Environmental Justice

The purpose of the exposure assessment stage of the risk assessment process is to determine the exposure of the chemicals in question to the population.  Since one of the reasons that the risk assessment process is used is to determine locations of new facilities, an issue I'd like to discuss is Environmental Justice.

The EPA definition of Environmental Justice is "the fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people regardless of race, color, national origin, or income with respect to the development implementation, and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations, and policies.  EPA has this goal for all communities and persons across this Nation.  It will be achieved when everyone enjoys the same degree of protection from environmental and health hazards and equal access to the decision-making process to have a healthy environment in which to live, learn, and work."

There is evidence that areas near communities composed of minorities and the poor are disproportionately chosen for hazardous waste disposal facilities, mining operations, refineries, etc.  One well-known case is the US government's plan to use an area in the Western Shoshone Nation in Yucca Mountain for a high level nuclear waste repository.  This is despite the fact that this land has been recognized as Shoshone territorial sovereignty.  (map obtained from www.umich.edu).

There are many other cases of apparent environmental inequality.  A wood fired power plant outside of an economically depressed neighborhood of Flint, Michigan emits pollutants into the community through its incineration process.  The largest hazardous waste landfill in the US is located in Sumter County, Alabama where 1/3 of the residents are below the poverty level.  (The national average according to the US Census Bureau is approximately 12%).  Black residents in Sumter County comprise 65% of the residents in this county and 90% of the residents that live near the landfill.  Beard Elementary School in Detroit, Michigan has been sited to be constructed in an industrial area of town over land that is contaminated with various heavy metals due to years of use of this site as various manufacturing and repair facilities.  Not only that, but within 2 miles of this school there are 58 polluting facilities, 40 of which are hazardous waste handlers.  (information obtained from www.umich.edu).

      

www.thecrisismagazine.com

The issue of environmental justice is a difficult one.  Industries, manufacturing plants, and waste disposal sites need to be located somewhere, and it is not surprising that they end up where the land is cheap, the residents are unlikely to protest too much, and public outcry won't be an issue.  

Now imagine a manufacturing plant located near Beverly Hills.  Seems almost ridiculous, doesn't it?  But why?  Because the homes cost more? Does that mean that people who can't afford expensive homes should have to breathe in toxic fumes from nearby manufacturing plants and have their children play in contaminated soil?

It has been discussed in this class that science is not always at the forefront of risk assessment.  Political, economic, and social issues have an effect on the outcome of the risk assessment process.  So perhaps it is just a fact of life that won't be changing any time soon.  But that doesn't make it right.

www.rprogress.org