Critical Environmental Injustice: A Case Study Approach to Understanding Disproportionate Exposure to Toxic Emissions

Abstract

Environmental justice research has focused on the distribution of environmental inequalities, such as proximity to landfills, across the U.S. and globally. Background: Public health research and environmental health research, specifically, have focused on toxic exposure—encompassing individuals or communities that are disproportionately exposed to contaminants that are harmful or potentially harmful to them. Yet, little research has applied critical environmental justice theory—characterized by the idea that marginalized communities need to be treated as indispensable rather than disposable—to the study of toxic exposure. To fill this gap, the current paper offers a case study approach applying critical environmental justice theory to the study of disproportionate and unequal exposure to toxic contaminants. Methods: This case study is of Kettleman City, a rural, unincorporated community in the heart of California’s Central Valley (USA). This community experiences the co-location of environmental hazards, including residing at the intersection of two major highways and hosting a class I hazardous-waste landfill, which is one of the few licensed to accept PCBs. PCBs are a contaminant that has been linked with several adverse health outcomes, including cancers and low birthweight. Residents may also experience poor air quality from proximity to the highways. Results: This case highlights the uneven distribution of pollution and environmental degradation that may be shouldered by the community, along with their experiences of adverse health and social impacts. This analysis reveals the importance of incorporating a critical environmental justice perspective to unpack experiences of not only disproportionate exposure but also disproportionate procedural and recognitional inequality. Conclusions: This research highlights the untapped potential of environmental justice to catalyze exposure science in challenging the unequal distribution of contaminants.

Possibilities of Managing Waste Iron Sorbent FFH after CO2 Capture as an Element of a Circular Economy

“…Additionally, it is important that waste (used) sorbents are properly managed to minimize their impact on the environment and public health and to be economically viable [ 15 , 16 ]. This may include controlling emissions of harmful substances, preventing soil and water pollution as well as ensuring the safe disposal of waste [ 17 , 18 , 19 ]. Such an approach is directly linked to circular economy principles that are focused on developing processes that can bring benefits to the environment, society and economy [ 20 , 21 ].…”

“…Biological methods, such as bioleaching or the use of sewage sludge technology, can effectively process sorbents, reducing their toxicity and enabling the recovery of valuable components. This type of approach minimizes waste, reduces the need for primary raw materials and supports sustainable development by closing the life cycle of materials [ 15 , 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 ].…”