A recent study from George Washington University’s Department of Environmental and Occupational Health and the International Council on Clean Transportation has highlighted a worrying trend: the construction of new e-commerce warehouses is significantly increasing air pollution in nearby residential areas.
As online shopping grows, new warehouses are popping up to store goods, which leads to more truck traffic. This surge in trucks is driving up levels of nitrogen dioxide (NO2), a harmful pollutant that contributes to smog and respiratory problems like asthma.
The study used satellite data from the European Space Agency and found that areas downwind of these warehouses see nearly a 20% increase in NO2 pollution compared to areas upwind. This pollution increase could undo years of progress made under the Clean Air Act.
The research also revealed that communities of color are disproportionately affected. In neighborhoods with the highest concentration of warehouses, there is a significantly higher percentage of Asian and Hispanic residents compared to the national average. Additionally, the number of new warehouses has surged by 117% from 2010 to 2021.
Most of the country’s warehouses are concentrated in just ten counties, including Los Angeles, Dallas, and Miami-Dade. This concentration exacerbates the problem for those living in these areas.
Neighborhood activists, who have long been advocating for stricter regulations on warehouse construction and better electric transportation to cut down on pollution, now have solid evidence to push for change with regulatory and government agencies.
