The surge in e-commerce and warehousing activity has resulted in a significant spike in nitrogen dioxide levels, particularly affecting communities near large warehouses. People of color face a disproportionate impact.
A groundbreaking study reveals that residents living close to massive warehouses are exposed to 20% more nitrogen dioxide, a harmful air pollutant linked to respiratory issues and other serious health problems.
Lead author Gaige Kerr, an assistant research professor of environmental and occupational health at George Washington University Milken Institute School of Public Health, explains that the increased traffic generated by these warehouses leads to elevated levels of nitrogen dioxide pollution affecting nearby communities, especially those comprising people of color residing near concentrated clusters of warehouses.
Kerr and his team utilized satellite technology from the European Space Agency to analyze nearly 150,000 large warehouses across the United States and measure nitrogen dioxide emissions resulting from truck and vehicle movements to and from these facilities.
Key findings of the study include:
- The 20% increase in nitrogen dioxide near warehouses rises further with higher levels of heavy-duty vehicle traffic.
- Warehouses with more loading docks and parking spaces exhibit heightened nitrogen dioxide concentrations.
- Communities with a significant racial and ethnic minority population are often situated in close proximity to warehouses, leading to increased nitrogen dioxide exposure. For instance, Hispanic and Asian populations around major warehouse clusters are about 250% higher than the national average.
- While warehouses are spread throughout the country, a considerable 20% cluster in just 10 counties, including Los Angeles, Harris, Cook, Miami-Dade, Maricopa, San Bernardino, Orange, Dallas, Alameda, and Cuyahoga.
The boom in e-commerce during the pandemic has spurred the growth of warehouses serving as hubs for sorting and distributing consumer goods. The logistics required to transport these goods from warehouses to customers are extensive, exemplified by Amazon operating a vast fleet of delivery vehicles.
Prior research has often focused on local pollution impacts from warehouses, but this national study highlights the elevated pollutant exposure experienced by residents near these facilities. It is also the first study to connect the warehousing industry to the environmental injustices faced by communities of color, according to Kerr.
An earlier study by the GW team revealed that communities of color in the U.S. are disproportionately affected by air pollution, with significantly higher rates of pediatric asthma and premature mortality due to exposure to pollutants emitted by vehicles.
The authors emphasize the urgent need for regulations promoting the use of zero-emission vehicles in logistics, especially to safeguard vulnerable communities residing near industrial zones. They stress the critical roles of industry leaders and utilities in implementing emission reduction strategies.
Kerr underscores the potential benefits of cleaner air resulting from such measures, reducing health risks associated with pollutants and curbing greenhouse gas emissions linked to climate change.
The study, titled “Air pollution impacts from warehousing in the United States uncovered with satellite data,” was published in Nature Communications on July 24, 2024. Susan Anenberg, Daniel Goldberg, and researchers from the International Council on Clean Transportation, alongside Kerr, contributed to the paper, which was supported by funding from NASA.
