Helena Joyce
People of color in the United States are disproportionately affected by air pollution, with higher exposure to pollutants and greater health risks. Studies have found that racial and ethnic disparities exist in exposure to various sources of pollution, with people of color experiencing greater than average exposures from sources causing a significant proportion of overall exposure. This disparity is evident across regions, income levels, and urban and rural areas. The root causes of these inequalities lie in systemic racism and historical practices such as redlining, which have resulted in communities of color being located near industrial facilities, congested roadways, and polluted areas. As a consequence, people of color face higher rates of respiratory illnesses, asthma, and other health issues, with premature mortality rates 1.3 times higher than in predominantly white communities.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Communities of color are more likely to live in areas with | Higher levels of pollution |
| People of color are exposed to | Greater-than-average concentrations of dangerous PM 2.5 pollution |
| White people are exposed to | Lower than average concentrations of PM 2.5 pollution |
| Communities of color are | 7.5 times more prone to pediatric asthma |
| --- Compared to white communities | 1.3 times more prone to premature mortality |
| People of color are more likely to live near | Commercial facilities, industrial facilities, highways, factories, congested roadways, shipping routes |
| --- | Areas with high levels of nitrogen dioxide and fine particulate matter |
| People of color are more likely to | Suffer from respiratory illnesses, asthma, diabetes, heart disease, lung cancer, stroke |
| People of color are more likely to | Die from environmental causes |
| People of color are more likely to live in counties with | Particle pollution, worse ozone pollution |
| Hispanic individuals are | Nearly three times more likely to live in communities with three failing grades |
| People of color are | 50.2% of the people living in a county with at least one failing grade |
| People of color constitute | 41.2% of the overall population of the US |
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What You'll Learn
People of color are more likely to live near industrial facilities
A 2007 environmental justice report revealed that about 56% of the nine million Americans living within three kilometers of large commercial hazardous waste facilities are people of color. In California, this figure rises to 81%. Furthermore, a 2016 study of New Jersey residents found a higher risk of premature death from long-term exposure to particle pollution in communities with larger African American populations.
The reasons behind these disparities are rooted in historical practices such as redlining, which involved the federal government marking certain neighborhoods as risky for real estate investments due to their predominantly Black residents. This resulted in decades of disinvestment and environmental problems in those areas. Additionally, socioeconomic factors play a role, with low-income Americans being more likely to live near industrial facilities and bear the consequences of chemical spills and toxic leaks during tropical storms.
The impact of living near industrial facilities has significant health implications. For example, residents of Richmond, particularly African Americans, are at an increased risk of heart disease, strokes, and asthma, likely due to their proximity to industrial pollution sources. Moreover, people of color across the nation are exposed to greater-than-average concentrations of dangerous forms of pollution, such as PM 2.5, which has been linked to various health issues.
Addressing these disparities requires effective policies and programs to improve the living conditions of communities of color. The EPA aims to provide an environment where all individuals have equal protection from environmental and health hazards and equal access to decision-making processes to maintain a healthy living, learning, and working environment.
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Racial-ethnic disparities in air pollution exposure
People of colour are exposed to higher levels of air pollution than white people across the United States, regardless of region, income, or urban/rural setting. This disparity is a result of systemic racism, with people of colour and pollution pushed together over time. This trend holds for almost all types of emissions, with people of colour experiencing greater than average exposure from source types causing 75% of overall exposure.
A study by the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign found that Black people are exposed to greater-than-average concentrations of a dangerous form of pollution known as PM 2.5. This is due to decades of residential segregation, with Black communities concentrated in areas adjacent to industrial facilities and industrial zones. This was further exacerbated by historical practices such as redlining, where Black residents were denied access to federally backed mortgages and credit, leading to a cycle of disinvestment and environmental problems.
Hispanic people are also disproportionately exposed to air pollution. In California, which produces a large proportion of the country's vegetables and fruits, Hispanic people are exposed to higher levels of particulate pollution from agriculture. A study in Oakland, California, and Pittsburgh also found that emissions from commercial kitchens, particularly the use of cooking oils, disproportionately affected communities of colour.
Asian Americans are another racial group facing higher exposure to air pollution. A study by the Sierra Club found that Asian Americans living near refineries and other polluting facilities experienced high rates of respiratory illness and other health issues.
These disparities in exposure to air pollution have significant health impacts. Studies have shown that racial and ethnic minorities exposed to higher levels of air pollution are at a higher risk of premature death, particularly from fine particle pollution. Additionally, low-income populations within these communities face an even greater risk of premature death due to their proximity to major sources of pollution and lower access to healthcare.
Addressing these environmental injustices requires effective regulations and targeted air pollution-reduction strategies. It is essential to recognize the role of systemic racism in creating and perpetuating these disparities and to work towards providing equal protection from environmental hazards for all people, regardless of race or income.
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Inequalities in health outcomes
People of color are more likely to live in polluted areas, and this has resulted in inequalities in health outcomes. A study by the US EPA found that exposure to air pollution was higher for people of color, regardless of region or income. This is due to systemic racism, which has pushed people of color and pollution together. As a result, people of color experience greater than average exposures from source types causing 75% of overall exposure to pollutants.
The health outcomes of living in these polluted areas are dire. A study by researchers at George Washington University found that communities of color across the US are shouldering a growing burden of diseases linked to air pollution. They found that racial and ethnic disparities in cases of pollutant-linked diseases like asthma increased during the last decade. Communities of color experienced 7.5 times higher pediatric asthma rates and 1.3 times higher premature mortality rates due to pollutants compared to mostly white communities. The risk of dying early from long-term exposure to particle pollution was also higher in communities with larger African American populations, lower home values, and lower median incomes.
Furthermore, people of color are more likely to suffer from multiple chronic conditions that make them more vulnerable to air pollution, including asthma, diabetes, and heart disease. Exposure to air pollution can trigger asthma attacks, harm lung development in children, and even be deadly. Fine particulate matter, which is commonly found in polluted areas, has been linked to heart disease, lung cancer, and stroke. The COVID-19 pandemic has also exacerbated these inequalities, with communities of color experiencing higher rates of respiratory illness and death.
The environmental justice movement seeks to address these inequalities by pursuing policies and development that create a sustainable, cooperative, and equitable future for all. It aims to dismantle flawed environmental policies that have long harmed low-income communities and communities of color, ensuring that everyone has access to a clean and healthy environment.
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Environmental racism
> "any policy, practice, or directive that differentially affects or disadvantages (where intended or unintended) individuals, groups, or communities based on race."
The term "environmental racism" was coined by civil rights leader Benjamin Chavis in 1982, when a Black community in North Carolina was designated as a site for waste known to have carcinogenic compounds. The same year, protests erupted in Warren County, a predominantly Black community in North Carolina, over the plan to place a hazardous waste landfill in their community. This helped launch the environmental justice movement.
Studies have found that people of colour experience greater exposure to harmful pollutants, including particulate matter (PM2.5), regardless of region or income. This exposure results in various diseases and cancers, disproportionately affecting minority communities.
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The impact of socioeconomic status on vulnerability to air pollution
People of color are more vulnerable to air pollution, and this is true regardless of region, income, or socioeconomic status. However, socioeconomic status does play a role in the vulnerability of communities to air pollution.
Socioeconomic status is tied to the harm caused by air pollution, with multiple large studies showing evidence of this link. Low socioeconomic status has consistently been linked to an increased risk of premature death from fine particle pollution. This is due to a variety of factors, including a lack of access to healthcare, grocery stores, and good jobs, poorer job opportunities, dirtier workplaces, and higher traffic exposure.
A 2008 study of Washington, DC, found that while poor air quality and worsened asthma were linked, the areas with the highest Medicaid enrollment did not always have the strongest association with high air pollution and asthma attacks. This suggests that other factors, such as access to healthcare and healthy food options, may play a role in the vulnerability of low-income communities to air pollution.
Additionally, pollution sources tend to be located near disadvantaged communities, increasing exposure to harmful pollutants. This is due in part to historical practices, such as redlining, which denied residents of certain neighborhoods access to federally backed mortgages and other credit, fueling a cycle of disinvestment and environmental problems in those areas.
Furthermore, low socioeconomic status communities often face higher exposures to air pollutants and other environmental hazards, as well as increased susceptibility to poor health due to psychosocial stressors, discrimination, chronic stress, and fewer opportunities to choose health-promoting behaviors. This results in health disparities driven by environmental factors.
Overall, while people of color are more vulnerable to air pollution regardless of socioeconomic status, low socioeconomic status does increase vulnerability to air pollution and its associated health risks.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, people of color are more likely to live in counties with higher levels of pollution and are more vulnerable to the effects of air pollution. They are also more likely to be living with one or more chronic conditions that make them more vulnerable to air pollution, including asthma, diabetes, and heart disease.
The reasons are rooted in historical practices, like redlining, under which the federal government marked certain neighborhoods as risky for real estate investments because their residents were Black. Communities of color are also disproportionately victimized by environmental hazards and are far more likely to live in areas with heavy pollution.
Communities of color across the US are shouldering a growing burden of diseases linked to air pollution, such as asthma, heart disease, lung cancer, and stroke. They also experience higher rates of pediatric asthma and premature mortality.
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