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Dane County, Wisconsin: environmental and disease records

Cancer mortality in Dane County is 129.5 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 1.3 times the U.S. rate. Federal databases place 1,780 regulated facilities, sites and hazards inside the county, led by NPDES wastewater discharge permit (756), Rail grade crossing (294), Gas station (mapped facility) (197). 2 correctional facilities operate in the county, at least one with health-based drinking water violations on record. 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: 43.053, -89.425.

How this county ranks in Wisconsin

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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 Dane County compared with the United States
Cancer	Measure	County rate	U.S. rate	Times U.S.	95% interval	Years
Melanoma of the skin	New cases	34.4	23.8	1.45xSignificant	32.3 to 36.6	2019-2023
Melanoma of the skin	Deaths	2.6	2	1.3xSignificant	2.1 to 3.3	2020-2024
Thyroid	New cases	16	13	1.23xSignificant	14.6 to 17.6	2019-2023
Thyroid	Deaths	0.6	0.5	1.2x	0.3 to 0.9	2020-2024
Leukemia	New cases	16.9	14.5	1.17xSignificant	15.4 to 18.5	2019-2023
Esophagus	Deaths	4.3	3.7	1.16x	3.6 to 5.1	2020-2024
Brain & nervous system	New cases	6.7	6.2	1.08x	5.8 to 7.7	2019-2023
Pancreas	New cases	15	13.9	1.08x	13.7 to 16.5	2019-2023
Bladder	New cases	20.1	18.7	1.07x	18.5 to 21.8	2019-2023
Childhood cancer (under 15)	New cases	17.6	16.4	1.07x	14 to 21.9	2019-2023
Brain & nervous system	Deaths	4.7	4.4	1.07x	3.9 to 5.5	2020-2024
Non-Hodgkin lymphoma	New cases	19.7	18.5	1.06x	18.1 to 21.4	2019-2023
Pancreas	Deaths	11.7	11.3	1.04x	10.5 to 12.9	2020-2024
All cancer	New cases	459.8	453.4	1.01x	452.1 to 467.6	2019-2023
Esophagus	New cases	4.6	4.6	1x	3.9 to 5.5	2019-2023
Leukemia	Deaths	5.6	5.7	0.98x	4.8 to 6.5	2020-2024
Kidney & renal pelvis	New cases	16.9	17.9	0.94x	15.5 to 18.5	2019-2023
Non-Hodgkin lymphoma	Deaths	4.4	4.8	0.92x	3.7 to 5.2	2020-2024
Liver & bile duct	New cases	7.9	8.7	0.91x	7 to 9	2019-2023
All cancer	Deaths	129.5	143.2	0.9x	125.5 to 133.6	2020-2024
Kidney & renal pelvis	Deaths	2.9	3.4	0.85x	2.3 to 3.6	2020-2024
Lung & bronchus	New cases	42.4	51.8	0.82x	40.1 to 44.8	2019-2023
Liver & bile duct	Deaths	5.3	6.6	0.8x	4.5 to 6.1	2020-2024
Bladder	Deaths	3.2	4.1	0.78x	2.6 to 3.9	2020-2024
Lung & bronchus	Deaths	23.4	30.2	0.77x	21.8 to 25.2	2020-2024
Stomach	New cases	5.1	6.6	0.77x	4.3 to 6	2019-2023
Stomach	Deaths	2	2.7	0.74x	1.6 to 2.6	2020-2024

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 Dane County
Measure	County	U.S. median	Difference	Unit
Premature death	5,427	9,842.6	-45%	years of life lost before age 75 per 100,000
Life expectancy	80.8	75.3	+7%	years
Child mortality	38.4	59.8	-36%	deaths under age 18 per 100,000
Infant mortality	5	6.2	-19%	deaths under age 1 per 1,000 live births
Injury deaths	85.9	96.9	-11%	deaths per 100,000
Drug overdose deaths	26.8	28.6	-6%	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.

Formaldehyde15.67 per million
Carbon Tetrachloride2.96 per million
Naphthalene1.6 per million
Acetaldehyde1.55 per million

EPA Air Quality Index 2025

Monitored on 365 days: 246 good, 6 unhealthy for sensitive groups or worse. Median AQI 41, peak 170.

Regulated facilities, sites and hazards by type

1,780 active records inside the county from EPA ECHO, TRI, Superfund, Brownfields, NPDES, EIA, FAA, FRA and corrections data.

NPDES wastewater discharge permit756
Rail grade crossing294
Gas station (mapped facility)197
Auto repair or body shop (mapped facility)106
Small hazardous waste generator72
Brownfield property52
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI)48
TRI reporting facility44
Air permit holder (minor source)41
Large hazardous waste generator38
Public airport28
Hazardous waste transporter21
Major air pollution source18
Dry cleaner (mapped facility)16
Large greenhouse gas emitter7
Gas power plant7
Superfund (NPL) site5
Wastewater plant (mapped facility)5
Heliport4
Landfill (mapped facility)4
Oil-fired power plant3
Solar power plant3
EPA air quality monitor2
Correctional facility (prison or jail)2
Industrial wastewater discharge2
Scrapyard (mapped facility)2
Commercial airport1
Biomass power plant1
Wind power plant1

Highest-severity records

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

Madison Metropolitan Sewerage District Lagoons, Blooming Grove
Superfund (NPL) site. Hazard Ranking System score 32.7. NPL Site.
EPA site ID WID078934403 (U.S. EPA Superfund (SEMS/NPL)) Agency record
Severity 10
Hagen Farm, Stoughton
Superfund (NPL) site. Hazard Ranking System score 32.1. NPL Site.
EPA site ID WID980610059 (U.S. EPA Superfund (SEMS/NPL)) Agency record
Severity 10
Refuse Hideaway Landfill, Middleton
Superfund (NPL) site. Hazard Ranking System score 34.7. NPL Site.
EPA site ID WID980610604 (U.S. EPA Superfund (SEMS/NPL)) Agency record
Severity 10
City Disposal Corp. Landfill, Dunn
Superfund (NPL) site. Hazard Ranking System score 36.8. NPL Site.
EPA site ID WID980610646 (U.S. EPA Superfund (SEMS/NPL)) Agency record
Severity 10
Stoughton City Landfill, Stoughton
Superfund (NPL) site. Hazard Ranking System score 35.8. NPL Site.
EPA site ID WID980901219 (U.S. EPA Superfund (SEMS/NPL)) Agency record
Severity 10
Hydrite Chemical Co., Cottage Grove
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Methanol, Ammonia, Toluene, Xylene (mixed isomers) and 4 more. Reports carcinogens. Reports PFAS. 124,433 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 53527HYDRT150WD (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 9.9
Safc Inc, Madison
TRI reporting facility. Penalties $17,500.
EPA FRS registry ID 110005545133 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 9.1
Hydrite Chemical Co., Cottage Grove
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000419609 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 8.9
Uniroyal Global Engineered Products Llc, Stoughton
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000420045 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 8.7
Springs Window Fashions Llc, Middleton
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Certain glycol ethers, Nickel, Copper, Lead and 2 more. Reports carcinogens. 20,777 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 53562GRBRN7549G (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 7.8
Bell Laboratories Inc., Madison
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Dichloromethane, Toluene, Methanol, 1,2-Dichloroethane and 1 more. Reports carcinogens. 14,667 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 53704BLLLB3699K (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 7.7
Flint Hills Resources Pine Bend Llc Mcfarland Terminal, Mc Farland
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Toluene, n-Hexane, Ethylbenzene, Benzene and 4 more. Reports carcinogens. 12,132 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 53558MCFRL4505T (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 7.6
Franklin Electric Fueling Systems, Deforest
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Styrene. Reports carcinogens. 10,775 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 5353WFRNKL6BURT (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 7.6
Safc Inc., Verona
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Dichloromethane, Methanol, Acetonitrile, Chloroform and 2 more. Reports carcinogens. 5,235 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 5359WSFCNC111KE (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 7.4
Coating Place Llc, Verona
TRI reporting facility. Penalties $50,000.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000420107 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 7.3
Stoughton Trailers Llc-Plant 5&6, Stoughton
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Manganese, Chromium, Zinc compounds, Nickel. Reports carcinogens. 3,187 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 53589STGHT416SA (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 7.2
Future Foam Inc, Middleton
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Diisocyanates, Toluene diisocyanate (mixed isomers). Reports carcinogens. 2,375 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 53562FTRFM2210P (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 7.1
Mge West Campus Cogeneration Facility, Madison
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Ammonia. 201,340 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 53726MGWST515WA (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 7.1
Vendura Industries Llc, Madison
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Styrene. Reports carcinogens. 2,189 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 53716VNDRN1202F (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 7.1
Safc Inc, Madison
Large hazardous waste generator. Penalties $17,500.
EPA FRS registry ID 110005545133 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 7
Thermal Spray Technologies Inc, Sun Prairie
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Nickel, Chromium. Reports carcinogens. 1,784 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 53590DFCLB210BU (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 7
Mpi - Wis Fineblanking Div, Deerfield
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Copper, Manganese, Chromium, Nickel and 1 more. Reports carcinogens. 1,618 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 5353WMPWSF11GRA (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 7
Safc Inc., Madison
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Dichloromethane, Acetonitrile, Methanol. Reports carcinogens. 1,603 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 5371WSFCNC645SC (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 7
Berntsen Brass & Aluminum Foundry Inc, Madison
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Zinc (fume or dust), Copper, Lead, Diisocyanates. Reports carcinogens. 1,488 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 53704BRNTS2334P (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 6.9
Coating Place Inc, Verona
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Methanol. 127,897 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 53593CTNGP2283H (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 6.9

Correctional facilities

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

Wi Doc Oakhill Correctional Institution, Fitchburg
EPA FRS registry ID
110070941258
Wastewater permit
Yes, 12 quarters in noncompliance
EPA detailed facility report
Wi Doa / Oak Hill Correctional Institution, Oregon
EPA FRS registry ID
110005412525
Water system
WI1130250
Health-based violations
1 all time, 1 in 5 years
All violations
9
Contaminants cited
LEAD AND COPPER RULE REVISIONS
Wastewater permit
None on record
EPA detailed facility report

Discovery / public records

Records to request for Dane County

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