Environmental Health Threats in the Latino Community
/Pollution in the United States poses health risks for everyone,
regardless of race, ethnicity, language, or country of origin. A large
percentage of U.S. Latinos, however, live and work in urban and
agricultural areas where they face heightened danger of exposure to air
pollution, unsafe drinking water, pesticides, and lead and mercury
contamination. These hazards can cause serious health problems,
including an increased risk of asthma and cancer; waterborne diseases
such as giardiasis, hepatitis, and cholera; and neurological and
developmental problems. This October 2004 NRDC report underscores the
urgent need for government action on these environmental health
threats. [more] and [in Spanish]
- Of nearly 38 million Latinos in the U.S., some 26 million reside in areas that violate federal air quality standards.
- Nearly 90 percent of U.S. farm workers are Latino, and many of these laborers and their families are routinely exposed to toxic pesticides.
- Non-Hispanic white children are half as likely as Latinos to have unsafe levels of lead in their blood.
- The Fire This Time [more]
