Warehouse & Commerce-Associated Air Pollution in Chicago and California; an Environmental Justice Issue Open Access

Abstract

Introduction: The World Health Organization cites air pollution as one of the world’s largest single environmental health risk factors (WHO, n.d.). Significant economic growth over the past few decades has led to increased demand for products in parallel with the expansion of warehousing, commerce, and distribution industries and associated PM2.5 and NO2 pollution. These industries are most often located in communities that have been historically marginalized like cities in Southern California and parts of Chicago. With this increase in distribution, we aim to understand if there is an association between PM2.5 and NO2 pollution and warehousing activity from 2010-2020 in Southern California and Chicago.

 

Methods: This study used remote-sensing methodology including, random forest calibration to improve PM2.5 and NO2 NASA satellite data based on ground observations. Analysis of warehousing activity and population demographics against air pollution data was conducted using Linear Regression Modelling at an annual level from 2010-2020.

 

Results: In Southern California, PM2.5 and NO2 air pollution is significantly associated with increased warehousing activity and with communities with increased poverty, reduced education levels, increased traffic exposure and increased pollution burden. In Chicago, NO2 air pollution is significantly associated with warehousing activity and with communities with increased poverty, increased minority composition and traffic. PM2.5 levels in Chicago were only significantly associated with communities with high percentages of minority peoples.

 

Conclusion: Our findings suggest that increased warehousing activity measured by square footage and associated distribution mechanisms may contribute to increased levels of NO2 and PM2.5 in Southern California and NO2 levels in metropolitan Chicago. These warehouses are primarily in neighborhoods and communities that have been historically marginalized, making this an environmental justice issue.

Table of Contents

Introduction............................................................................................................................................................................... 2

Background................................................................................................................................................................................ 3

Methods...................................................................................................................................................................................... 7

Data Retrieval........................................................................................................................................................................ 7

Site Selection....................................................................................................................................................................... 11

Data Analysis...................................................................................................................................................................... 12

Results & Discussion............................................................................................................................................................... 14

Conclusion................................................................................................................................................................................ 25

References................................................................................................................................................................................ 25

Figures...................................................................................................................................................................................... 27

About this Master's Thesis

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School	Rollins School of Public Health
Department	Environmental Health
Degree	M.P.H.
Submission	Master's Thesis
Language	English
Research Field	Environmental Health Health Sciences, Public Health
Keyword	Environmental Justice Air Pollution
Committee Chair / Thesis Advisor	Yang Liu, Emory University

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