Impact of Warehouse Expansion on Ambient PM2.5 and Elemental Carbon Levels in Southern California's Disadvantaged Communities: A Two-Decade Analysis

Abstract

Over the past two decades, the surge in warehouse construction near seaports and in economically lower-cost land areas has intensified product transportation and e-commerce activities, particularly affecting air quality and health in nearby socially disadvantaged communities. This study, spanning from 2000 to 2019 in Southern California, investigated the relationship between ambient concentrations of PM_2.5 and elemental carbon (EC) and the proliferation of warehouses. Utilizing satellite-driven estimates of annual mean ambient pollution levels at the ZIP code level and linear mixed effect models, positive associations were found between warehouse characteristics such as rentable building area (RBA), number of loading docks (LD), and parking spaces (PS), and increases in PM_2.5 and EC concentrations. After adjusting for demographic covariates, an Interquartile Range increase of the RBA, LD, and PS were associated with a 0.16 μg/m³ (95% CI = [0.13, 0.19], p < 0.001), 0.10 μg/m³ (95% CI = [0.08, 0.12], p < 0.001), and 0.21 μg/m³ (95% CI = [0.18, 0.24], p < 0.001) increase in PM_2.5, respectively. For EC concentrations, an IQR increase of RBA, LD, and PS were each associated with a 0.021 μg/m³ (95% CI = [0.019, 0.024], p < 0.001), 0.014 μg/m³ (95% CI = [0.012, 0.015], p < 0.001), and 0.021 μg/m³ (95% CI = [0.019, 0.024], p < 0.001) increase. The study also highlighted that disadvantaged populations, including racial/ethnic minorities, individuals with lower education levels, and lower-income earners, were disproportionately affected by higher pollution levels.