Carbonyl sulfide, Hydrogen fluoride, Manganese, Polycyclic aromatic compounds and 4 more. Reports carcinogens. 267,347 lbs released over 5 years.

    TRI facility ID 98248NTLCL4050M (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)

    Severity 8.7

  11. Chemco Inc, Ferndale

    Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Methanol, Formaldehyde. Reports carcinogens. 163,184 lbs released over 5 years.

    TRI facility ID 98248CHMCN4191G (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)

    Severity 8.5

  12. Maax Us Corp, Bellingham

    Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Styrene. Reports carcinogens. 146,120 lbs released over 5 years.

    TRI facility ID 98226HYDRS2150D (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)

    Severity 8.5

  13. Darigold Lynden Plant, Lynden

    TRI reporting facility. Penalties $198,000.

    EPA FRS registry ID 110000490175 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record

    Severity 8

  14. Ershigs Inc, Bellingham

    Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Styrene. Reports carcinogens. 10,637 lbs released over 5 years.

    TRI facility ID 98225RSHNG742MA (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)

    Severity 7.6

  15. Maax Us Corp, Bellingham

    Major air pollution source. Penalties $1,500.

    EPA FRS registry ID 110000490059 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record

    Severity 7.5

  16. Phillips 66 Refinery, Ferndale

    Major air pollution source. Penalties $60,548.

    EPA FRS registry ID 110000490139 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record

    Severity 7.5

  17. Intalco Aluminum Corp Ferndale, Ferndale

    Major air pollution source. Penalties $5,349,000.

    EPA FRS registry ID 110040947820 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record

    Severity 7.5

  18. Tenaska Cogeneration Plant, Ferndale

    TRI reporting facility. Penalties $7,500.

    EPA FRS registry ID 110000490166 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record

    Severity 7.1

  19. Maax Us Corp, Bellingham

    NPDES wastewater discharge permit. Penalties $1,500.

    EPA FRS registry ID 110000490059 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record

    Severity 7

  20. Lister Chain And Forge Inc, Blaine

    TRI reporting facility.

    EPA FRS registry ID 110000490077 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record

    Severity 7

  21. Phillips 66 Refinery, Ferndale

    Large hazardous waste generator. Penalties $60,548.

    EPA FRS registry ID 110000490139 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record

    Severity 7

  22. Phillips 66 Refinery, Ferndale

    NPDES wastewater discharge permit. Penalties $60,548.

    EPA FRS registry ID 110000490139 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record

    Severity 7

  23. Iko Pacific Inc Sumas, Sumas

    TRI reporting facility.

    EPA FRS registry ID 110008062531 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record

    Severity 7

  24. Wa Wwu Main Campus, Bellingham

    Large hazardous waste generator. Penalties $36,604.

    EPA FRS registry ID 110012506172 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record

    Severity 7

  25. Intalco Aluminum Corp Ferndale, Ferndale

    Large hazardous waste generator. Penalties $5,349,000.

    EPA FRS registry ID 110040947820 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record

    Severity 7

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 Whatcom County

  • Washington 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 Whatcom County, and their findings.

  • Washington vital statistics office

    Death certificate counts by cause of death and residence tract or ZIP code, and the years behind the mortality measures above.

  • Washington health department, environmental epidemiology

    Health consultations or assessments by ATSDR or the state health department covering the county, and any exposure investigations.

  • Washington 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.

  • Washington 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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