Residential proximity to industrial sources of air pollution: interrelationships among race, poverty, and age.

This study builds on earlier work investigating statistical relationships between sociodemographic characteristics of populations and their residential proximity to industrial sources of air pollution. The analysis uses demographic data from the 1990 U.S. Census and industrial site data from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)'s 1990 Toxics Release Inventory (TRI). The focus is on examining interactions among race (African Americans and Whites), poverty (above and below household poverty threshold), and age (children from birth to 5 years of age and elderly people 65 years old or older). Results from three different study areas (Kanawha Valley in West Virginia, the Baton Rouge-New Orleans Corridor in Louisiana, and the greater Baltimore metropolitan area in Maryland) suggest there are important interactions among race, poverty, and age that are likely to have consequential ramifications for efforts aimed at investigating issues related to environmental justice. Our results indicate that a substantial proportion of all demographic groups studied live within a mile of the nearest facility, with values ranging from 22% of Whites above poverty in the Baton Rouge-New Orleans Corridor to 60% of African Americans below poverty in Baltimore. Likewise, a substantial proportion of all demographic groups also live within 2 miles of four or more industrial facilities, with values ranging from 16% for Whites above poverty in the Corridor to 70% for African Americans below poverty in Baltimore. In all three study areas, African Americans were more likely than Whites to (1) live in households with incomes below the household poverty line, (2) have children 5 years of age or younger, (3) live closer to the nearest industrial emissions source, and (4) live within 2 miles of multiple industrial emission sources. Findings indicate that, compared with White children, a substantially higher proportion of African-American children 5 years of age or younger lived in poor households that were located in relatively close proximity to one or more industrial sources of air pollution.

An examination of race and poverty for populations living near industrial sources of air pollution.

This study examines the sociodemographic characteristics of people living near industrial sources of air pollution in three areas of the United States: (1) the Kanawha Valley in West Virginia: (2) the Baton Rouge-New Orleans corridor in Louisiana: and (3) the greater Baltimore metropolitan area in Maryland. Using data from the 1990 Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) and the 1990 Census, we analyze relationships between variables assumed to be independent, such as location of single or multiple industrial emission sources, and the dependent variables of race (black/white) and poverty status (above/below poverty level). Results from all three study areas are consistent and indicate that African Americans and those living in households defined to be below the established poverty level are more likely, on average, to live closer to the nearest TRI facility and to live within 2 miles of multiple TRI facilities. Conversely, whites and those living in households above the poverty level are more likely, on average, to live farther from the nearest TRI facility and to live within 2 miles of fewer facilities, compared to African Americans and poor people.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in lifelong nonsmokers: results from NHANES.

The prevalence of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease was evaluated in 12,980 lifelong nonsmoking adults who participated in one of three National US Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys. Also evaluated were the relationships between chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and age, sex, ethnicity, education, income, and certain environmental and occupational factors. Overall, 4% of men and 5% of women reported physician-diagnosed chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Prevalence increased with age and with decreasing household income, was higher in Whites than in non-Whites, and was particularly high in Hispanic women. Further research is needed to explain the excess risk for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in economically disadvantaged nonsmokers, and to assess the role of environmental tobacco smoke in nonsmokers' risk for the disease.

The federal environmental health workforce in the United States.

This paper summarizes existing data on the size and composition of the federal environmental health workforce, delineates the major categories of activities carried out by its members, identifies current and emerging issues that are likely to affect workforce activities, and makes qualitative inferences about future trends and directions. Findings suggest that there is a current and future need for more and better qualified professionals in the federal environmental health workforce.

Chronic cadmium intake results in dose-related excretion of metallothionein in urine.

Urinary excretion of metallothionein was measured by radioimmunoassay in rats given drinking water containing 5 or 50 mg cadmium/l for up to 2 years. The metallothionein levels corresponded to the concentration of cadmium in the drinking water and increased linearly over the course of the study. These results demonstrate that urinary metallothionein is a sensitive biological indicator of oral cadmium exposure.