Racial and ethnic disparities in health risk from industrial surface water pollution in the United States, 2011–2021

Abstract

Industrial chemical pollution is released into surface water at a large scale annually in the United States. However, geographic variation and racial disparities in potential exposure are poorly understood at a national scale. Using county-level Risk-Screening Environmental Indicators data for 2011–2021 and American Community Survey data, this study analyzes the spatial and temporal distribution of health risk from modeled water releases using a Gamma hurdle model. Several racial disparities in presence of risk and amount of risk were identified, particular for Black or African American and Asian populations. At least 200 million U.S. residents live in a county where health risk from this pollution is present. Exposure reduction in high-risk areas may improve health for the broader population while also reducing inequities.