The effects of the historical practice of residential redlining in the United States on recent temporal trends of air pollution near New York City schools. (November 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Hwa Jung, Kyung; Pitkowsky, Zachary; Argenio, Kira; Quinn, James W.; Bruzzese, Jean-Marie; Miller, Rachel L.; Chillrud, Steven N.; Perzanowski, Matthew; Stingone, Jeanette A.; Lovinsky-Desir, Stephanie
• Is Part Of: Environment international. Volume 169(2022)
• Publication Date: 2022-11
• Subjects: School environment -- Temporal variations -- Air pollutants -- Redlining -- Social vulnerability; ACS American Community Survey -- APC Annual percent change -- BC black carbon -- COI child opportunity index -- DBN District borough number -- DI deprivation index -- DEP diesel exhaust particle -- GEE generalized estimating equations -- HOLC Home Owners' Loan Corporation -- LUR land use regression -- NYC New York City -- NYCCAS New York City Community Air Survey -- NO2 nitrogen dioxide -- NO nitric oxide -- O3 ozone -- PM particular matter -- SES socioeconomic status -- SVI social vulnerability index; Environmental protection -- Periodicals; Environmental health -- Periodicals; Environmental monitoring -- Periodicals; Environmental Monitoring -- Periodicals; Environnement -- Protection -- Périodiques; Hygiène du milieu -- Périodiques; Environnement -- Surveillance -- Périodiques; Environmental health; Environmental monitoring; Environmental protection; Periodicals; 333.705
• DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2022.107551
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0160-4120

Abstract

Highlights: Schools in historically redlined neighborhoods had higher levels of air pollutants, compared to those in other neighborhoods. Levels of combustion-related air pollutants near New York City schools declined from 2009 to 2018. Decreasing trend was less apparent in historically redlined neighborhoods. Historical discriminatory practices still affect current environmental inequity in New York City. Abstract: Background: In the 1930's the United States (US) sponsored Home Owners' Loan Corporation (HOLC) created maps that determined risk for mortgage lending based on the racial and ethnic composition of neighborhoods leading to disinvestment in "redlined" or highest risk neighborhoods. This historical practice has perpetuated racial and economic segregation, and health disparities, that persist today. Interventions near schools where children spend large portions of the day, could impact large groups of children but schools are an often-overlooked environment for exposure. Despite a declining trend of ambient pollution in New York City (NYC) between 1998 and 2012, little is known about differences in air quality improvement near schools by historical redlining neighborhood status. Our objective was to examine if recent temporal trends of air pollution near NYC public schools differed in historically redlined neighborhoods. Methods: We examined annual average street-level concentrations of combustion-related air pollutants (black carbon (BC), particulate matter (PM2.5 ), nitrogen dioxide (NO2 ), and nitric oxide (NO)), within a 250-m radius around schools using NYC Community Air Survey land-use regression models (n = 1, 462). Year of monitoring, historical redlining (binary), and summer ozone were included in multivariable linear regression using generalized estimating equation models. Average annual percent change (APC) in pollutant concentration was calculated. Models were further stratified by historical redlining and a multiplicative interaction term (year of monitoring × historical redlining) was used to assess effect modification. Results: Overall, there was a decreasing trend of BC (APC = -4.40%), PM2.5 (-3.92%), NO2 (-2.76%), and NO (-6.20%) during the 10-year period. A smaller reduction of BC, PM2.5 and NO was observed in redlined neighborhoods (n = 722), compared to others (n = 740): BC (APC: −4.11% vs −4.69%; Pinteraction < 0.01), PM2.5 (-3.82% vs −4.11%; Pinteraction < 0.01), and NO (-5.73% vs −6.67%; Pinteraction < 0.01). Temporal trends of NO2 did not differ by historical redlining (Pinteraction = 0.60). Conclusions: Despite significant reductions in annual average pollution concentrations across NYC, schools in historically redlined neighborhoods, compared to others, experienced smaller decrease in pollution, highlighting a potential ongoing ramification of the discriminatory practice.