Evaluation of Toxic Release Inventory Facilities in Metropolitan Atlanta: Census Tract Demographics, Facility Distribution, Air Toxic Emissions and Regulation
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Georgia State University ScholarWorks @ Georgia State University Public Health Theses School of Public Health Spring 5-15-2015 Evaluation of Toxic Release Inventory Facilities in Metropolitan Atlanta: Census Tract Demographics, Facility Distribution, Air Toxic Emissions and Regulation Ryan Johnson Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.gsu.edu/iph_theses Recommended Citation Johnson, Ryan, "Evaluation of Toxic Release Inventory Facilities in Metropolitan Atlanta: Census Tract Demographics, Facility Distribution, Air Toxic Emissions and Regulation." Thesis, Georgia State University, 2015. https://scholarworks.gsu.edu/iph_theses/394 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the School of Public Health at ScholarWorks @ Georgia State University. It has been accepted for inclusion in Public Health Theses by an authorized administrator of ScholarWorks @ Georgia State University. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Evaluation of Toxic Release Inventory Facilities in Metropolitan Atlanta: Census tract demographics, facility distribution, air toxic emissions and regulation Ryan W. Johnson B.S., Biology SAVANNAH STATE UNIVERSITY A Thesis Submitted to the Graduate Faculty of Georgia State University in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree MASTER OF PUBLIC HEALTH GEORGIA STATE UNIVERSITY ATLANTA, GEORGIA APPROVAL PAGE Evaluation of Toxic Release Inventory Facilities in Metropolitan Atlanta: Census tract demographics, facility distribution, air toxic emissions and regulation By: Ryan Johnson Approved: Dr. Christina Fuller _____________________________________ Committee Chair Dr. Kim Ramsey-White _____________________________________ Committee Member 5/15/2015 _____________________________________ Date Table of Contents Acknowledgments .......................................................................................................................... 1 Notice to Borrowers ....................................................................................................................... 2 Abstract........................................................................................................................................... 3 List of Tables and Figures ............................................................................................................ 4-5 Chapter I: Introduction.............................................................................................................. 6-10 History of Environmental Justice................................................................................................. 6 Exposure Disparities ............................................................................................................. 6-7 Health effects of exposure to air toxics ............................................................................ 7 EPA’s TRI program .................................................................................................... 8-9 Purpose of study ................................................................................................... 9 Research Questions .................................................................................... 9-10 Chapter II: Literature Review .................................................................................................. 11-20 Environmental classism ........................................................................................................ 11-13 Environmental exposure disparities ................................................................................. 13-16 Health effects from exposure to air toxics .................................................................. 16-18 Regulation of air toxic emissions ............................................................................ 18-20 Chapter III: Methodology ........................................................................................................ 20-26 Data sources ......................................................................................................................... 20-21 Geographic coverage ........................................................................................................ 21-22 Target area ...................................................................................................................... 22 Unit of Analysis .......................................................................................................... 22 Socio-demographic data ..................................................................................... 23 Toxic release Inventory data .................................................................... 23-24 EPD complaint data .................................................................................. 24 Study measures ............................................................................... 24-25 Statistical analysis ............................................................................. 25 Chapter IV: Results .................................................................................................................. 27-47 Facility distribution ............................................................................................................... 27-32 Amount of Chemicals Emitted/Number of emissions ...................................................... 33-39 Complaints to air toxics .............................................................................................. 40-44 Resolution of complaints ...................................................................................... 45-47 Chapter V: Discussion .............................................................................................................. 48-51 Chapter VI: Conclusion ............................................................................................................ 51-52 Chapter VII: References .......................................................................................................... 53-59 Chapter V: Appendix ............................................................................................................... 60-74 Appendix A: Frequency TRI facilities in the Atlanta MSA .............................................................. 60 Appendix B: Scatterplots of emissions and socio-demographics ........................................... 61-64 Appendix C: Box and Whisker plots Distribution of facilities and socio-demographics ........ 65-67 Appendix D: Box and Whisker plots complaints and socio-demographics ..................... 68-72 Appendix E: Box and Whisker plots resolution time and socio-demographics .......... 73-74 Acknowledgements I would to thank my thesis chair Dr. Fuller for her guidance not only on this project, but throughout my entire MPH program. Thank you for always encouraging me and making me continue to strive to great heights even when I didn’t think I could do it. I would also like to thank my co-chair Dr. White for always being there when I needed her assistance. Thank you! In presenting this thesis as a partial fulfillment of the requirements for an advanced degree from Georgia State University, I agree that the Library of the University shall make it available for inspection and circulation in accordance with its regulations governing materials of this type. I agree that permission to quote from, to copy from, or to publish this thesis may be granted by the author or, in his/her absence, by the professor under whose direction it was written, or in his/her absence, by the Associate Dean, College of Health and Human Sciences. Such quoting, copying, or publishing must be solely for scholarly purposes and will not involve potential financial gain. It is understood that any copying from or publication of this dissertation which involves potential financial gain will not be allowed without written permission of the author. Ryan W. Johnson, 5/15/2014 Signature of Author 1 Notice to Borrowers Page All theses deposited in the Georgia State University Library must be used in accordance with the stipulations prescribed by the author in the preceding statement. The author of this thesis is: Student‘s Name: Ryan Johnson Street Address: 2342 Walkers Glen Lane City, State, and Zip Code: Buford, GA. 30519 The Chair of the committee for this thesis is: Professor‘s Name: Dr. Christina Fuller Department: School of Public Health Georgia State University P.O. Box 3995 Atlanta, Georgia 30302-3995 Users of this thesis who not regularly enrolled as students at Georgia State University are required to attest acceptance of the preceding stipulation by signing below. Libraries borrowing this thesis for the use of their patrons are required to see that each user records here the information requested. 2 ABSTRACT Background and Purpose Low socioeconomic status (SES) populations as well as minorities are often exposed to a disproportionate number of hazardous chemical including hydrogen fluoride, benzene and formaldehyde (Bullard, 2008). The sources of these hazards may include noxious land uses such as incinerators and landfills, Superfund sites, Toxic Release Inventory (TRI) facilities, sewer and water treatment plants, and other locally unwanted land uses (Choi, Shim, Kaye, & Ryan, 2006). The disproportionate burden often results in increased exposure to harmful environmental conditions for affected communities (Wilson et al., 2014). The objectives of this study are to evaluate the relevance