A new scientific study from the Union of Concerned Scientist reveals Asian Americans, more than any other group, face more air pollution than any other community.
According to the study, Asian American communities in Massachusetts are exposed to 36 percent more air pollution than the average White communities. African Americans are exposed to 34 percent more, and Latino communities are 26 percent more.
In addition, the researchers attributed this problem to the city’s disproportionately distribution of its transportation systems. The decision on where to place highways, public transportation stations, and housing all contributes to the concentrated emission of pollution in colored communities.
In an article by WBUR radio station, Michelle Wu, the Boston City Council at-large, says that Chinatown is at the forefront of this problem. In the research, scientists observed that the Josiah Quincy School’s basketball courts located in Chinatown is surrounded by major roads and by highway I-93.
“Chinatown is the most vulnerable community in the state to this kind of air pollution,” Wu says. “It is the families here, the kids … that we are subjecting to health outcomes that were brought to this community without their wishes.”
The research also offered a detailed explanation of how to resolve this issue. “The state should seek input from communities disproportionately burdened by transportation pollution and ensure that equity is a key consideration in both design processes and future investment decisions,” the research said
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