Spatial patterns of cumulative environmental pollution burden experienced by different demographic groups in Oregon, USA

Abstract:

Data describing the cumulative burden of pollution experienced by different demographic groups provides critical information for developing environmental management strategies to protect human health. For instance, the groundbreaking publication of Toxic Wastes and Race (United Church of Christ 1987) identified race as the strongest predictor for the location of hazardous waste facilities in the U.S. While global and regional studies have explored the relationship between pollution and socioeconomic factors, precise and effective decision-making relies on local information.

Here, we examine the relationship between pollution burdens from different media (air, land, and water) and socioeconomic factors in Oregon, USA. Few studies have examined the relationship of pollution to socioeconomic indicators for the State of Oregon. Those that do tend to focus exclusively on the Portland metropolitan area. In addition, to our knowledge, no Oregon-specific studies attempt to examine the cumulative pollution burden arising from environmental stressors across media from air, land and water pollution. Given that the lived experience of people and communities is place-based, integrative, and holistic, assessments of environmental pollution considering cumulative burdens can support more equitable and informed environmental decision-making.

As analysts at the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality, we are collaborating to understand pollution burdens for communities across our state, across geography, socioeconomic factors, and urban-rural patterns, among others. This study compares the demographics of communities and examines the spatial distribution of cleanup sites (land), Title V facility emissions (air), waterways impacted by pesticide use (water), and air toxics risk levels. Preliminary results using 2017 National Emissions Inventory from Title V facilities show statistically significant association of higher Title V emissions for census tracts with lower median household incomes and higher percent non-white communities across all census tracts in Oregon (see attached figure).