Environmental Injustices in the state of Massachusetts

By Brittney Janard

Faber & Krieg . In "

Unequal Exposure to Ecological Hazards: Environmental Injustices in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts," Daniel R. Faber and Eric J. Krieg report that low-income communities in Massachusetts with high concentrations of non-white residents are much more likely to include sites that present environmental threats to human health. 

Faber & KriegAnalyzed the distribution of ecological hazards

across 368 Massachusetts communities.Using census data and environmental data, they

studied the distribution of environmentally hazardous sites and the location of industrial facilities in regards to income and racial composition of communities.

They found that these sites and facilities were concentrated in communities of color and the working class communities

MethodIncome Racial compositionLow-income: Median

household income of less than $30,000

Median-income: Median household income of between $30,000 & $49,999

High-income: Median household income of $50,000 or higher

Low-minority: less than 5% people of color

Moderate-minority: between 6% and 24.99% people of color

High-minority: 25% or more people of color

Hazardous waste sites: Health

Increase risk of developing:•Birth defects•Cardiac abnormalities•higher diagnosis of leukemia•Kidney-urinary tract infection•Learning disabilities•Skin disorders•Central nervous system damage•Higher diagnosis of Hodgkin’s disease•Liver & Kidney disease In Addition:•Pollutes land•Poisons drinking water

Hazardous waste sites in

Massachusetts •Towns located near Hazardous waste sites:Bedford, Lexington, Ayer, Falmouth, Weymouth, Concord•Weymouth: Higher rates of Leukemia which is linked to a a chemical called trichloroethylene found in the towns drinking water

Hazardous waste sites & breast

cancer

•Massachusetts has one of the highest rates of breast cancer in the country.•This accounts for 1,000 American deaths each year.•Cap Cod has 20% higher rates of breast cancer than anywhere else in the state

Distribution of Hazardous Waste Sites Low-income communities

High-minority communities

Low-income communities had an average of 14 hazardous waste sites per square mile compared to 3.1-4.1 per square mile in high-income communities

High-minority communities had an average of 27.2 hazardous waste sites per square mile compared to low-minority communities that had an average of 2.9 per square mile

The average governmental penalties issued for violations of hazardous waste laws are $55,318 in communities of color compared to an average of $335,566 penalties for predominantly white communities.

Air Pollution

•Poor air quality causes nearly 1300 deaths in Massachusetts each year. •Air pollution is linked to heart disease, lung cancer and asthmatic attacks.•Poor air quality can cause premature death

1990-1998Income Racial CompositionDuring this time,

households with median income of $40,000 or more represented 50% of all MA communities. Such communities were subjected to 21.3% of all chemical emissions.

Low-income communities received 78.8% of all chemical emissions from TURA facilities

High-minority communities were exposed to nearly 1 million pounds of chemical emissions by TURA industrial facilities compared to 342,579 total pounds of chemical emissions in low-minority communities

Power PlantsMajor contributor to global warmingThe five power plants located I Massachusetts that account for 50% of power plant pollution in New England are:1. The Canal2. Brayton Point3. Salem Harbor4. Mount Tom5. Mystic

All of these power plants are

located in low-income communities

Power Plant Low-income High-minority Communities with an

average income of $40,000 represent 50% of the state population, yet they are subjected to 65.6% of all active power plants.

Communities of color represent 5.4% of all communities in Massachusetts, yet they are exposed to 18.2% of all active power plats.

ReferencesFaber, D. R., & Krieg, E. J. (2002). Unequal Exposure to

Ecological Hazards: Environmental Injustices in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Vrijheid, M. (2000). Health Effects of Residence Near

Hazardous Waste Landfill Sites: A Review of Epidemiologic Literature. Environ Health Perspect,

101-112Kampa, M., & Castanas, E. (2008). Human Health Effects of

Air Pollution. Environmental Pollution, (151), 362-367