The injustice of environmental pollution By Julie Peller, Ph.D.

Green Junction

Over the past three years, I have had the privilege of teaching environmental justice (EJ) to mostly freshmen college students. At the beginning of this past semester, one student asked, “Don’t you mean environmental injustice?” Of course, when we discuss communities that are exposed to a greater burden of pollution—to the extent that the pollution affects the quality and/or longevity of life—we are addressing injustices. We routinely refer to these communities as environmental justice communities.

Recent highway travels from Northwest Indiana to Chicago were a reminder of odorous, toxic industrial emissions that plague local communities who live with the daily realities of environmental injustice. Industries that emit certain types of pollution must obtain operating permits limiting pollution output. They must also monitor air pollution emissions and re-apply regularly for permits, among other obligations. However, these facilities self-report their emissions, often emit pollution above the legal limit according to the publicly available data (https://www.epa.gov/toxics-release-inventory-tri-program/tri-data-and-tools), and can continue emitting pollution through permit renewals. Several studies show that the air pollution emissions in Northwest Indiana are among the worst in the nation.

The Biden Administration is the first federal administration to significantly tackle the injustice of environmental pollution in the US. “Executive Order 14008 recognizes that all Americans deserve to live in healthy, thriving communities, but, in fact, too many people lack access to safe places to live, work, play, grow, and learn.” At the end of my EJ course, students understand pollution disparities and the burden of fenceline communities near industries that release pollution. They view environmental injustice as wrong and believe everyone should be allowed to live in a safe and healthy environment. The Environmental Law and Policy Center (ELPC), one of many groups fighting environmental injustice, has been diligently working on behalf of the Northwest Indiana region to force reductions in pollution emissions that burden these communities. (https://elpc.org/projects/protecting-northwest-indiana/)

“Consideration for others is the basis of a good life, a good society.” – Confucius.

Julie Peller, Ph.D., is an environmental chemist (Professor of Chemistry at Valparaiso University ). She has been writing a weekly column called The Green Junction for the past seven years and is helping to move the call of Laudato Si to action forward. Her Research Interests are advanced oxidation for aqueous solutions, water quality analyses, emerging contaminants, air quality analyses, Lake Michigan shoreline challenges (Cladophora, water, and sediment contaminants), and student and citizen participation in environmental work.