Exposure to Extremely Hazardous Substances
This paper investigates the likelihood of exposure to extremely hazardous substances, focusing on how racial and economic factors influence that exposure. Conducted in Hillsborough County, Florida, the study analyzes the proximity of minority and low-income populations to facilities using these hazardous chemicals. Results indicate that non-white individuals and those below the poverty line face a significantly higher risk of exposure compared to their white and higher-income counterparts. The findings highlight critical disparities in environmental health risks affecting vulnerable communities.
Exposure to Extremely Hazardous Substances
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Presentation Transcript
Exposure to Extremely Hazardous Substances The likelihood of exposure to hazardous substances based on economic status and race Paper by J. Chakraborty. 2001. Risk Analysis, 21(5): 883-895 Presented by Jeffrey Tate, Enivronmental Studies, Geog 370, 3/1/2010
Differences in Exposure • Problem: Whether or not minorities and people of lower economic status are more likely to be exposed to extremely hazardous substances • Hypothesis: Minorities and people below the poverty line have significantly more exposure to extremely hazardous chemicals than whites and those above the poverty level
Methods • Site: Hillsborough County, Florida • Determined within the county: Number of facilities that use extremely hazardous substances, where they are, what substances they house (from RMPs) • Estimates for 1997 based on Census data were used to determine the racial composition and poverty status of the population in the county • The locations of the facilities were geocoded onto the street network and used with the Census data to see what groups of people were close to the facilities
Results • Non-white people had a higher risk of potential exposure to accidental releases of extremely hazardous chemicals than white people • People below the poverty line had a higher risk of potential exposure than those above the line
Conclusions • There is a clear difference between the potential exposure of hazardous substances between minorities and whites, and those above the poverty line and below • There are clear racial and economic inequalities in the distribution of accidental exposure to hazardous substances • Criticisms • Does not determine whether communities or facilities come first • Does not examine actual health effects due to exposure of hazardous substances