African Americans, Asian Americans, Latinos, indigenous peoples and the poor bear a disproportionate burden of America’s environmental problems. Government agencies and industries overwhelmingly locate polluting facilities in communities of color and engage in hazardous and unsustainable development, over the protests of residents and in disregard of safer and more environmentally protective alternatives.

Many low-income, minority communities are located in close proximity to chemical and industrial settings where toxic waste is generated. These include chemical waste disposal sites, fossil-fuel power plants, municipal incinerators, and solid waste landfills. African Americans and other socio-economically disadvantaged populations are more likely to live in the most hazardous environments and to work in the most hazardous occupations. Inner city Black neighborhoods are overburdened with pollution from diesel buses. In a 2002 report EPA, researchers concluded that long-term (i.e. chronic inhalation) exposure to diesel engine exhaust is likely to pose a lung cancer hazard to humans, as well as damage the lung in other ways, depending on exposure.

In the United States, approximately 60% of African Americans live in communities with uncontrolled toxic waste sites. Three out of five of the largest hazardous waste landfills in the United States are located in predominantly African American or Latino communities. As a consequence, people of color have a higher incidence of cancer, lead poisoning, respiratory illnesses and a host of other serious and fatal environmentally-related health problems.

Background
Environmental health addresses all the physical, chemical, and biological factors external to a person, and all the related factors impacting behaviors. It encompasses the assessment and control of those environmental factors that can potentially affect health. It is targeted towards preventing disease and creating health-supportive environments. This definition excludes behavior not related to environment, as well as behavior related to the social and cultural environment, and genetics. Environmental Health pertains to the quality of our:

• air,

• drinking water,

• food safety and protection,

• hazardous materials/toxic substances management,

• institutional environmental health,

• occupational safety and health,

• terrorism and all-hazards preparedness,

• vector control,

• wastewater management, and

• water pollution control/water quality.

Promote healthier communities
Walk, use bicycles, join or form carpools, and take public transportation to reduce air pollution, including greenhouse gases (PDF)

Spearhead a clean school bus campaign in your community. Clean School Bus USA emphasizes three ways to reduce public school bus emissions:

Anti-idling strategies: Unnecessary idling pollutes the air, wastes fuel, and causes excess engine wear. It also wastes money and results in the wear and tear of the vehicle's engine.

Engine retrofit and clean fuels: Retrofitted engines run cleaner because they have been fitted with devices designed to reduce pollution and/or use cleaner fuel.

Bus replacement: Older buses are not equipped with today's pollution control or safety features. Pre-1990 buses have been estimated to emit as much as six times more pollution as new buses that were built starting in 2004 and as much as 60 times more pollution as buses that meet the 2007 standards.

Develop safe routes so that children can walk to and from school, limiting vehicle use and increasing physical activity. Conduct walk ability audits in your community to understand where you can and cannot walk. Children can help for a fun and educational activity. Learn more by visiting the Walk and Bike to School or Active & Safe Routes to School.

Encourage your school to use EPA's Healthy School Environments Assessment Tool (HealthySEAT). This software helps school districts evaluate and manage key environmental, safety, and health issues. HealthySEAT can be customized and used by district-level staff to conduct voluntary self assessments of their schools and other facilities and to track and manage information on environmental conditions school by school.

Promote green building. Green building considerations include:

• Careful site selection to minimize impacts on the surrounding environment and increase alternative transportation options.

• Energy and water conservation to help ensure efficient use of natural resources and lower utility bills.

• Responsible storm water management to help limit disruption of natural watershed functions and reduce the environmental impacts of storm water runoff.

• Improved indoor air quality through the use of low volatile organic compound products and careful ventilation practices during construction and renovation.

Use Indoor Air Quality Design Tools to create healthy school environments. Indoor air quality (IAQ) is a critically important aspect of creating and maintaining school facilities. IAQ Design Tools for Schools provides detailed guidance and links to other resources to help design new schools and repair, renovate and maintain existing facilities. IAQ Design Tools for Schools is Web-based guidance to assist school districts, architects, and facility planners design and construct the next generation of schools.

Support local smart growth activities. Smart growth is development that serves the economy, the community, and the environment. EPA helps states and communities realize the economic, community, and environmental benefits of smart growth by:

Learn more about smart growth.
Learn more about children’s environmental health

Sources:
Agency For Toxic Substance and Disease Registry
Environmental Protection Agency
National Environmental Health Association’s Journal of Environmental Health

Minority Health Today Archive