A recent study by the University of Virginia reveals significant air pollution disparities linked to industrial swine facilities in Eastern North Carolina. Using satellite data from 2008 to 2023, researchers found that ammonia (NH₃) levels were disproportionately higher in areas with dense populations of Black, Hispanic, and Indigenous residents.
These communities experienced NH₃ concentrations that were, on average, 27% higher for Black communities, 35% higher for Hispanic communities, and 49% higher for Indigenous communities compared to non-Hispanic white populations.
The study highlights how calm and hot weather conditions exacerbate these disparities. Low wind speeds reduce pollutant dispersion, while higher temperatures increase NH₃ emissions through evaporation. On calm days, NH₃ inequalities for Indigenous communities were more than twice as severe as on windy days. Hot days intensified NH₃ exposures for Black and Hispanic populations, with elevated concentrations observed several kilometers downwind of swine feeding operations.
These findings challenge claims that only those living very near the facilities experience adverse effects. The long-term persistence of these disparities underscores the role of industrial agriculture in perpetuating environmental racism. Communities of color bear the brunt of air pollution linked to swine operations, highlighting the need for stricter air quality regulations and federal standards for NH₃.
See: “Study Reveals Air Pollution Inequities Linked to Industrial Swine Facilities Are Detectable from Space” (January 28, 2025)
A recent study by the University of Virginia reveals significant air pollution disparities linked to industrial swine facilities in Eastern North Carolina. Using satellite data from 2008 to 2023, researchers found that ammonia (NH₃) levels were disproportionately higher in areas with dense populations of Black, Hispanic, and Indigenous residents.
These communities experienced NH₃ concentrations that were, on average, 27% higher for Black communities, 35% higher for Hispanic communities, and 49% higher for Indigenous communities compared to non-Hispanic white populations.
The study highlights how calm and hot weather conditions exacerbate these disparities. Low wind speeds reduce pollutant dispersion, while higher temperatures increase NH₃ emissions through evaporation. On calm days, NH₃ inequalities for Indigenous communities were more than twice as severe as on windy days. Hot days intensified NH₃ exposures for Black and Hispanic populations, with elevated concentrations observed several kilometers downwind of swine feeding operations.
These findings challenge claims that only those living very near the facilities experience adverse effects. The long-term persistence of these disparities underscores the role of industrial agriculture in perpetuating environmental racism. Communities of color bear the brunt of air pollution linked to swine operations, highlighting the need for stricter air quality regulations and federal standards for NH₃.
See: “Study Reveals Air Pollution Inequities Linked to Industrial Swine Facilities Are Detectable from Space” (January 28, 2025)
