The Systemic Issue of Environmental Racism
Understanding Environmental Racism Through History
While origins of the Environmental Justice (EJ) movement go back to the Civil Rights and Environmental movements of the 60s and 70s, an event that really helped the movement gain traction occurred in 1982 in Warren County, North Carolina. A rural, predominantly African-American community was elected by the government to house a toxic waste facility for 60,000 tons of cancer-causing Polychlorinated Biphenyl (PCB)-contaminated soil. As a reaction, a non-violent protest emerged that lasted for weeks and resulted in over 500 arrests. Although protestors ultimately lost this battle, the event served as a wake-up call to the country that race and class play a part in the location of toxic waste dump sites. The reaction to this targeted injustice gained media attention, and in turn, inspired others who were suffering the same prejudices to fight against the environmental racism and lack of clean air in their community.
Protestors in Warren, North Carolina (1982). Photography by: Jenny Labalme
With the movement spreading, and the response growing more common, researchers throughout the 80s began studies of hazardous waste sites in the southern United States. An initial report released in 1987 investigating these injustices, Toxic Wastes and Race in the United States: A National Report on the Racial and Socio-Economic Characteristics of Communities with Hazardous Waste Sites, found that there were explicit patterns demonstrating that marginalized communities with a higher minority population were more likely to be chosen as locations for dumping toxic waste. These results supported the claims that race was the predominant factor for the location of toxic waste facilities and was a catalyst for the environmental justice movement and acknowledgment of environmental racism.
The new evidence soon influenced the government to take action in addressing the inequities by introducing the Pollution Prevention Act, the Environmental Justice Act of 1992, and Executive Order 12898: Federal Actions to Address Environmental Justice in Minority Populations and Low-Income Populations. Although several orders have been passed since, injustice still exists, and minority communities continue to be on the front lines of environmental degradation and pollution.
Air Quality Crisis and Health Risks
Currently, the leading environmental health risk in the United States is poor air quality, and people of color suffer inequitably from its exposure. In fact, Black Americans experience greater exposure to every kind of pollution source, including industry, agriculture, construction, power plants, and more. Fine particulate matter (PM 2.5) air pollution is well documented as extremely harmful to health and is responsible for up to 200,000 deaths per year in the US. The amount of PM 2.5 has persisted in high minority areas due to the history and lasting effects of racist housing policies and other factors, even though overall particulate pollution has been on a decline. A 2021 EPA funded study also notes that this held for all income levels, making race the most important factor for exposure throughout the country.
In 2020, a study by former EPA officials found that 13 oil refineries across the country released elevated levels of another kind of pollution, Benzene, into mostly minority neighborhoods. 57% of the people living within three miles of the refineries were people of color. Benzene is a widely used chemical in the United States and can be found indoors and outdoors. Some main sources include tobacco smoke, gasoline fumes, pesticides, fossil fuel refineries, and detergents. The air around hazardous waste sites usually contains higher levels of benzene than other areas, and exposure to high levels can damage bone marrow and the immune system, leading to the loss of white blood cells and increasing the chance for infection. The Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) determined that long-term exposure to this air pollutant causes cancer in humans, specifically leukemia and other cancers of blood cells. Thanks to past practices like redlining, which created racist housing policies, Black communities in particular ended up in areas near industrial facilities and waste sites, where many families remain today.
A home near the Marathon Petroleum Company refinery in River Rouge- near Detroit. Photography by Emily Rose Bennett- The New York Times.
Research from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has shown that different cancers, asthma, and even dementia can result from living in highly polluted areas. When analyzing disparities in cancer risk from air pollution, the 130-mile span of “Cancer Alley” is referred to as the frontline of environmental racism. This area in southeastern Louisiana has one of the highest health risks in the country, surrounded by over 200 industrial facilities that emit substantial amounts of unsafe air pollution. Recently, researchers found that “industrial emissions in Louisiana are seven to 21 times higher in communities of color compared to white communities,” and that “severely” polluted black neighborhoods were found to have irregularly high numbers of cancer cases. With site-specific scientific data available, community members and environmental justice advocates hope that facilities will soon have more strict standards on their emissions.
Latino community in California, where 44% live in communities with poor air quality.
The continued occurrence of environmental racism lies in certain factors, such as unequal implementation of environmental laws, lack of black, brown, and other minority decision makers, exclusionary zoning, and historical redlining. Although environmental racism persists, addressing the systemic issue has become more of a priority, especially with the current presidential administration.
This year, President Biden signed Executive Order 14096 which is titled “Revitalizing Our Nation's Commitment to Environmental Justice for All.” This progressive civil action addresses EJ concerns such as adverse human health effects, environmental effects, equitable access to healthy and sustainable environments, and hazards of federal activity within EJ communities. It also clearly directs each federal agency to address, review, and prevent impacts of pollution and other climate and health related crises. Agencies are being held accountable by mandatory development and implementation of EJ strategic plans. Each agency must update their plan periodically, submit them to the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ), and be subject to a government-wide assessment of their efforts to progress EJ.
Along with federal intervention, Environmental Justice has moved its way into local governments, boardrooms, and corporate offices. The acknowledgment of environmental racism is broader than ever, and we must keep the fire lit with advocacy, research, and community engagement.
Environmental racism cannot be summed up in one article, here are a few sources if you wish to read further: