Environmental Racism: Definition, Examples and Prevention

The 85-mile stretch of land between Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and New Orleans, Louisiana, is known as Cancer Alley because a majority Black community faces an alarming number of health risks thanks to the oil refineries, petrochemical plants, and other chemical industries situated near suburban homes.

Across the Harlem River from Manhattan sits the Bronx, nicknamed Asthma Alley because asthma affects 17% of children ages 13 and younger. The rate is highest in the South Bronx, where two thirds of residents are people of color.

While geographically distant, these areas have something in common: Both are classic examples of environmental racism.

Different types of environmental racism affect people in the U.S. and throughout the world. Environmental racism, a systemic form of racism, isn’t an accident; it’s a result of unfair policies and practices. Exposure to poor environmental conditions is a social determinant of health connected to other forms of racial injustice.

The first step to addressing environmental racism and breaking down the structures that enable it is to understand what environmental racism is, as well as its history, root causes, and impacts communities.

What’s Environmental Racism? Definition and History

The term “environmental racism” refers to situations in which communities of color face more environmental dangers than other communities. Environmental racism’s definition speaks to the environmental hazards — which aren’t coincidental — and the policies, regulations, and laws burdening the environment in marginalized communities.

Environmental racism has been an issue in marginalized U.S. communities for a long time. Modern patterns of environmental racism derive from the centuries-long legacy of American racial discrimination, which, among other inequities, denied enslaved and marginalized people access to land and natural resources that could provide safe living environments.

The timeline for environmental justice advocacy began around the time of the civil rights movement of the 1960s. For example, unfair treatment and environmental justice were key messages in the Memphis sanitation workers’ strike. However, environmental justice came to national consciousness in 1982, when a Black community in North Carolina was designated as a site for waste known to have carcinogenic compounds. The same year, civil rights leader Benjamin Chavis coined the term “environmental racism,” emphasizing the realities of environmental hazards and how they disproportionately affect communities of color.

Why Does Environmental Racism Exist?

Environmental racism occurs because of social, economic, and political factors. For example, unfair practices like redlining, where certain neighborhoods or areas are marked on a map, have harmed communities of color, forcing individuals and families to live in areas with few resources and more environmental dangers.

The Federal Housing Administration (FHA) sponsored redlining, one of the most important examples of environmental racism, from 1934 until the 1960s. Here’s how historical redlining worked and how it led to environmental degradation in some communities: Neighborhood maps were drawn based on a letter grade scale from A to D. Neighborhoods with an A grade were the most desirable. Areas with a D grade represented “hazardous” neighborhoods; on a map, they were highlighted in red — hence the term “redlining.” A neighborhood with a D grade communicated one of two things: that Black and immigrant communities lived there or that there were known environmental pollution sources in the designated area.

Land decisions based on this grading system also allowed industry to build facilities in or near these neighborhoods. While the 1968 Fair Housing Act outlawed redlining, the impact of the practice is still felt today.

Other reasons that environmental racism exists includes the following:

• Lack of representation. Historically, people of color weren’t included in leadership roles or decision-making processes when it came to the environment. As a result, they had very little influence over discriminatory environmental practices, perpetuating environmental inequities.
• Lack of accountability. Environmental regulations help limit the damage, but enforcement in these communities is often an afterthought, further exacerbating the disparities. Oftentimes, communities have had increased exposure to environmental hazards without knowing about it because no one was ever held to account.

Why Is Environmental Racism Important?

Understanding environmental racism is crucial for several reasons. Recognizing its root causes arms individuals and groups with essential knowledge to advocate for equitable environmental policies and dismantle systemic inequalities. It also increases awareness and education about the far-reaching implications and impact that environmental racism has had on marginalized communities. For example, public health research has shown that environmental racism impacts physical and mental health. It’s also important to understand the links between racial and environmental justice, including how environmental racism creates a lack of economic opportunities.

Environmental equity advocates and allies can leverage this understanding of the impacts of environmental racism to develop solutions to mitigate the challenges and address the causes and effects. This understanding can also help individuals and groups forge alliances and build solidarity across different communities and movements.

Causes of Environmental Racism

Several underlying causes of environmental racism exist, including the historical legacy of discriminatory policies and practices in the U.S. Economic factors also play a significant role. Often, companies put dangerous facilities in poor areas with less regulations to make more money. Putting the interests of corporations before those of communities causes environmental racism and economic exploitation.

Political factors further contribute to environmental racism. Marginalized communities are often ignored because they’re not represented or heard in the decision-making process. This causes less enforcement of environmental rules and sustains environmental unfairness.

Environmental Racism Examples

Many examples of environmental racism exist. One involves the thousands of locations spread out throughout the U.S. known as Superfund sites. Superfund is the informal name of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) established by Congress in 1980, which gives the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) the power to clean up toxic sites.

How were these Superfund sites created? Manufacturing and processing plants, landfills, and mining sites simply dumped or improperly managed waste over many years, creating a toxic environment. Many of these sites were built close to communities of color. In fact, for every Black or Hispanic person in the U.S., one is living within three miles of a Superfund remedial site, according to the EPA.

Hazardous materials in these sites include arsenic, asbestos, and benzene — cancer-causing substances. Other Superfund site contaminants present at these sites include mercury, dioxin, benzene, and various other hazardous chemicals, some of which have been linked to reproductive issues, birth defects, and other illnesses.

Environmental racism examples aren’t exclusive to the U.S. The United Nations says that environmental racism hurts marginalized communities all over the world. Take, for example, plastic pollution and how it impacts people who rely on the sea for food. They may have smaller catches because plastic waste kills many fish. This can result in increased hunger. When they do consume the food, people may get sick from the toxicity of plastics found in the fish. The health impact on women in these communities can include miscarriages and cancer, according to a UN report.

What’s the Impact of Environmental Racism?

Environmental racism’s impact on marginalized communities is profound and wide ranging. Air pollution, toxic waste, and contaminated water can lead to various health problems, including respiratory illnesses, cancer, and developmental disorders. How environmental racism disproportionately burdens communities of colors is shown by these two examples:

• A report from the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAF) shows that Black and Puerto Rican Americans have a higher rate of asthma than white Americans. The major drivers for the disparities are social determinants like neighborhood and physical environment, as well as structural inequities like racism and discriminatory policies. According to a study published in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, evidence points to associations between asthma and environmental and occupational hazards and poorer housing quality, which are products of structural racism that disproportionately affects communities of color.
• Communities of color face a disproportionate amount of pollution from various sources, including industrial activities, construction projects, and vehicular emissions. For example, PM2.5, a type of ambient fine particulate air pollution, has been identified as the leading environmental cause of death in these marginalized communities. Studies on PM2.5 have shown that people of color, including Black and Hispanic people, as well as Asian Americans, experience higher levels of exposure to this type of pollution.

These disparities show how exposure to polluted and toxic environments heightens the health risks faced by these communities. Social and economic consequences also exist. Individuals living in or near areas impacted by environmental racism have limited economic opportunities because businesses are wary of investing in environmentally hazardous communities. The lack of economic development marginalizes these communities and perpetuates the cycle of poverty.

Addressing environmental racism is tied to social justice. Living in environments with high levels of pollution and contamination causes stress and anxiety, impacting mental health. It also strains community relationships and erodes social cohesion, which can hinder collective action and community empowerment.

Equity and Justice: Combating Environmental Racism

Addressing the inequities and injustice created by environmental racism requires collaboration between all levels of society — from advocates on the ground raising awareness to legislators who can enact and enforce laws that protect marginalized communities. Below are some of the key approaches to combating environmental racism.

Raise Awareness of Environmental Racism

Raising awareness of environmental racism begins with education. For example, educators can share resources with their students about the racist effects of environmental policy and decisions.

In addition to raising awareness, organizations actively working to combat environmental racism advocate for policy changes and provide support to affected communities. Organizations working to put a spotlight on environmental inequities and promoting equitable policies include the following:

• Climate Justice Alliance: Advances strategies to fight polluting and extractive industries harming communities and ecosystems.
• Deep South Center for Environmental Justice: Works to develop leaders, scientists, and advocates to advance environmental and climate justice policies.
• Movement Generation: Drives justice and ecology programs to address ecological and sustainability challenges facing communities of color.

Support Legislation

Legislation plays a crucial role in addressing environmental racism and ensuring environmental justice for affected communities. Laws that protect marginalized communities from the disproportionate burden of environmental hazards, including the regulations about the location of industrial facilities and stricter emission standards, can help combat environmental racism. Legislation can also help individuals in these communities have a voice in decisions and policies.

Examples of enacted legislation at the federal and state levels include the following:

• The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 gave $100 million to the EPA to help communities that suffer from pollution and COVID-19, and $100 million to reduce environmental harms and improve air quality for minority and low-income groups.
• Washington Senate Bill 5141 (2021) makes some state agencies use data to understand and meet the needs of communities that may be affected by their actions.
• New Jersey Senate Bill 232 (2020) makes the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection check the impacts of certain facilities and reject them if they’ll harm the nearby community.

Champion Organizational Diversity

Organizations can fight environmental racism by having diverse and inclusive teams, listening to all voices, and educating employees about the issue. With the right corporate values, workforce, and decisions about civic engagement, businesses can advocate for change.

Informational resources for organizations include the following:

• RTI Press, “The Need for a Diverse Environmental Justice Workforce: Using Applied Research to Understand the Impacts of Harmful Environmental Exposures in Vulnerable and Underserved Communities”: Discusses how a diverse and inclusive modern workforce can help address the disproportionate impact of environmental racism.
• GreenBiz, “5 Ways Businesses Can Take Action to Reduce Environmental Racism”: Describes the important role business has on addressing systemic inequities in the U.S., including environmental racism.
• Intersectional Environmentalist, Services: Offers training, consulting, and resources to help leaders, organizations, and students become more aware and active about environmental justice.

Volunteer With Grassroots Organizations

Volunteers at grassroots organizations are crucial to efforts to make a positive impact in affected communities. Volunteer activities range from conducting research and supporting community outreach programs to canvassing and providing legal assistance. For individuals looking to help combat environmental racism, numerous volunteer opportunities are available at organizations dedicated to fight against environmental racism, including the following:

• Detroiters Working for Environmental Justice: Advocates for environmental and public health issues through community and policy action.
• Environmental Law & Policy Center: Focuses on protecting the environment in Midwestern communities using various legal, economic, and public policy tools.
• WE ACT for Environmental Justice: Mobilizes low-income communities of color through advocacy, planning, and research.
• Southern Environmental Law Center: Provides environmental legal advocacy focused on regions in the South.

Prepare to Bring About a Fairer Society

Environmental racism is an urgent problem that affects millions of people around the world. Addressing it encompasses standing for environmental justice, advocating for human rights, and promoting democracy. Those looking to confront environmental racism also need to know that it’s a public health issue. Preparing to make an impact in the area of health can involve any number of steps, from volunteering at public health facilities to completing a master’s degree in public health program, which can prepare advocates to implement policies and practices that help address health disparities.

Action at multiple levels — individual, community, organizational, and governmental — can help empower the communities that are most affected by environmental hazards and pollution. Additionally, strategies to bring about a fairer society include helping hold industries accountable and demanding transparency from leaders making environmental decisions. Any individual dedicated to achieving ecological justice can support these types of activities.