Environmental Racism and the Contamination of Black Lives: A Literature Review

Henderson, Sheree; Wells, Rebecca

doi:10.1007/s12111-020-09511-5

Cited by 30 publications

(18 citation statements)

References 20 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…The 1800s saw overtly racist laws like the Indian Removal Act and Dawes Act that sought to erase Indigenous sovereignty and partition Indigenous people into small tracts of undesirable land. This was followed by the widespread use of eminent domain for “economic development,” racially-motivated zoning ordinances, and the practice of “redlining” in the early 1900’s that further partitioned and isolated BIPOC and communities of low income and wealth to areas that would receive less economic and social investment and ultimately deteriorate while other areas thrived [ 14 ]. More recent calls for “urban renewal” and subsequent gentrification has often further solidified these trends [ 15 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Pesticides and environmental injustice in the USA: root causes, current regulatory reinforcement and a path forward

et al. 2022

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Many environmental pollutants are known to have disproportionate effects on Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) as well as communities of low-income and wealth. The reasons for these disproportionate effects are complex and involve hundreds of years of systematic oppression kept in place through structural racism and classism in the USA. Here we analyze the available literature and existing datasets to determine the extent to which disparities in exposure and harm exist for one of the most widespread pollutants in the world – pesticides. Our objective was to identify and discuss not only the historical injustices that have led to these disparities, but also the current laws, policies and regulatory practices that perpetuate them to this day with the ultimate goal of proposing achievable solutions. Disparities in exposures and harms from pesticides are widespread, impacting BIPOC and low-income communities in both rural and urban settings and occurring throughout the entire lifecycle of the pesticide from production to end-use. These disparities are being perpetuated by current laws and regulations through 1) a pesticide safety double standard, 2) inadequate worker protections, and 3) export of dangerous pesticides to developing countries. Racial, ethnic and income disparities are also maintained through policies and regulatory practices that 4) fail to implement environmental justice Executive Orders, 5) fail to account for unintended pesticide use or provide adequate training and support, 6) fail to effectively monitor and follow-up with vulnerable communities post-approval, and 7) fail to implement essential protections for children. Here we’ve identified federal laws, regulations, policies, and practices that allow for disparities in pesticide exposure and harm to remain entrenched in everyday life for environmental justice communities. This is not simply a pesticides issue, but a broader public health and civil rights issue. The true fix is to shift the USA to a more just system based on the Precautionary Principle to prevent harmful pollution exposure to everyone, regardless of skin tone or income. However, there are actions that can be taken within our existing framework in the short term to make our unjust regulatory system work better for everyone.

show abstract

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Pesticides and environmental injustice in the USA: root causes, current regulatory reinforcement and a path forward

et al. 2022

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Black (African American) respondents reported greater use of bottled water than White respondents, similar to multiple prior studies (Abrahams et al , 2000; Doria, 2006; Hobson et al , 2007; Pierce and Gonzalez, 2017; Rosinger et al , 2018; Rosinger and Young, 2020; Vieux et al , 2020). There have been repeated public failures to protect Black communities in the USA from drinking contaminated water, and other instances of environmental racism (Henderson and Wells, 2021). This may explain the greater mistrust in tap water, expressed by Black respondents.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In our survey, the high concern about lead likely results from a combination of contemporaneous regional and local events. In 2016 (the year before the survey), a state of emergency was declared in Flint, Michigan, due to lead contamination of the tap water (Henderson and Wells, 2021). In the same year, campus monitoring at SIUE detected lead levels above the 15 ppb action level.…”

Section: Study Limitations and Objectivementioning

confidence: 99%

“…Public health failures because of tap water can also increase concern and shift preference toward bottled water (Parag and Roberts, 2009). For example, the Flint, Michigan (USA) water crisis, beginning in 2014, resulted in childhood lead poisoning and substantial media attention (Hanna-Attisha et al , 2016; Henderson and Wells, 2021). This was followed by tap water avoidance and increased bottled water use among children (Rosinger and Young, 2020).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Bottled vs tap water perceptions, choices and recommendations in a US Midwest university community

Olagunju

Sante²,

Bracey³

et al. 2022

IJSHE

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Purpose This study aims to determine preference and concerns regarding tap vs bottled water and recommendations to increase tap water use in a US Midwest university. The authors propose interventions to increase tap water use based on survey results. Design/methodology/approach The authors conducted an online survey of the community of a regional comprehensive university in the St. Louis metro-east region (Illinois, USA). They analyzed 781 responses using mixed methods, and developed recommendations based on community-based social marketing principles. Findings Black respondents reported higher bottled water use than White respondents. Undergraduate students reported higher bottled water use than faculty or staff. Most respondents were concerned about cost and environmental impact for bottled water and taste and water quality for tap water. Chemical and safety concerns were specific and location-focused for tap water only. Concerns were similar to Safe Drinking Water Act mandated public information, such as prior reports of lead (Pb) in campus drinking water. Tap water taste concerns may relate to proximity to the water treatment plant, resulting in high residual chlorine levels. To increase tap water use in this community, the authors recommend persuasive information campaigns, improvements to infrastructure and distribution that increase tap water convenience, more transparent public reporting on tap water lead levels, management of residual chlorine levels, and establishment of institutional norms favoring tap water over bottled water. Originality/value The authors evaluate barriers to drinking tap water across multiple environmental and social systems. The methods used in this study combine mixed methods analysis and community-based social marketing. The findings integrate respondent demographics and concerns, local water quality, local and national contamination events, campus-specific sustainability initiatives and barriers, and national drinking water regulations.

show abstract

“…At the heart of environmental racism is the simple question: Why are Black people disproportionately exposed to pollution in the places where they live? (Aygeman, et al 2016;Beliso-De Jesus 2019;Bullard 2001;Bullard et al 2008;Cole and Foster 2001;Dillon 2014;Henderson and Wells 2021;Mohai et al 2009;Nixon 2013;Pellow 2016;Pulido 2000;Pulido 2015;Pulido 2016;Pulido 2017;Sze 2008;Turner 2016). The question is not new, but has not received enough governmental response when it comes to the experiences of residents in Indianapolis.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Environmental Racism in Indianapolis

Clark

2021

ENGAGE

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Community-engaged research, grounded in the humanities and social sciences and rooted in ethnographic methods, can provide important insights into the ways that environmental racism impacts neighborhoods and communities. The Anthropocene Household project at the IUPUI Arts & Humanities Institute explores the current geological epoch, the Age of Humans, on a local level through the lens of the household in order to understand the experiences, knowledges, and practices associated with environmental change. In my research, I am looking at these experiences and understandings specifically related to environmental racism. In this paper I would like to explore two different examples of environmental racism in Indianapolis. One illustrates how white privilege plays a role in creating environmental racism and the other shows the impact of white supremacy in shaping government response to an issue of environmental racism. Both examples demonstrate the value in foregrounding the voices and experiences of the people who are living in these impacted communities. We cannot develop meaningful interventions into environmental racism without understanding these lived experiences and creating space to hear these voices.

show abstract

Environmental Racism and the Contamination of Black Lives: A Literature Review

Cited by 30 publications

References 20 publications

Pesticides and environmental injustice in the USA: root causes, current regulatory reinforcement and a path forward

Pesticides and environmental injustice in the USA: root causes, current regulatory reinforcement and a path forward

Bottled vs tap water perceptions, choices and recommendations in a US Midwest university community

Environmental Racism in Indianapolis

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About