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PRESS RELEASE
July 28, 2003
Contact: Max Weintraub, 510-594-9864
E-mail: ejhu@ejhu.org
Environmental Justice and Health Union
528 61st Street, Suite A
Oakland CA 94609
"Environmental Exposure and Racial Disparities"
An analysis
of racial disparities in exposure to
environmental chemicals
is released by the
Environmental Justice and Health Union
We may all live in the same country, but we do not all live in the same environment. "Environmental Exposure and Racial Disparities" documents how people of different races living in the United States are exposed to different chemicals in the workplace and the home. As a result, efforts to eliminate environmental disease require that racial information be gathered and solutions be tailored to the needs of the community.
"Environmental Exposure and Racial Disparities" identifies significant differences in the types of chemicals people of different races are exposed to in the United States and includes the findings that, in comparison to the other groups,
non-Hispanic Blacks are much more likely to be exposed to dioxins and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and are more likely to be exposed at higher levels;
Mexican-Americans are much more likely to be exposed to pesticides, herbicides, and pest repellants and are more likely to be exposed at higher levels;
non-Hispanic Whites are much more likely to be exposed to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and phytoestrogens and are more likely to be exposed to phthalates at higher levels;
non-Hispanic Blacks and Mexican-American are much more likely to have higher levels of less common chemicals; and
non-Hispanic Blacks are exposed to the greatest number of chemicals in the study.
These results are based on an analysis by the Environmental Justice and Health Union of the largest study to date of environmental exposures in the U.S. population, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's "Second National Report on Human Exposure to Environmental Chemicals". The CDC performs the study every two years. However, such data collection will be prohibited in California if the Racial Privacy Initiative passes in October.
To view a copy of "Environmental Exposure and Racial Disparities", go to the Environmental
Justice and Health Union website.
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