Assessment of the distribution of toxic release inventory facilities in metropolitan Charleston: an environmental justice case study.
OBJECTIVE
We assessed spatial disparities in the distribution of Toxic Release Inventory (TRI) facilities in Charleston, SC.


METHODS
We used spatial methods and regression to assess burden disparities in the study area at the block and census-tract levels by race/ethnicity and socioeconomic status (SES).


RESULTS
Results revealed an inverse relationship between distance to TRI facilities and race/ethnicity and SES at the block and census-tract levels. Results of regression analyses showed a positive association between presence of TRI facilities and high percentage non-White and a negative association between number of TRI facilities and high SES.


CONCLUSIONS
There are burden disparities in the distribution of TRI facilities in Charleston at the block and census-tract level by race/ethnicity and SES. Additional research is needed to understand cumulative risk in the region.
Maryland Institute for Applied Environmental Health, University of Maryland, College Park, USA. swilson2@umd.edu
Sacoby M
SM
Wilson
Herb
H
Fraser-Rahim
Edith
E
Williams
Hongmei
H
Zhang
LaShanta
L
Rice
Erik
E
Svendsen
Winston
W
Abara
D003710:Demography; D004781:Environmental Exposure; D004787:Environmental Pollution; D040362:Geographic Information Systems; D006256:Hazardous Waste / Q000032:analysis*; D007221:Industry; D011204:Poverty Areas; D012044:Regression Analysis; D013022:South Carolina; D014505:Urban Population
D006256:Hazardous Waste