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The third and most contentious explanation charges unequal distribution of pollutants and hazardous toxins to environmental racism.
In this explanation race is a major factor. Research findings suggest, "...racism may be playing a role in the decision-making process" (p. 88). Industrial decision-makers frequently choose minority areas for disposal and industrial facilities. Concentrations of pollution are simply reflections of inherent injustice in the system. In other words, poor environmental quality in minority areas is a symptom of institutional discrimination. Thus a variety of groups, organizations, and such are implicated -- probably, they don't intend any harm, but their policies result in negative outcomes for poor areas and the people living in them. In Kitchener, Ontario, for instance, a housing development was built where formerly a waste landfill was located. Officials who approved the development knew it had been a waste landfill, but the project was going to be profitable. Buyers did not know when they bought the property what was going to be underneath them. In another place, Ralgreen, Ontario, a housing development was built on top of a former waste landfill; methane gas accumulated and caused explosions, and eventually everybody had to move out. The city knew about the presence of methane but kept it secret to "prevent panic." By "coincidence" the people living there were low-income people.
Regardless of whether one accepts any of these explanations for how the unequal distribution of toxins happens, it can't be denied that socio-economic class is always a factor where toxic risks are present. Race issues are always part of it, although measures to assess prejudice are never part of the research data, so it can't be proven with empirical research that environmental racism exists -- at least, so far. Nevertheless, minorities are suffering more from the effects of poor environmental quality. On the bright side, an article titled "Talking Race" (2003) , avoiding pollution and other risks, when they make their decisions. Moreover, environmental problems can't really be separated from problems of poverty, racism, sexism and unemployment. At the risk of sounding anti-capitalist, economic growth should not be allowed to take precedence over environmental health. Decisions should be made on the basis of meeting human and ecological needs and enhancing the quality of life. Democracy demands that minorities and poor people be allowed to speak and have equal voices. Finally, environmental threats should be eliminated before they happen instead of trying clean up a big mess afterwards.
References
Friedman, D. (1998). The "environmental racism" hoax. The American Enterprise, 9 (6), 75-78.
Talking race (2003). Alternatives Journal, 29 (1), 3-4.
Warriner, G.K., McSpurren, K. And Nabalamba, a. (2001). Social justice and environmental equity: Distributing environmental quality. Environments, 29 (1), 85-99.
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