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

Abstract

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.

Is exposure to chemical pollutants associated with sleep outcomes? A systematic review

“…Environmental pollutant exposures tend to be patterned by socioeconomic status and race/ethnicity. Due to systematic racism and redlining policies that resulted in segregated, under-resourced neighborhoods, marginalized communities in the U.S. are more likely to be exposed to environmental chemical pollutants and adverse characteristics of the built environment [71], such as older housing and lead exposure [68] and pesticide use [386]. Data demonstrates that racial minorities are more likely to have exposure to air pollution [69]; yet few of the U.S.-based studies reviewed were conducted among these populations.…”

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“…In addition, puberty blockers would eliminate the need for many surgical procedures to treat the irreversible secondary sex characteristics that develop in puberty. However, side effects include a reduction in height when accompanied by cross-sex hormones, 83 weight gain, 84 and reductions in bone density. 85 A further complication is that puberty blockers prevent the normal growth of the penis, providing insufficient skin for the construction of a neo-vagina from the penis should the person desire this surgery.…”

“…78 There is a need for contributions that examine some of the recently identified opportunities 79 in the context of Christian teachings. 80 There is also a need to address the disproportionate harms that low-income communities and people of color experience 81 through fossil fuel burning, 82 chemical manufacture, 83 pesticide exposure, 84 and personal care product endocrine system disruptor exposure. 85 As the value of technological know-how 86 and Christian engagement in addressing chemistry-related issues of social justice are both well documented, 87 there is a particular need for contributions that suggest concrete ways in which Christians might leverage chemistry's ability to help address these issues.…”

Conducting evaluations of evidence that are transparent, timely and can lead to health-protective actions

“…Overwhelmingly, when it comes to human suffering from chemical exposures, "Environmental Justice Communities, " or "EJ Communities, " whose residents are predominantly of color, and/or low income, are disproportionately impacted [4][5][6]. These communities are burdened by the cumulative effects of multiple hazardous industries sited closely together, in addition to other chemical stressors from the products they use in their homes and non-chemical stressors such as poverty, racial discrimination, and poor access to regular affordable medical care [7].…”

“…These communities are burdened by the cumulative effects of multiple hazardous industries sited closely together, in addition to other chemical stressors from the products they use in their homes and non-chemical stressors such as poverty, racial discrimination, and poor access to regular affordable medical care [7]. This structural racism and classism, described by Donley et al (2022) as systems that result from historical, institutional, cultural or behavioral societal actions that disadvantage and harm low-income and communities of color [6], contribute to persistent environmental health disparities in these populations [4,8]. In the U.S., over 130 million people live in the vulnerability zones surrounding 3,433 facilities that produce, store, and use highly hazardous chemicals, as identified by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Risk Management Planning program [9].…”