Environmental Injustice and Racism

Recommended APA 7th Edition Citation:

Grinev, L. (2023, April 6). Environmental injustice and racism. In Articles. WellnessToday180. https://wellnesstoday180.net/blog#articles

According to Campbell et al. (2016), the case study surrounding the lead poisoning events in Flint, Michigan, is significant of environmental injustice and racism. First, environmental injustice occurred when municipal leaders failed to ensure that public-provided drinking water was lead-free. As a result, Flint residents experienced increased blood lead levels (BLLs), which inevitably lead to adverse effects on attention, behavior, development, and intelligence, mainly seen with children, and other neurological dysfunctions, such as decreased productivity levels with adults. Negative health effects, including hypertension and kidney damage, were also notable aftereffects. Evidence provided by Campbell et al. (2016) suggests that the change of water disinfectant from chlorine to chloramine at the municipal level is the root of increased BLLs in Flint.

Then, Flint is an example of environmental racism, as this case specifically impacted a community of low-income minorities. Hints that this case is significant of environmental racism is that Flint residents can be described as living in an area of concentrated poverty with older housing stock. Additional environmental racism risk factors listed by Campbell et al. (2016) were that Flint residents were mostly renter-occupiers and more than likely had poorer nutritional access.

Altogether, environmental injustice and racism can be inferred by Campbell et al. (2016) as immediate causalities or sickness derived from immediate or local inefficiencies within functions and systems designed to protect the health of others. Otherwise, Campbell et al. (2016, p. 4) outlined environmental justice as “guaranteeing the right to environmental protection, preventing harm before it occurs, shifting the burden of proof to the polluters, obviating proof of intent to discriminate, and redressing existing inequities.” Moreover, Campbell et al. (2016) elaborated that environmental justice or injustice goes beyond intent, meaning that fair treatment, equal protection, and meaningful participation within the process and results should be considered to determine if acts or intentions are meant to honor human dignity.

Flint’s water poisoning case was deemed a national crisis by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Nationwide, the federal cost to treat the aftermath of lead poisoning is $50.9 billion yearly. This ongoing cost is evident in the United States' inability to be prepared to prevent or have proper response and action towards environmental injustice and racism. Moreover, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHD) and the municipal water system failed to protect public health, showing the lack of environmental protections for American citizens even at the state and local levels.

Campbell et al. (2016) urged citizens to continue expressing concerns and questioning authorities. Local and higher accountability, such as a system of checks and balances proposed by Campbell et al. (2016), must be more transparent and include public opinion and participation. Furthering health surveillance to monitor environmental toxicants and expanding governing safeguards surrounding public health are needed. Nevertheless, primary prevention strategies are needed, as they tend to be more effective and informative, per Campbell et al. (2016). Such primary strategies include increasing public awareness and health access that can be used to inform and regulate potential or ongoing crises.

Reference

Campbell, C., Greenberg, R., Mankikar, D., & Ross, R. D. (2016). A case study of environmental injustice: The failure in Flint. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 13(10). https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph13100951