Superfund Sites in Houston: In Whose Backyards

Conference Paper

الزامل, وليد سعد . 2013

• نوع عمل المنشور: ندوة الاسبوع البحثي في جامعة جنوب تكساس
• الوسوم: بحث، بيئة، منشور بحثي
• اسم المؤتمر: الاسبوع البحثي
• عنوان المؤتمر: RESEARCH WEEK
• تاريخ المؤتمر: الخميس, نيسان (أبريل) 4, 2013
• المنظمة الراعية: TEXAS SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY

مستخلص المنشور

Subsequent to 1980 Comprehensive, Environmental, Response Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA) the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) identified abandoned hazardous waste facility sites that pose substantial risk to human health and/or environment.  Such sites known as Superfund sites require immediate clean-up.  Using census tract information, and within the context of environmental justice, the purpose of this class research project is to find out the demographics of the communities that live close to these sites.  The results indicate that the percentages of the population of minorities in 15 of the 23 sites exceed 70.  Actually, for nine of the 23 sites the percentages of the population of minorities exceed 90.  Also, the percentages of the population of minorities in five of the sites range between 40 and 70.  On the other hand, the percentages of the population of minorities are less than 40 in only three of the sites.   These results suggest an indication of environmental injustice, the correlation between the presence the presence of hazardous waste treatment, storage and disposal facilities, and race and economic status, or a negative connotation.