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

Amanda Pavan (), Sue C. Grady and Igor Vojnovic
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Amanda Pavan: Michigan State University
Sue C. Grady: Michigan State University
Igor Vojnovic: Michigan State University

Journal of Environmental Studies and Sciences, 2023, vol. 13, issue 2, No 1, 239 pages

Abstract: 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.

Keywords: Risk Screening Environmental Indicator (RSEI) model; Toxics Release Inventory (TRI); Toxic chemical exposure risks; Environmental justice; Racial and ethnic disparities; Michigan (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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DOI: 10.1007/s13412-023-00816-x

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