Are you living in environmental injustice?

 By: Francheska Rodriguez 

   Image depicting metal recycling facility practices in a location near Houston, Texas. (Source: Prestige Auto and Metal Recycling https://prestigeautoandmetalrecycling.com/ ) 

    Regardless of the socioeconomic status of an individual, one naturally assumes and has the right to believe that the neighborhood in which they live and breathe in is a safe and healthy one. However, a recent study has shed light on how communities who live in disadvantaged and under-resourced areas experience severe exposure to environmental pollutants. Therefore, researchers conducted a study that addressed the concerns of metal air pollution in communities that live near metal recycling facilities in Houston, Texas. An article written by Symanski and colleagues approached this through community-based research, and brought forth potential sustainable solutions that could combat this issue and bring environmental justice to the residents of these communities. The study was conducted by thoroughly interviewing low income communities that live near  metal recycling facilities. The interviews were thorough as they addressed the residents' experiences with health issues, interactions with government officials regarding the environmental concerns, and possible sustainable solutions towards these issues. Now, the biggest area of concern regarding the results of this study showcased itself to be that many of these residents have had their environmental concerns disregarded or that many of these residents were completely unaware of the hazardous effects the metal recycling facilities have on them. Therefore, bringing sustainable solutions towards reducing metal air pollution, raising  environmental awareness regarding these facilities, and filling communication barriers between government officials and residents is of great importance. One possible trade off is that if these metal recycling facilities are relocated, it may bring about the same effects in a different area or neighborhood; therefore, there must be multiple approaches to this. Now that this problem has been made aware to the public, how sure are you that the air that you are breathing is safe? 

  

Symanski E, Han HA, McCurdy S, Hopkins L, Flores J, Han I, Smith MA, Caldwell J, Fontenot C, Wyatt B, Markham C. 2023. Data to action: community-based participatory research to address concerns about metal air pollution in overburdened neighborhoods near metal recycling facilities in houston. EHP. 131(6). doi: https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP1140