Citizen Works - NBEJN details the disturbing scope of environmental racism

NBEJN details the disturbing scope of environmental racism

Racism is indeed a well-discussed issue these days.

But most discussion fails to address environmental racism.

A new report by the National Black Environmental Justice Network (NBEJN), “Combating Environmental Racism with Sustainable Development in the U.S. and Around the World – The Time is Now!,” offers a startling picture of the disproportionate burden of the world’s environmental problems people of color bear.

Some key facts about the U.S.:

71% of African Americans and 50% of Hispanics live in areas with the most polluted air. Just 34% of whites do.

28.4% of low-income African American children are lead poisoned in the U.S., as compared to 9.8% of low-income whites.

870,000 of the 1.9 million (46 percent) of U.S. federally subsidized housing units for the poor —mostly people of color — are located within one mile of factories that report toxic emissions.

More than 600,000 students (predominantly students of color) attend 1,200 public schools located within a half-mile of federal Superfund or state-identified contaminated sites.

African Americans and Latinos are almost three times more likely than whites to die from asthma. Asthma hits poor, inner-city dwellers the hardest.

60% of African Americans live in communities with controlled toxic waste sites.

The report was prepared for the World Summit on Sustainable Development.

For more, visit www.ejrc.cau.edu (click on NBEJN) or call 202-265-5422.