Air Pollution

The Ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles are the single largest source of air pollution in southern California – causing asthma rates for children living in port-adjacent communities such as Long Beach to be almost twice as high as the rest of the U.S. Pollution related to the ports and goods movement in California causes more than 2,400 premature deaths annually and cancer risk rates up to 20 times higher than federal clean air standards.¹ These residents more often than not are from low-income, communities of color.

In a recent economic analysis of school absences and ozone levels in Southern California, the authors estimated that $68 million a year could be saved if ozone levels in the south Coast Air Basin were further reduced, thereby improving children’s health.²

The Ports are responsible for more deadly diesel soot and smog each day than all of the 6 million cars in the region. Our health professionals routinely see the effects of this air pollution in their patients, and we are calling for drastic changes.

More on these topics:

• Health Impacts of Air Pollution Associated With Goods Movement
• Studies Linking Health Disparities and Air Pollution
• What does Good Clean Air Policy Look Like?
• I-710 Coalition and the Coalition for Environmental Health and Justice (CEHAJ)

Health Impacts of Air Pollution Associated With Goods Movement

Air Pollution has a disproportionate impact on people of color and low-income communities:

• Children of color in California are 3 times more likely than white children to live in census block areas with high-density traffic.³
• African American children in LA County are twice as likely to have been diagnosed with asthma, currently suffer from, or undergone an asthma attack within the last year than all other ethnicities.⁴
• African American and Latino children attending LAUSD schools bear a higher lifetime cancer risk from exposure to toxic air contaminants than children from other communities.⁵

Numerous studies have documented that residents living in communities adjacent to ports and truck-congested freeways who breathe air full of traffic-related pollutants have elevated rates of certain cancers, cardiovascular disease and reduced lung function. For example, adults who live in areas where there is heavy traffic have between 20-34% greater risk of contracting lung cancer.

This state of affairs calls for more rigorous, local, state and national emission controls on ships, trains and trucks and the port and rail facilities that move our goods across Los Angeles and beyond. Such controls should place public health on par with other interests such as the promotion and expansion of international trade. PSR-LA is working with its partners to reduce emissions and improve the quality of air for residents living in southern California.