IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/spr/jenvss/v13y2023i2d10.1007_s13412-023-00816-x.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Racial and ethnic disparities in exposure to risk-screening environmental indicator (RSEI) toxicity-weighted concentrations: Michigan Census Tracts, 2008–2017

Author

Listed:
  • Amanda Pavan

    (Michigan State University)

  • Sue C. Grady

    (Michigan State University)

  • Igor Vojnovic

    (Michigan State University)

Abstract

Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) facilities release, manage, and transport toxic chemicals. Studies of human exposure to TRI sites have used area and distance spatial measures that may lead to misclassification bias. This study used the risk-screening environmental indicator (RSEI) model of toxicity-weighted concentrations to estimate relative human health risks at the census tract level in Michigan between 2008 and 2017 by (1) reporting TRI chemicals and facilities that contributed the most to elevated relative human health risks; (2) mapping the annual relative human health risks at the census tract level over the study period; and (3) documenting the racial and ethnic composition and poverty levels of residents living in tracts with exceedingly high relative human health risks. Findings indicate that 186 chemicals were attributed to n = 1048 TRI facilities in Michigan during the study period. The urban areas of Detroit and Grand Rapids contained 81.1% of tracts with the highest relative human health risks. African Americans, Hispanics, and residents living near and below poverty were most likely to live in these highest tracts. A growing disparity was observed in the Detroit urban area, whereas a declining disparity trend was observed in the Grand Rapids urban area over time. These findings demonstrate environmental injustices in the two largest urban areas in Michigan.

Suggested Citation

  • Amanda Pavan & Sue C. Grady & Igor Vojnovic, 2023. "Racial and ethnic disparities in exposure to risk-screening environmental indicator (RSEI) toxicity-weighted concentrations: Michigan Census Tracts, 2008–2017," Journal of Environmental Studies and Sciences, Springer;Association of Environmental Studies and Sciences, vol. 13(2), pages 221-239, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:jenvss:v:13:y:2023:i:2:d:10.1007_s13412-023-00816-x
    DOI: 10.1007/s13412-023-00816-x
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s13412-023-00816-x
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1007/s13412-023-00816-x?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Heather Moody & Sue C. Grady, 2017. "Lead Emissions and Population Vulnerability in the Detroit (Michigan, USA) Metropolitan Area, 2006–2013: A Spatial and Temporal Analysis," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 14(12), pages 1-22, November.
    2. Troy D. Abel & Jonah White & Stacy Clauson, 2015. "Risky Business: Sustainability and Industrial Land Use across Seattle’s Gentrifying Riskscape," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 7(11), pages 1-36, November.
    3. Wilson, S.M. & Fraser-Rahim, H. & Williams, E. & Zhang, H. & Rice, L. & Svendsen, E. & Abara, W., 2012. "Assessment of the distribution of toxic release inventory facilities in metropolitan Charleston: An environmental justice case study," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 102(10), pages 1974-1980.
    4. Marc D. Shapiro, 2005. "Equity and information: Information regulation, environmental justice, and risks from toxic chemicals," Journal of Policy Analysis and Management, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 24(2), pages 373-398.
    5. Evan J. Ringquist, 2005. "Assessing evidence of environmental inequities: A meta-analysis," Journal of Policy Analysis and Management, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 24(2), pages 223-247.
    6. Manuel Pastor & James L. Sadd & Rachel Morello‐Frosch, 2004. "Waiting to Inhale: The Demographics of Toxic Air Release Facilities in 21st‐Century California," Social Science Quarterly, Southwestern Social Science Association, vol. 85(2), pages 420-440, June.
    7. Janet Currie & Lucas Davis & Michael Greenstone & Reed Walker, 2015. "Environmental Health Risks and Housing Values: Evidence from 1,600 Toxic Plant Openings and Closings," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 105(2), pages 678-709, February.
    8. Chakraborty, J. & Maantay, J.A. & Brender, J.D., 2011. "Disproportionate proximity to environmental health hazards: Methods, models, and measurement," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 101(SUPPL. 1), pages 27-36.
    9. Michael Ash & James Boyce & Grace Chang & Justin Scoggins & Manuel Pastor, 2009. "Justice in the Air: Tracking Toxic Pollution from America's Industries and Companies to Our States, Cities, and Neighborhoods," Published Studies justice_in_the_air, Political Economy Research Institute, University of Massachusetts at Amherst.
    10. Cushing, L. & Faust, J. & August, L.M. & Cendak, R. & Wieland, W. & Alexeeff, G., 2015. "Racial/ethnic disparities in cumulative environmental health impacts in California: Evidence from a statewide environmental justice screening tool (CalEnviroScreen 1.1)," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 105(11), pages 2341-2348.
    11. Amanda T. Charette & Dustin T. Hill & Mary B. Collins & Jaime E. Mirowsky, 2022. "Assessing the quantity and toxicity of chemical releases from TRI facilities in Upstate New York," Journal of Environmental Studies and Sciences, Springer;Association of Environmental Studies and Sciences, vol. 12(3), pages 417-429, September.
    12. Scott Marchi & James Hamilton, 2006. "Assessing the Accuracy of Self-Reported Data: an Evaluation of the Toxics Release Inventory," Journal of Risk and Uncertainty, Springer, vol. 32(1), pages 57-76, January.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Arturs Kalnins & Glen Dowell, 2017. "Community Characteristics and Changes in Toxic Chemical Releases: Does Information Disclosure Affect Environmental Injustice?," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 145(2), pages 277-292, October.
    2. Chakraborti, Lopamudra & Shimshack, Jay P., 2022. "Environmental disparities in urban Mexico: Evidence from toxic water pollution," Resource and Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 67(C).
    3. Yushim Kim & Yongwan Chun, 2019. "Revisiting environmental inequity in Southern California: Does environmental risk increase in ethnically homogeneous or mixed communities?," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 56(9), pages 1748-1767, July.
    4. Zhaohua Zhang & Derrick Robinson & Diane Hite, 2018. "Racial Residential Segregation: Measuring Location Choice Attributes of Environmental Quality and Self-Segregation," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(4), pages 1-20, April.
    5. Baryshnikova, Nadezhda V., 2010. "Pollution abatement and environmental equity: A dynamic study," Journal of Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 68(2), pages 183-190, September.
    6. Vajjhala, Shalini & Van Epps, Amanda & Szambelan, Sarah, 2008. "Integrating EJ into Federal Policies and Programs: Examining the Role of Regulatory Impact Analyses and Environmental Impact Statements," RFF Working Paper Series dp-08-45, Resources for the Future.
    7. Banzhaf, H. Spencer, 2011. "The Political Economy of Environmental Justice," MPRA Paper 101191, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    8. Shinsuke Tanaka & Kensuke Teshima & Eric Verhoogen, 2022. "North-South Displacement Effects of Environmental Regulation: The Case of Battery Recycling," American Economic Review: Insights, American Economic Association, vol. 4(3), pages 271-288, September.
    9. Hannah Aoyagi & Oladele A. Ogunseitan, 2015. "Toxic Releases and Risk Disparity: A Spatiotemporal Model of Industrial Ecology and Social Empowerment," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 12(6), pages 1-19, June.
    10. De Silva, Dakshina G. & McComb, Robert P. & Schiller, Anita R. & Slechten, Aurelie, 2021. "Firm behavior and pollution in small geographies," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 136(C).
    11. Finger, Stephen R. & Gamper-Rabindran, Shanti, 2013. "Mandatory disclosure of plant emissions into the environment and worker chemical exposure inside plants," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 87(C), pages 124-136.
    12. Lori S. Bennear, 2008. "What do we really know? The effect of reporting thresholds on inferences using environmental right‐to‐know data," Regulation & Governance, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 2(3), pages 293-315, September.
    13. Sarah Alves & Joan Tilghman & Arlene Rosenbaum & Devon C. Payne-Sturges, 2012. "U.S. EPA Authority to Use Cumulative Risk Assessments in Environmental Decision-Making," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 9(6), pages 1-23, May.
    14. Jeong-Il Park & Hye-Seon Kwon, 2019. "Examining the Association between Socioeconomic Status and Exposure to Carcinogenic Emissions in Gyeonggi of South Korea: A Multi-Level Analysis," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(6), pages 1-12, March.
    15. Jacqz, Irene, 2022. "Toxic test scores: The impact of chemical releases on standardized test performance within U.S. schools," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 115(C).
    16. Daleniece Higgins Jones & Xinhua Yu & Qian Guo & Xiaoli Duan & Chunrong Jia, 2022. "Racial Disparities in the Heavy Metal Contamination of Urban Soil in the Southeastern United States," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(3), pages 1-12, January.
    17. Hyunhoe Bae, 2012. "Reducing Environmental Risks by Information Disclosure: Evidence in Residential Lead Paint Disclosure Rule," Journal of Policy Analysis and Management, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 31(2), pages 404-431, March.
    18. Sumaia A. Al‐Kohlani & Heather E. Campbell, 2022. "Extending environmental justice research to religious minorities," Review of Policy Research, Policy Studies Organization, vol. 39(1), pages 90-112, January.
    19. Eloi Laurent, 2010. "Environmental justice and environmental inequalities: A European perspective," Working Papers hal-01069412, HAL.
    20. Hausman, Catherine & Stolper, Samuel, 2021. "Inequality, information failures, and air pollution," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 110(C).

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:spr:jenvss:v:13:y:2023:i:2:d:10.1007_s13412-023-00816-x. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.springer.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.