Last week, Clean Air Council and partners released the groundbreaking findings of the ASSESS (Assessing Strengths, Stressors and Environmental Justice in SoutheaStern Pennsylvania) Community Environmental Health Study.

The ASSESS study is a collaboration of Clean Air Council, Johns Hopkins University, Marcus Hook Area Neighbors for Public Health, and community co-investigators.

While health issues related to polluting infrastructure are well known among residents and community advocates in Southern Delaware County, comprehensive data on environmental health impacts has not been collected in nearly 30 years.

The key findings of this study mark a significant step towards understanding the cumulative impacts of both chemical and non-chemical stressors on the residents of Southern Delaware County.

Key findings of this study include--

-- Odors, air pollution, and noise were common environmental health concerns; participants noted direct impacts on their well-being and quality of life.

-- Adverse physical symptoms were common and interfered with daily life. Self-reports of adverse physical health symptoms (i.e., congestion, headaches and cough) were more common than clinician-diagnosed physical health conditions (i.e., allergies, hypertension and asthma).

-- Adverse mental health symptoms were common and interfered with daily life. Self-reports of mental health symptoms consistent with depression and anxiety were more common than professional medical diagnoses of these conditions.

-- Asthma rates were high among children living in Southern Delaware County. More children experience symptoms consistent with asthma (e.g., wheezing and coughing) than have clinician-diagnosed asthma.

-- Participants were proud of their communities and felt a strong connection and support from other community members.

-- In addition to pollution and related environmental concerns, Southern Delaware County residents often faced many challenges (e.g., limited financial resources and food insecurity).

-- Participants who faced more challenges in their lives tended to report having poorer health. Participants acknowledged the compounding burden of environmental, physical, and mental health challenges in their communities.

-- There was a strong alignment between factors harming health and factors participants want policymakers to prioritize: pollution and chemical exposures, violence and crime, and food insecurity.

Recommendations for state and local regulators and policymakers included--

-- Enact environmental justice legislation to address cumulative burdens in permit approval processes, which must--

     -- Consider existing pollution sources as well community-level environmental and public health data

     -- Require permit applicants to demonstrate how any proposals for new and expanding infrastructure will mitigate and not exacerbate existing environmental and public health stressors

-- Prioritize community engagement, inclusion and transparency in any decision-making processes that affect fenceline residents before facilities and infrastructure are approved

     -- Broaden consideration of community health and safety to be more inclusive of the full range of community concerns and needs

     -- Leverage community strengths in discussions around community health and safety.

“The meeting and report really showcased the results of years of hard work and collaboration between community members and academic researchers,” said Peter DeCarlo of Johns Hopkins University. “Each group contributed their expertise and time to this effort. A key outcome of the ASSESS project is that the report and presentation did not simply identify and focus on community stressors, but also highlighted opportunities to address them.  Seeing the meeting attendees jump in with constructive suggestions and dialogue after the presentation was very encouraging, and I hope this report can contribute to positive change in the southeastern PA communities.”

Speaking further to the Community Based Participatory Research (CBPR) process, Community Co-Investigator Thom Nixon said, “This project provided an opportunity for community members like myself to get engaged from the beginning and to continue advocating for change after the results of the two year study has been completed. In Community Based Participatory Research my voice matters as a community member, and my seat at the table is as valuable as a trained researcher.”

“Our Delaware County communities deserve better than to bear the heavy burdens of more industrial pollution on top of the existing mental and physical health burdens,” said Alex Bomstein, Executive Director of Clean Air Council. “This study reveals a clear need for better laws to keep polluters from foisting their dirtiest projects onto overburdened neighborhoods.”

Presenters of ASSESS Study Report Back and Key Findings:

-- Eve Miari: Community Co-Investigator, Program Director for Delaware County at Clean Air Council, and Delaware County resident

-- Echo Alford: Community Co-Investigator, Advocacy Coordinator for Delaware County at Clean Air Council, and Upper Chichester resident

-- Kearni Warren: Community Co-Investigator, Outreach Coordinator for Delaware County at Clean Air Council, and Chester resident

-- Thom Nixon: Community Co-Investigator, Student Coordinator at West Chester University, and Chester resident

-- Sara Lupolt: Assistant Scientist in Dept of Environmental Health & Engineering at Johns Hopkins University

Click Here to read the study.

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[Posted: August 5, 2024]

8/12/2024