Few and far between? An environmental equity analysis of the geographic distribution of hazardous waste generation
Few and far between? An environmental equity analysis of the geographic distribution of hazardous waste generation
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DOI：
10.1111/1540-6237.00089
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发表时间：
2002-03-01
影响因子：
1.9
通讯作者：
Atlas, M
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Atlas, M
Objective.本文探讨了危险废物的产生是否集中在少数民族或低收入群体不成比例的社区。尽管许多环境公平研究都集中在管理危险废物的商业设施上，但产生和管理自己废物的设施-占危险废物量的98%以上-却被忽视了。方法.确定了危险废物产生者周围地理同心环中的人口特征，这些产生者占该国1997年危险废物量的大部分。结果我的分析表明，这些设施附近没有不成比例的少数民族社区的趋势。事实上，相对而言，很少有人靠近产生最危险废物的地方。尽管其中一些设施周围有大量少数民族，但大多数设施都位于白色人口高于平均水平的地区。然而，低收入社区往往靠近这些设施。结论.就设施中存在的危险废物所带来的潜在风险而言，这种风险大多发生在人口相对稀少的地区。危险废物的存在并不集中在少数民族或低收入者不成比例的地区。
Objective. This article examines whether the generation of hazardous waste is concentrated in communities that are disproportionately minority or low income. Whereas much environmental equity research has focused on commercial facilities managing hazardous waste, facilities that generate and manage their own wastes-which account for over 98 percent of hazardous waste volume-have been ignored. Methods. The demographic characteristics were determined of people in geographic concentric rings around hazardous waste generators accounting for most of the country's 1997 hazardous waste volume. Results. My analyses indicate no tendency for disproportionately minority communities to be near these facilities. In fact, relatively few people are near where most hazardous waste is generated. Although a few of these facilities have large numbers of minority people around them, most are in areas with higher than average white populations. There was, however, a tendency for low-income communities to be near these facilities. Conclusions. To the extent that there are potential risks from the presence of hazardous waste at facilities, most of this risk is in relatively unpopulated areas. The presence of hazardous waste is not concentrated in areas that are disproportionately minority or low income.