Editing Environmental racism (section)

== Impacts on health ==
Environmental racism impacts the health of the communities affected by poor environments. Various factors that can cause health problems include exposure to hazardous chemical toxins in landfills and rivers. Exposure to these toxins can also weaken or slow [[brain development]].<ref name=":03"/>

The animal protection organization [[In Defense of Animals]] claims intensive animal agriculture negatively affects the health of nearby communities. They believe that associated manure lagoons produce [[hydrogen sulfide]] and contaminate local water supplies, leading to higher levels of miscarriages, birth defects, and disease outbreaks. These farms are disproportionately placed in low-income areas and communities of color. Other risks include exposure to pesticides, chemical run-off and particulate matter in the air.<ref>{{cite web|first=Sarah|last=Lucas|title=Animal Agriculture and Environmental Racism|url=https://www.idausa.org/animal-agriculture-environmental-racism/|date=2 December 2015|access-date=26 February 2020|website=IDA USA|language=en}}</ref><ref name=":3" /> Poor cleanliness in facilities and chemical exposure may also affect agricultural workers, who are frequently people of color.<ref name=":3">{{cite web| first=David H. Jr. |last=Harris|title=The Industrialization of Agriculture and Environmental Racism: A Deadly Combination Affecting Neighborhoods and the Dinner Table|url=https://www.iatp.org/sites/default/files/Industrialization_of_Agriculture_and_Environme.htm|date=30 July 1997|access-date=11 April 2020|website=www.iatp.org}}</ref>

=== Pollution ===
[[File:Air pollution near homes.jpg|thumb|274x274px|A large quantity of gases released from a factory near apartments]]
[[File:Borewll drilling dust pollution.webm|thumb|Dust pollution from drilling contributes to high amounts of toxic air inhaled.]]
The southeastern part of the United States has experienced a large amount of pollution and minority populations have been hit with the brunt of those impacts. There are many cases of people who have died or are chronically ill from coal plants in places such as [[Detroit]], [[Memphis, Tennessee|Memphis]], and [[Kansas City metropolitan area|Kansas City]]. [[Tennessee]] and [[West Virginia]] residents are frequently subject to breathing toxic ash due to [[Rock blasting|blasting]] in the mountains for mining. Drought, flooding, the constant depletion of land and air quality determine the health and safety of the residents surrounding these areas. Communities of color and low-income status most often feel the brunt of these issues firsthand. There are many communities around the world that face the same problems. For example, the work of [[Desmond D'Sa]] focused on communities in South [[Durban]] where high pollution industries impact people forcibly relocated during [[Apartheid]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Fight against blight |url=https://ensia.com/features/fight-against-blight/ |access-date=2023-10-19 |website=Ensia |language=en}}</ref>

=== Environmental racism limits improvement ===
Environmental racism intensifies existing health disparities among marginalized communities, with BIPOC individuals disproportionately bearing the burden of environmental exposures and their health consequences. Black children, for example, are still more exposed to lead than children of other racial groups contributing to higher body burdens of toxins such as lead, polychlorinated biphenyls, and phthalates.<ref name=":4" />

Institutionalized racism in epidemiology and environmental health perpetuates the neglect of BIPOC experiences and contributes to the contribution of structural barriers in research funding and publication. For instance, studies on sperm health predominantly focus on White men, neglecting the reproductive health experiences of men of color despite their higher exposure to environmental toxins. This lack of inclusion in research both perpetuates health disparities and a lack of trust among BIPOC communities due to historical exploration in medical research.<ref name=":4" /> Structural racism within research contributes to the marginalization of BIPOC communities and limits the development of effective interventions that can address environmental health disparities.