What Is Environmental Racism?

Environmental Racism

Environmental racism refers to policies and practices that leave communities of color disproportionately exposed to pollution. This can include placing landfills, sewage plants, and industrial facilities near those communities. The video argues that income alone does not explain the disparity: Black Americans may face greater pollution exposure than white Americans with lower incomes.

Examples

• Flint, Michigan: Residents were exposed to lead-contaminated water after officials switched the city’s water source in an effort to cut costs. The video says residents’ complaints went unheeded, citing communities of color’s limited political influence.
• Southwest Detroit: The video points to the concentration of industrial activity in the area and links its pollution burden to high rates of childhood asthma in Wayne County.
• Louisiana’s Cancer Alley: This industrial corridor contains more than 200 petrochemical plants and has high cancer rates, particularly among Black residents.

Regulatory Oversight

The video questions whether regulators adequately address environmental disparities. It says that, in its 22-year history, the Environmental Protection Agency’s civil-rights office had never formally found a case of discrimination, and that more than 90% of complaints were rejected or dismissed.

It also references a Guardian report alleging that authorities in cities including Detroit and Philadelphia distorted water tests to understate lead levels.

Conclusion

The video concludes that environmental racism is widespread, even when it is less visible than other forms of racial injustice.

Presenters and Contributors

The narrator and the environmental justice expert are not identified in the subtitles.