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Why Maryland is poised for a new policy approach to environmental justice

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Why Maryland is poised for a new policy approach to environmental justice

By Marsha Wills-Karp Carlos Sanchez
Why Maryland is poised for a new policy approach to environmental justice
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The smokestack of the Wheelabrator incinerator, a Baltimore waste-recycling facility that converts trash into energy. (Photo by Joe Ryan/Capital News Service)

Throughout our lives, we are exposed to pollutants from a vast array of sources — some visible, others invisible — that affect our health in ways we don’t often see. From the chemicals in the air we breathe, the water we drink, and the soil we touch, to the social stressors that shape our neighborhoods and our opportunities, these environmental risks result in a myriad of negative health outcomes.

This cumulative impact of environmental and social stressors is a critical factor in public health, especially for communities already burdened by systemic inequality.

That’s why new approaches, like the work being done by the Johns Hopkins CHARMED (Community Health Addressing Regional Maryland Environmental Determinants of Disease) Center, are so important.

In September, the center hosted a groundbreaking meeting in Baltimore of 26 centers around the country funded by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences to discuss the pressing need to address cumulative environmental impacts. Community members shared their experiences of being exposed to harmful pollutants, including particulate matter (PM2.5), and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from nearby industry and vehicle traffic. These pollutants contribute to long-term health problems, economic costs and years of diminished quality of life.

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) communities of color are exposed to higher-than-average levels of toxic air pollution. This includes emissions from industries, vehicle traffic and other environmental hazards, all of which combine in ways that are often invisible but incredibly damaging.

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The result? Higher rates of asthma, respiratory diseases, and other chronic health conditions that place an enormous burden on both individuals and the health care system.

Take Baltimore, for example. In 2021, the Maryland Department of Health found that asthma rates in Baltimore City are not only higher than the national average, but disproportionately affect children, African Americans and low-income residents.

A staggering 18.6% of children in Baltimore suffer from asthma, compared to just 5-8% nationally. Adults in the city also suffer at higher rates, with 13.7% of the population living with asthma — well above both state and national averages. More troubling still, emergency room visits for asthma-related conditions in Baltimore are the highest in the state, with African Americans experiencing asthma-related hospitalizations and mortality rates far higher than their white counterparts.

These statistics reflect more than just health disparities — they reveal an urgent environmental health crisis.

The air pollution driving these rates of asthma and respiratory illness is not a random occurrence, but a systemic problem tied to the industrial history of the city, zoning practices and the concentration of polluting industries in low-income neighborhoods and communities of color. The science behind cumulative impacts shows that the health effects of these pollutants don’t simply add up — they interact in complex ways, worsening outcomes over time.

That’s why Maryland must pass the CHERISH Act, developed by directly impacted community members and championed by Sen. Clarence Lam (D-Howard and Anne Arundel) and Del. Jazz Lewis (D-Prince George’s) to fix this very problem. This legislation builds on recent progress in New York and New Jersey. In New York, for example, state law now requires an assessment of the cumulative impacts of new or reissued permits for industrial operations in disadvantaged communities.

This proactive approach is a model for how we can address the environmental injustices that perpetuate disparities in public health. Maryland must become the next state to bring cumulative impacts reform to our environmental policy.

Addressing the cumulative impacts of pollution is not just a matter of science — it’s a matter of economic justice. The costs of unchecked pollution are staggering. In Baltimore, asthma alone results in thousands of emergency room visits every year, with the burden falling disproportionately on the public health care system.

In 2019, an estimated $23 million in emergency room costs were associated with asthma treatment, with nearly 71% of those costs covered by public funds. And this figure represents only a fraction of the broader economic impact of environmental pollution on health care, lost productivity and education.

As we move forward, it is crucial that we adopt policies that recognize the full complexity of environmental harm. To truly address the health disparities exacerbated by pollution, we must assess how multiple environmental stressors — both chemical and non-chemical — affect communities. This requires not only better science but a commitment to environmental justice that includes the voices of impacted communities in decision-making.

Only by taking a comprehensive approach to understanding and mitigating cumulative impacts can we protect public health, reduce health inequities, and ensure a healthier future for all.