Socio-economic correlates of municipal-level pollution emissions on Montreal Island.
BACKGROUND
Differential exposure to environmental hazards is one component of the social gradient in health. Few studies have investigated the association between socioeconomic characteristics and environmental hazards in a Canadian context. We assessed the relationships between pollution emissions and socio-economic characteristics for 27 municipalities on Montreal Island.


METHODS
Pollution emissions were determined using Environment Canada's National Pollutant Release Inventory (NPRI) for the periods 1995-1996 and 2000-2001. Variables included the number of reporting industries, the average annual releases, and the average annual releases density. These data were cross-referenced with socio-economic data from the 1996 and 2001 Canadian Censuses, respectively.


RESULTS
For both periods, pollution measures were inversely related to the average monthly amount of owners' major payments, the average income of households, the proportion of workers in the tertiary sector, and the proportion of individuals with a university education. Pollution measures were positively associated with the unemployment rate, the proportion of workers in the secondary sector, and the proportion of individuals with less than high school education.


CONCLUSIONS
Socio-economic characteristics are associated with municipal-level pollution emissions on Montreal Island. Whether higher emissions are indicative of higher pollution exposure requires further investigation.
Premji
Stéphanie
S
Centre de recherche interdisciplinaire sur la biologie, la santé, la société et l'environnement, Institut des sciences de l'environnement, Université du Québec a Montréal, Montréal, Québec. stephanie.premji@internet.uqam.ca
Bertrand
Frédéric
F
Smargiassi
Audrey
A
Daniel
Mark
M
D000397:Air Pollution / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000032:analysis; D003710:Demography; D004641:Emigration and Immigration; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000032:analysis*; D004787:Environmental Pollution / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D007221:Industry / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011792:Quebec; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014504:Urban Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*