Racial, ethnic, and income disparities in air pollution: A study of excess emissions in Texas

This article contributes to distributive environmental justice (EJ) research on air pollution by analyzing racial/ethnic and related intra-categorical disparities in health risk from exposure to on-road hazardous air pollutants (HAPs) in Harris County, Texas. Previous studies in this urban area have not examined intra-ethnic heterogeneity in EJ outcomes or disproportionate exposure to vehicular pollutants. Our goal was to determine how the EJ implications of cancer risk from exposure to on-road HAP sources differ across and within each major racial/ethnic group (Hispanics, non-Hispanic Blacks, and non-Hispanic Whites), based on data from the Environmental Protection Agency’s National-Scale Air Toxics Assessment (2011) and American Community Survey (2009–2013). Statistical analyses are based on generalized estimating equations which account for clustering of analytic units. Results indicated that Hispanics and non-Hispanic Blacks are exposed to significantly higher cancer risk than non-Hispanic Whites. When each racial/ethnic group was disaggregated based on contextually relevant characteristics, individuals who are in poverty, foreign-born, renters, and have limited English proficiency are found to be disproportionately located in areas exposed to significantly higher cancer risk, regardless of their major racial/ethnic designation. Our findings underscore the need to conduct intra-categorical EJ analysis for uncovering inequalities that get concealed when broadly defined racial/ethnic categories are used.

Download Full-text

Racial/ethnic and income disparities in child and adolescent exposure to food and beverage television ads across the U.S. media markets

Health & Place ◽

10.1016/j.healthplace.2014.06.006 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 29 ◽

pp. 124-131 ◽

Cited By ~ 53

Author(s):

Lisa M. Powell ◽

Roy Wada ◽

Shiriki K. Kumanyika

Keyword(s):

Child And Adolescent ◽

Income Disparities ◽

Food And Beverage ◽

Media Markets ◽

Racial Ethnic ◽

Adolescent Exposure ◽

The U.S

Download Full-text

Inequity in consumption of goods and services adds to racial–ethnic disparities in air pollution exposure

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences ◽

10.1073/pnas.1818859116 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 116 (13) ◽

pp. 6001-6006 ◽

Cited By ~ 59

Author(s):

Christopher W. Tessum ◽

Joshua S. Apte ◽

Andrew L. Goodkind ◽

Nicholas Z. Muller ◽

Kimberley A. Mullins ◽

...

Keyword(s):

United States ◽

Air Pollution ◽

Environmental Health ◽

Fine Particulate Matter ◽

Ethnic Disparities ◽

The United States ◽

Goods And Services ◽

Air Pollution Exposure ◽

Pollution Exposure ◽

Racial Ethnic

Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) air pollution exposure is the largest environmental health risk factor in the United States. Here, we link PM2.5exposure to the human activities responsible for PM2.5pollution. We use these results to explore “pollution inequity”: the difference between the environmental health damage caused by a racial–ethnic group and the damage that group experiences. We show that, in the United States, PM2.5exposure is disproportionately caused by consumption of goods and services mainly by the non-Hispanic white majority, but disproportionately inhaled by black and Hispanic minorities. On average, non-Hispanic whites experience a “pollution advantage”: They experience ∼17% less air pollution exposure than is caused by their consumption. Blacks and Hispanics on average bear a “pollution burden” of 56% and 63% excess exposure, respectively, relative to the exposure caused by their consumption. The total disparity is caused as much by how much people consume as by how much pollution they breathe. Differences in the types of goods and services consumed by each group are less important. PM2.5exposures declined ∼50% during 2002–2015 for all three racial–ethnic groups, but pollution inequity has remained high.

Download Full-text