The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has come under scrutiny for its placement of air quality monitors, which are disproportionately located in predominantly white neighborhoods across the United States. This disparity leaves communities of color less shielded from harmful pollutants such as particulate matter, ozone, nitrous dioxide, and lead, according to new research.
Data collected from these monitors form the foundation for EPA policies and actions aimed at reducing pollution. However, communities of color are often situated closer to major polluters, raising concerns about whether the agency has sufficient monitors, whether they are appropriately placed, and whether air safety conclusions in these areas are accurate.
“It seems like an obvious problem, but we don’t see much about … how there’s a measurement error in the gold standard for data collection,” said Brenna Kelly, a doctoral student at the University of Utah and co-author of the study. “It’s how we establish thresholds for safety, and who’s going to be susceptible to exposure to air pollution.”
