Like economics, employment and education, air pollution seems to be a racial issue in America. An Associated Press analysis of government data has revealed that black Americans nationwide are 79 percent more likely than whites to breathe unhealthy air, because they live in neighborhoods where air pollution from industrial plants pose the greatest health risks.

Hispanics and Asians are also more likely to breathe dirty air in some regions of the U.S. The AP found that residents of the at-risk neighborhoods were generally poorer and less educated, and unemployment rates in those districts were nearly 20 percent higher than the national average.

At the urging of the White House, the Environmental Protection Agency has been trying to lighten industry reporting requirements for the Toxics Release Inventory. Environmental activists and many other critics believe such a move would make it much more difficult to monitor industrial pollution and to ascertain who it harms. The AP report demonstrates the need for strict controls.

Also Read:

• Environmental Racism Creates Unequal Health Risks for Poor Minority Communities
• Environmental Justice Movement Reduces Risks for Poor and Minority Communities
• Justice in Time: Interview with Robert Bullard