Clean air regulations have cut cardiovascular deaths linked to fine particulate pollution by 45% since 2001, yet racial disparities in who suffers from polluted air are widening. Yale researchers analyzing two decades of nationwide data found that progress has been deeply uneven, with Black and Hispanic communities falling further behind.
While overall deaths from PM2.5 pollution dropped from 42,000 in 2001 to roughly 23,500 by 2020, non-Hispanic Black and Hispanic populations experienced slower improvements than non-Hispanic whites. Population growth in minority communities further widened the gap in pollution-related deaths.
The disparities extend beyond simple exposure levels. Non-Hispanic Blacks were disproportionately affected by black carbon and sulfate particles, while Hispanic populations faced higher burdens from black carbon, dust, and organic aerosols released by wildfires and fossil fuel consumption.
Dr. Kai Chen, associate professor of environmental health sciences at Yale School of Public Health and senior author of the study, explained the underlying causes. “Communities of color are more likely to live near highways, industrial facilities, and other pollution sources, resulting in disproportionately higher exposure to air pollution,” he said. “What’s more, they also experience systemic disparities in health care access and endure higher baseline cardiovascular risk factors, contributing to the higher burden of PM2.5-related cardiovascular deaths.”
The research, published in Science Advances, calls for targeted pollution control strategies focusing on specific chemical components rather than overall pollution levels to close racial and regional gaps.
See: “Study finds PM2.5-linked cardiovascular deaths fell 45% since 2001, disparities persist” (February 11, 2026)
