Environmental Racism: Unveiling the Disproportionate Burden of Environmental Hazards on Marginalized Communities

Environmental racism is a form of systemic discrimination in which people of color experience a disproportionate burden of environmental hazards and pollution due to discriminatory rules, regulations, and practices. This leads to adverse health effects and other negative impacts on affected communities. Environmental racism primarily affects Black Americans, Asian Americans, Native Americans, Pacific Islanders, and Latino populations in the United States.

One of the key aspects of environmental racism is the placement of industrial facilities and hazardous infrastructures in close proximity to communities of color. These communities often lack the resources and regolal power to resist such placements. In contrast, predominantly White communities tend to have access to health-protective infrastructure, such as green spaces.

A study conducted in 2019 highlighted the development of “White spaces” through a process called “creative extraction.” This process involves taking resources from predominantly Black communities and investing them in predominantly White communities, perpetuating the disparities in development, infrastructure, and environmental harm.

Communities of color facing environmental racism often experience cumulative health impacts due to multiple co-occurring exposures. Despite bearing the brunt of these environmental hazards, they are frequently excluded from decision-making processes and regulatory bodies.

The history of environmental racism can be traced back to the recognition of its effects in the United States General Accounting Office’s 1983 report, which found that communities near hazardous sites were disproportionately Black. Redlining, a discriminatory mortgage appraisal practice in the 1930s, further exacerbated environmental exposure disparities. Redlining prevented people of color from buying homes in certain locations, leading to their concentration in hazardous areas. The effects of redlining continue to be felt today, contributing to wealth disparities and environmental exposure disparities between Black and White Americans.

The impacts of environmental racism are far-reaching. Communities of color are more likely to experience violations of drinking water standards and face threats to their endocrine, neurological, respiratory, and cardiovascular health due to exposure to environmental toxins. Children are particularly vulnerable to these impacts, with higher prevalence of lead poisoning, asthma, and obesity in communities exposed to environmental hazards.

The Flint water crisis and the Dakota Access Pipeline are two prominent examples of environmental racism in the United States. In the Flint water crisis, the predominantly Black community of Flint, Michigan, faced contaminated drinking water due to a switch in water source without proper corrosion control. The Dakota Access Pipeline encroached on Native American territory, posing risks to their water supply and desecrating sacred sites.

Environmental racism is not limited to the United States; it is a global issue. The Global North, responsible for the majority of carbon emissions, often uses the Global South as a dumping ground for toxic waste. For example, the disposal of e-waste from the Global North to Asia and Africa has resulted in significant human exposure to toxic substances in these regions.

To combat environmental racism, action is needed at both the national and global levels. This includes providing legal and financial resources to communities affected by environmental exposure, promoting inclusivity in the environmental movement, supporting grassroots organizations, educating others about environmental racism and climate justice, and practicing intersectional environmentalism. Collaboration across industries and prioritizing climate justice and racial equity are also crucial steps in addressing this issue.

While the fight for climate justice may seem daunting, individual and collective actions can make a difference. It’s important to seek support from mental health professionals and community networks if impacted by environmental racism, and to engage in outreach, advocacy, and collective action for environmental justice.