Activists work to reduce pollution in Louisiana’s ‘Cancer Alley’

Photo courtesy of Jim Bowen via Flickr.
St. Gabriel, Louisiana houses multiple industrial facilities that put residents at high risk of cancer.

By Diksha Batra ’26

Staff Writer

From 2009 to 2016, there was a decrease in air pollution in the U.S., but “the annual carbon dioxide emission rate in the St. James parish [of Louisiana], where St. Gabriel is located, equaled that produced by approximately 113 countries” according to BlackPast. St. Gabriel, Louisiana, is home to what residents call “Cancer Alley,” due to the “plastic plants, oil refineries and petrochemical facilities” that make it one of the most toxic areas in the nation, BlackPast wrote. 

Despite the region’s reputation of high pollution rates, the plastic industry continues to grow. “Industrial expansion continues especially in areas with high percentages of poor and Black residents,” BlackPast reported. One example of this expansion was when the St. James Parish Council approved the “Sunshine Project,” which would build a large plastic plant in the area.  

According to the British Plastics Federation, there are four major steps in plastic production. First, the extraction of raw materials including “largely crude oil and natural gas, but also coal.” Second, the refining process “transforms crude oil into different petroleum products” which happens when “crude oil is heated in a furnace,” and then sent to a “distillation unit, where heavy crude oil separates.” The next step is polymerisation, a process “in the petroleum industry where light olefin gases (gasoline) such as ethylene, propylene, butylene (i.e., monomers) are converted into higher molecular weight hydrocarbons (polymers),” according to the British Plastics Foundation. The final step is compounding and processing, during which materials are melted and mixed together to form plastics. 

The process of making plastics creates byproducts that can pollute the atmosphere and soil, and can cause serious health problems like cancer, according to EcoEnclose. Phthalates, one of the materials needed for plastic, can affect “fertility, endocrine glands and birth defects.” In water, plastic waste can further break down into microplastics. According to EcoEnclose, “the biggest harm associated with microplastics is that they exist not only in the waterways but also the potable water and seafood we eat.” These harmful effects of plastic pollution are felt the most by those living near areas with high levels of plastic manufacturing activity. 

EcoEnclose named “Cancer Alley” as one of the areas most impacted by pollutants in the U.S., and cited environmental racism as a driving reason for that. Greenaction defines environmental racism as “the institutional rules, regulations, policies or government and/or corporate decisions that deliberately target certain communities for locally undesirable land uses and lax enforcement of zoning and environmental laws, resulting in communities being disproportionately exposed to toxic and hazardous waste based upon race.” In this part of Louisiana, the majority of the population is Black, and because of the 150 plants and refineries, the “residents are 50 times more likely to get cancer as a result of the polluted air compared to the average American,” according to Ecoenclose.  

To put an end to plastic pollution and its health consequences, many residents of “Cancer Alley'' have organized themselves to protest against the injustice. “RISE St. James, a grassroots organization founded in 2018, organized its first protest in response to the St. James Parish County Council approving the ‘Sunshine Project,’ which would build another large plastic plant in the area,” according to BlackPast. RISE St. James has been working to stop industries from increasing pollution levels in Louisiana, according to Inside Climate News. This group was founded by Sharon Lavigne, “a retired special education teacher and grandmother of 12,” She said that her work “was a calling from God,” because she found inspiration from the church where she was baptized. RISE St. James’ victories against the plastic industry include stopping Formosa Plastics from constructing a “$9.4 billion manufacturing complex on 2,400 acres in Welcome, Louisiana, less than two miles from Lavigne’s home,” according to Inside Climate News. Some of Lavigne’s other work includes organizing protests, serving as a plaintiff in lawsuits against the plastic industry and working with local governments as well as nationwide environmental groups. Even though Lavigne gives credit to attorneys and others who have been part of the alliance, she believes her cause gained the upper hand because she “put God first.” 

Many other people have been inspired by their religion to fight against the factories. An example is Florence Robinson, a biology professor who lived in the East Baton Rouge Parish, according to Inside Climate News. In 1999, she received an award for her role in shutting down a waste incineration plant, in what was called a “virtual one-woman war against toxic waste,” Inside Climate News reported. In a 2005 article, she told The Advocate that her belief in her actions stemmed from “the Judeo-Christian concept of helping others.” For many of the activists in “Cancer Alley,” faith is what inspired them to fight against the plastic industry.

Weekly Climate News

Feb. 18, 2021

• Air pollution has been confirmed to result in 1 in 5 deaths annually around the world. 

• A NASA research team is going back to researching cloud formations after being impeded by the COVID-19 pandemic. They are working to understand how variations in aerosol particles from human and natural sources affect clouds. 

• A winter storm hit Texas, leaving many in frigid temperatures without power and electricity.  

• Elon Musk announced a four-year-long carbon capture contest that will award $100 million funding for the development of carbon removal technology. 

• U.S. government scientists said that America has the potential for a carbon-free future by 2050 if projected changes to wind and solar power are made. 

• Disha Ravi, a climate activist in India, was placed in jail for sharing information about the farmers’ protest with Greta Thunberg. 

• The U.K. government put a stop to construction plans for a deep coal mine after accusations of hypocrisy in regard to its current climate action arose. 

• Protests began in northern Minnesota to halt the progress of Line 3, an oil pipeline from the U.S. to Canada. 

Weekly Climate News

November 12, 2020 

• A community conservation initiative to revitalize mangrove forests, a resource for fish and medicines as well as a natural mosquito repellant, is financing women’s businesses in Kenya. 

• A new research study indicates that hurricanes may be retaining surge strength once they move inland from coastal areas as a direct result of climate change. 

• Hurricane Eta made landfall in Florida, drenching the state in torrential rain and strong winds.  

• Data from acoustic and oceanographic instruments recovered by the Norwegian Coast Guard from iced-over waters north of Alaska will provide essential information for scientists researching Arctic Ocean climate changes.

• A biotech startup in Singapore is making milk without animals or humans. 

• Renewable electricity installation is on track to hit global records in 2020, according to the International Energy Agency. 

• Austin, Texas plans to invest $7 billion on a new transit system which will include a 31-station rail system, rapid bus routes and bike lanes. $460 million will be allocated specifically to infrastructure for enhancing walking and biking throughout the city. 

• Rising sea levels may threaten two-thirds of NASA’s infrastructure, so they are taking steps to prepare. Read about it here.

• Air pollution may cause threats to honey bee populations.

What We Know and Don’t Know About Air Pollution’s Impact on Human Health

Photo courtesy of ECF.com

By Helen Gloege ’23

Staff Writer

At the start of this year’s pandemic-induced lockdown, a decline in air pollution produced photos demonstrating a clearer, lighter and completely unobstructed view of the India Gate War Memorial in New Delhi, India, and the clear, blue waves of the Grand Canal in Venice, Italy, known for its murky waters. These examples of the real-world impact of decreased air pollution reveal the dramatic effects of what the world would look like if air quality improved. While the amount of global air pollution has a clear connection to human activity, there is little known about the impact of air pollution on human health and what possible compounding effects it might hold for future generations. 

The World Health Organization estimates that over 90 percent of the world’s population breathes air containing harmful pollution levels. Polluted air often contains airborne particulate matter that is considered especially dangerous. Particulate matter refers to the mix of solid particles and liquid droplets. Some particles are large or dark enough to be seen with the naked eye, such as dust, dirt or smoke, while others are microscopic and remain unseen. 

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, particles come in various sizes and shapes and can entail hundreds of different chemicals. Some particles are emitted directly from sources, such as fires, fields or construction sites. Most of the particles form in the atmosphere due to chemical reactions, such as sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides emitted from power plants, industries and automobiles. 

There is not much known about the impact or location of particulate matter. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is planning a satellite mission that will help determine connections between particulate matter, air pollution and human health. The Multi-Angle Imager for Aerosols satellite will launch into orbit around the Earth in 2022. The data from the satellite will provide maps of particulate matter air pollution that will be used by epidemiologists to study different types of particulate matter and its impact on health. 

Currently, there is a belief that infections derived from air pollution-related health problems make people more susceptible to severe illnesses. Larger particulate matter is responsible for irritating airways, while smaller particles may go deeper into the lungs and cause inflammation that affects other organs. Particulate matter 2.5 micrometers in diameter or smaller is associated with an increased risk of respiratory and cardiovascular diseases. People who breathe more particulate matter are more likely to develop lung cancer, lower respiratory infections, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and health issues during pregnancy. 

A map produced by Physicians for Social Responsibility shows neighborhood-by-neighborhood pollution levels across Los Angeles overlaid by COVID-19 case counts. The maps show that heavily polluted areas tend to worsen COVID-19 outbreaks, while areas with less pollution have fewer COVID-19 cases. Researchers at Harvard University reported that individuals living in areas with higher smog levels were more likely to die from COVID-19. Other researchers from Emory University found a similar correlation that linked higher COVID-19 death rates with nitrogen dioxide exposure.
It is unlikely that air pollution is the full story. Redlining practices frequently exclude people of color from neighborhoods considered desirable, instead pushing them into housing near freeways, refineries and power plants. COVID-19 has disproportionately affected people of color. They are more likely to suffer from preexisting conditions, less likely to have access to health care and more likely to work jobs that are not remote. This information indicates that air pollution exposure isn’t the full story, and it is probable that there are other effects at play.

Scientists have used monitoring instruments on or in the ground to measure air pollution exposure. However, to gain an accurate sample, a dense array of monitors is needed. The Multi-Angle Imager for Aerosols satellite will acquire data from space, preventing a need for monitors on the ground. Completed studies will examine the impact of long-term exposure to air pollution, focusing on particular locations. The target areas will be based on a set of criteria, including population, variability in the amount and type of particle matter, how well monitored the area is and access to public health records. The data will also apply to other research, including investigating aerosol and cloud interactions with climate. Aside from epidemiologists and other scientists who will use the raw data, policymakers and air quality regulators would also benefit from the information.

           This information will benefit a recent international health study called the Global Burden of Disease, which claimed that breathing in particulate matter resulted in over 4 million premature deaths globally. Another recent study specifically addressed the impact of air pollution on people in South Asia. It is expected that in New Delhi, going outside and simply breathing the air can shorten one’s life span by over nine years. 

There is currently a surge in air pollution in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Nepal. Bangladesh currently leads with the lowest average life span, with air pollution cutting the average life expectancy by about 6.2 years. Air pollution will shorten the average Indian life expectancy by 5.2 years. There are certain areas with much worse average life expectancy reductions, such as Delhi’s 9.4 years and Uttar Pradesh’s 8.6 years. Meanwhile, in Pakistan, the average life is shortened by 2.7 years. In Nepal, life expectancy is cut by 4.7 years. 

The traditional air quality index provides daily air quality assessments but does not include the health risks that may result from the air quality. The air quality life index converts particulate matter air pollution into its impact on life expectancy. This work has quantified the causal relationship between human exposure to air pollution and reduced life expectancy.

Particulate matter, as previously mentioned, has an impact on respiratory, immune and cardiovascular systems. Recent studies have pointed toward a link between long-term exposure to air pollution and global deaths from COVID-19. A study published in the Cardiovascular Research journal estimates that about 15 percent of global deaths from COVID-19 could be linked to particulate matter exposure. The study analyzed health and disease in the U.S. and China in connection with air pollution, including COVID-19 and SARS. The information gathered from the study was combined with data from satellites and ground monitoring on global exposure to particulate matter. That information was combined with satellite data and ground monitoring of global exposure to particulate matter. Particulate matter is known to increase the likelihood of COVID-19 risk factors such as asthma, lung and heart problems. Moreover, particulate matter appears to increase ACE-2 receptor activity, which is known to be involved in the way COVID-19 infects patients. The study says that this doesn’t mean pollution is responsible for killing people with COVID-19. Still, the pollution particles are likely factors that aggravate the disease.

Current information highlights how little we know about the effects of air pollution and particulate matter on human health. Governments are responsible for setting limits on hazardous air pollutants to protect the public. Still, it is hard to determine the line for acceptable risk without adequate information. We know that methods for monitoring and estimating air toxins aren’t sufficient enough to determine the risks to human health, and more research needs to be done on the long- and short-term impacts. Attention must be paid to the separation of causal factors, as the combinations of hazardous air pollutants could have cascading effects and cause different outcomes.

Outdoor accessibility in urban spaces during social distancing

by Cayley Delancy ’21

Since Mount Holyoke closed its campus in March, students have returned to homes in locations ranging from the rural mountains to major urban hubs. Despite social distancing recommendations, many municipalities have accommodated and even encouraged the need to go outdoors for exercise and sunlight. For example, Governor Andrew Cuomo of New York stated on Thursday March 19, “If you have to get outside of the house to exercise, to get some fresh air, which is 100 percent necessary for a lot of people in a lot of circumstances, then do it." Governor Charlie Baker of Massachusetts said on Monday March 23, “I do not believe I can or should order U.S. citizens to be confined to their homes for days on end. It doesn’t make sense from a public health point of view, and it’s not realistic.” However, access and limitations to outdoor spaces plays out differently in urban areas than it might in the Pioneer Valley.

Jackie Park ’21 is at home in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Park said it's been challenging for her to go outdoors during social distancing because, “there are some days where there are a lot of people outside, and some aren’t wearing masks or seem very nonchalant about the idea of social distancing and how precautions should still be implemented even during short walks.” Park said she wished she could spend more time outside, but is afraid to venture outside on nice days since there tend to be a lot of people.

Although Sidney Boker ’21 lives in the suburbs of Long Island, New York, she has experienced similar complacency among other pedestrians. “There are people who don’t seem to care and don’t make room when you pass by and that is upsetting, but it’s also really annoying when people get aggressive about social distancing. Sometimes, instead of both passers-by moving away from each other while they pass, I’ve been yelled at to stay 6 feet away even when they have room to move over on their end and I’d have to step into traffic.”

“The lakefront paths and parks have been closed because the first nice day outside during social distancing, the parks were overcrowded with people exercising,” said Hope Rogers, ’22 who lives in Chicago. “This has made it slightly more challenging to find open spaces that are empty enough on warm days, but my family is in a privileged position because there are still large, well-maintained parks in our neighborhood that we can spend time in, which is not the case across the city.”

Trinity Kendrick ’21 has also experienced difficulties in Houston, Texas. “I have a large backyard area that I can hang out in but I can’t really walk around my neighborhood because there’s no sidewalks and my area’s not the safest,” she said. “If my family and I want to walk long distances we would have to drive to a park, but the parks have been closed for the time being, so being outdoors besides my backyard hasn’t been very accessible to me.” 

Beata Garrett ’20, of Mill Basin, Brooklyn, New York, spoke about different accessibility concerns that have been highlighted by the virus. Garrett said that they’re lucky enough to live in a less crowded neighborhood and have access to a park next door and a backyard. “Even on busy days, the park [doesn’t] have a lot of people. So I haven't felt the strain of accessibility as others have and have felt pretty safe going out, leaving aside the fact that I'm Chinese.” However, Garrett underscored that doing things like buying groceries has become more challenging for those with  disabilities who have to wait in line or who have to take transportation to get to the nearest grocery store.  “I haven't really seen measures addressing this,” said Garrett. “If anything the virus has shown us the necessity of funding more public places like public libraries where people can stay there for free.”

In addition to accessibility concerns, environmental inequalities in cities have been exacerbated with COVID-19 and stay-at-home orders. Rogers highlighted negative environmental factors like pollution in Chicago which disproportionately affects people of color and people from low-income backgrounds, making it harder for them to spend time outside safely. “[Chicago] recently made the decision to begin the demolition process on an old coal plant and air pollution spread throughout the surrounding area, which is a neighborhood of predominantly people of color,” said Rogers. “A local organization fought back and the demolition process stopped after a day, but particles remained in the air, making breathing conditions worse at a time when a disease that affects the lungs is already spreading.” Rogers highlights how environmental injustice and unequal access to outdoor spaces doesn’t stop being a problem when the brunt of the pandemic is over. “[In Chicago], access to outdoor spaces was already a privilege rather than a universal right in many parts of the city before the pandemic started, so the shelter-in-place order has brought to the surface issues that were already there.” 

Despite difficulties, outdoor spaces can provide positive mental relief during social distancing. “I've actually been spending way more time outdoors than I usually do when I'm home because it's the only thing to do,” said Olivia Marble ’21. “I live in a suburban area so I have space to go outside but I’ve never appreciated it before now.” Boker said that she would like to spend more time outdoors, but the constant flow of depressing news, school work and poor weather has made it challenging for her to find the motivation to go outside. Rogers also said that, “Being able to walk to the lakefront or a park really helps my mental health when I start to feel closed-in.”

These experiences certainly do not begin to encompass the range of experiences Mount Holyoke students have faced outdoors in urban environments during social distancing. However, it is apparent that while outdoor spaces can serve as a place of peace during an otherwise stressful time period, pedestrians not abiding by social distancing guidelines and crowding in public spaces can limit accessibility to safe time outdoors.

Environmental Inequality and COVID-19

by Abby Wester ‘22

When COVID-19 emerged earlier this year, the virus seemed to equally affect people, no matter their life circumstances. Everyday people, celebrities, professional athletes and world leaders alike have all been diagnosed with the virus. However, the past few weeks have proven that to be untrue. Instead, the effects of the pandemic have highlighted societal inequality, specifically in the United States. One form of inequality tied to the effects of COVID-19 is environmental conditions. 

A study published by Harvard University on April 5 concluded that “a small increase in long-term exposure to PM2.5 [particulate matter] leads to a large increase in COVID-19 death rate.” PM2.5 is fine, organic or inorganic particles found in the air, some of which can be caused by pollution (such as burning fossil fuels) and are harmful to human health. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), long-term exposure to air polluted with PM2.5 can result in respiratory and heart problems. As COVID-19 is a viral respiratory illness, there is a link between long-term exposure to PM2.5 and increased death rates of COVID-19.

“[We] have known for quite some time (early 2000s) that there is a correlation between air pollution exposure and increased severity (morbidity) and death rates (mortality) of viral respiratory infections,” says Professor Jennifer Albertine, visiting lecturer in environmental studies at Mount Holyoke. Professor Albertine teaches courses relating to the environment and human health. She wrote her dissertation on the intersection between climate change, air pollution, plant biology and human health. 

“We find the highest levels of environmental pollution in our poorest communities. A majority of which are also communities of color. We also see the lowest access to health care in these communities as their minimum wage jobs do not provide health insurance and the access to doctors is reduced due to financial access.” Professor Albertine explains. The inequity in the placement of pollution creates a detrimental compounding effect on the lives of poorer communities and communities of color. This makes the pandemic not only a health crisis, but an economic crisis as well. 

However, Professor Albertine explains that the racial and economic inequities of the coronavirus pandemic do not stop at those individuals. “[It] is these same communities that grow our food, stock our grocery shelves, work in our factories and essentially make our economic system go and so we are looking at reduced access to the goods and a huge impact on our economy. Thus even the richest are affected by this inequity.”

In the conclusion of the Harvard University study, the authors said “[the] study results underscore the importance of continuing to enforce existing air pollution regulations to protect human health both during and after the COVID-19 crisis.” 

Professor Albertine says that regulations alone are not the only solution. “We need to stop putting profit over people. Capitalism needs to be put in check. And we need equitable access to health care for all. This pandemic has shined a light on these inequities and showed us that we can’t continue this way.”