Hey everyone!
I'm using my zip code in Fresno, CA to evaluate the air pollution that I'm exposed to every time I go back home to visit. While most of the information on Scorecard hasn't been updated since 2002-2004, it's still helpful for understanding environmental health risks to my community.
Who and what are the top polluters in your zip code?
Among the top 10 polluters in my community are: Spreckels Sugar Co. (188,189 lbs.), Sanger Boats Inc. (20,147 lbs.), Guardian Fabrication Inc. (19,840 lbs.), Modern Welding Co. of CA Inc. (19,840 lbs.), Producers Dairy Foods Inc. (16,919 lbs.), J.R. Simplot Co. (10,398 lbs.), Vendo Co. (9,782 lbs.), Franzia Sanger (4,870 lbs.), Foster Farms Fresno Plant (800 lbs.), and Fresno Valves & Castings Inc. (275 lbs.).
Among the top 10 chemicals released in my community are: ammonia (220,143 lbs.), styrene (39,507 lbs.), n-butyl alcohol (19,840 lbs.), chorodifluoromethane (4,891 lbs.), 1,1-dichloro-1-fluoroethane (4,891 lbs.), nitric acid (768 lbs.), nitrate compounds (598 lbs.), copper (310 lbs.), zinc (149 lbs.), and n-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (126 lbs.).
What percent of the homes in your zip code have lead-based paint?
2% of the homes in my community have a high risk of lead hazards. However, my community ranked among the top 10% of counties in the United States with a high hazard indicator for number of housing units with a high risk of lead hazards (6,200), number of housing units built before 1950 (34,000), number of housing units with low income (46,000), and number of children under 5 living below poverty (29,000).
Are there Superfund sites in your zip code?
Superfund sites are areas of land in the United States with large amounts of hazardous waste contamination and have been identified as risks to human and/or environmental health by the EPA. Superfund sites in my community are: Atlas Asbestos Mine, Fresno Municipal Sanitary Landfill, Industrial Waste Processing, Purity Oil Sales, Inc., Selma Treating Co., and T.H. Agriculture & Nutrition Co. My community ranked among the cleaner 40% of all counties in the United States in terms of the number of designated Superfund sites.
What can you tell us about the Superfund sites that are near where you live?
Within my community, there are 5 Superfund sites that have caused contamination of drinking water sources: Fresno Municipal Sanitary Landfill, Industrial Waste Processing, Purity Oil Sales, Inc., Selma Treating Co., and T.H. Agriculture & Nutrition Co.
What did you learn about the air quality in your zip code?
My community ranked among the dirtiest/worst 10% of all counties in the United States for carbon monoxide emissions, nitrogen oxides emissions, PM-2.5 emissions, PM-10 emissions, volatile organic compound emissions, person-days in exceedance of national air quality standard for ozone (1-hour), and person-days in exceedance of national air quality standard for ozone (8-hours). I also discovered that Fresno county experiences 15% of days with good air quality, 45% of days with moderate air quality, 4% of days with unhealthful air quality within a year.
How about the water quality?
My community ranked among the dirtiest/worst 30% of all counties in the United States for percentage of surface waters with impaired or threatened uses.
How did your zip code fair on a social justice/environmental justice basis?
People of color in Fresno experience a higher distribution of releases of toxic chemicals, cancer risks from hazardous air pollutants, Superfund sites, and facilities emitting criteria air pollutants. Low income families in Fresno experience a higher distribution of cancer risks from hazardous air pollutants and facilities emitting criteria air pollutants. Families below poverty in Fresno experience a higher distribution of releases of toxic chemicals, cancer risks from hazardous air pollutants, and facilities emitting criteria air pollutants. Non-high school graduates in Fresno experience a higher distribution of releases of toxic chemicals and facilities emitting criteria air pollutants. From this information, it is clear that Fresno follows a similar pattern to other communities in the United States; low-income communities and communities of color suffer a greater impact from environmental injustice that other groups.
After reflecting on this information, it is clear that my hometown is suffering extreme environmental health burdens. As a public health professional interested in returning to my community, I am inspired to raise awareness and advocate for healthier environmental health decisions.
I'm using my zip code in Fresno, CA to evaluate the air pollution that I'm exposed to every time I go back home to visit. While most of the information on Scorecard hasn't been updated since 2002-2004, it's still helpful for understanding environmental health risks to my community.
Who and what are the top polluters in your zip code?
Among the top 10 polluters in my community are: Spreckels Sugar Co. (188,189 lbs.), Sanger Boats Inc. (20,147 lbs.), Guardian Fabrication Inc. (19,840 lbs.), Modern Welding Co. of CA Inc. (19,840 lbs.), Producers Dairy Foods Inc. (16,919 lbs.), J.R. Simplot Co. (10,398 lbs.), Vendo Co. (9,782 lbs.), Franzia Sanger (4,870 lbs.), Foster Farms Fresno Plant (800 lbs.), and Fresno Valves & Castings Inc. (275 lbs.).
Among the top 10 chemicals released in my community are: ammonia (220,143 lbs.), styrene (39,507 lbs.), n-butyl alcohol (19,840 lbs.), chorodifluoromethane (4,891 lbs.), 1,1-dichloro-1-fluoroethane (4,891 lbs.), nitric acid (768 lbs.), nitrate compounds (598 lbs.), copper (310 lbs.), zinc (149 lbs.), and n-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (126 lbs.).
What percent of the homes in your zip code have lead-based paint?
2% of the homes in my community have a high risk of lead hazards. However, my community ranked among the top 10% of counties in the United States with a high hazard indicator for number of housing units with a high risk of lead hazards (6,200), number of housing units built before 1950 (34,000), number of housing units with low income (46,000), and number of children under 5 living below poverty (29,000).
Are there Superfund sites in your zip code?
Superfund sites are areas of land in the United States with large amounts of hazardous waste contamination and have been identified as risks to human and/or environmental health by the EPA. Superfund sites in my community are: Atlas Asbestos Mine, Fresno Municipal Sanitary Landfill, Industrial Waste Processing, Purity Oil Sales, Inc., Selma Treating Co., and T.H. Agriculture & Nutrition Co. My community ranked among the cleaner 40% of all counties in the United States in terms of the number of designated Superfund sites.
What can you tell us about the Superfund sites that are near where you live?
Within my community, there are 5 Superfund sites that have caused contamination of drinking water sources: Fresno Municipal Sanitary Landfill, Industrial Waste Processing, Purity Oil Sales, Inc., Selma Treating Co., and T.H. Agriculture & Nutrition Co.
What did you learn about the air quality in your zip code?
My community ranked among the dirtiest/worst 10% of all counties in the United States for carbon monoxide emissions, nitrogen oxides emissions, PM-2.5 emissions, PM-10 emissions, volatile organic compound emissions, person-days in exceedance of national air quality standard for ozone (1-hour), and person-days in exceedance of national air quality standard for ozone (8-hours). I also discovered that Fresno county experiences 15% of days with good air quality, 45% of days with moderate air quality, 4% of days with unhealthful air quality within a year.
How about the water quality?
My community ranked among the dirtiest/worst 30% of all counties in the United States for percentage of surface waters with impaired or threatened uses.
How did your zip code fair on a social justice/environmental justice basis?
People of color in Fresno experience a higher distribution of releases of toxic chemicals, cancer risks from hazardous air pollutants, Superfund sites, and facilities emitting criteria air pollutants. Low income families in Fresno experience a higher distribution of cancer risks from hazardous air pollutants and facilities emitting criteria air pollutants. Families below poverty in Fresno experience a higher distribution of releases of toxic chemicals, cancer risks from hazardous air pollutants, and facilities emitting criteria air pollutants. Non-high school graduates in Fresno experience a higher distribution of releases of toxic chemicals and facilities emitting criteria air pollutants. From this information, it is clear that Fresno follows a similar pattern to other communities in the United States; low-income communities and communities of color suffer a greater impact from environmental injustice that other groups.
After reflecting on this information, it is clear that my hometown is suffering extreme environmental health burdens. As a public health professional interested in returning to my community, I am inspired to raise awareness and advocate for healthier environmental health decisions.
In thinking about how your community has had and continues to have a burden on its environment, how do you think these exposures have affected you today? Or even your family that is currently still there?
ReplyDeleteHow in the what do you have 5 superfund sites in Fresno? That is crazy and very disconcerting knowing that so many children and families are growing up in an area where they have no control of their environmental surroundings.
ReplyDeleteIt really brings me back to what you said in class about how immediate support and services could be brought to a community like Fresno. This is where brainstorming needs to happen, this is where money should be routed into.