Just over a year ago, the town of West, Texas drew national attention when a fertilizer facility exploded, killing 15 people and injuring more than 300. The blast destroyed whole neighborhoods, apartment complexes, and schools. And unfortunately, it’s far from the only destructive incident that’s occurred recently as a result of hazardous chemicals.
While the West explosion mercifully occurred after hours, it raised a serious question – how many American children go to school in the shadow of dangerous chemical facilities every day?
The answer is troubling. According to the Center for Effective Government, 4.6 million children – or nearly one in ten American students – attend school within one mile of a chemical facility that reports to the EPA’s Risk Management Program. This means the facility uses, produces, or stores chemicals that the EPA considers extremely dangerous to human health in the event of a spill or fire.
Low-income and minority children are the most at risk, but the danger affects all populations. Texas, California, and Illinois have the largest number of students in close proximity to dangerous facilities. But Iowa, Nebraska, and North Dakota have the largest percentage of children at risk – a full one-third of students in those states attend school in close proximity to such a facility.
In response to this information, the Center for Effective Government is calling for better oversight, tougher disclosure standards, and stronger emergency response plans. They have also developed an interactive map, available on our website, where parents can find out whether their children’s schools are located near a chemical plant or storage facility.
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Web Links
Schools Within One Mile of a High-Risk Chemical Facility
Photo, posted April 18, 2013, courtesy of A Name Like Shields Can Make You Defensive via Flickr.
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Earth Wise is a production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio. Support for Earth Wise comes from the Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies in Millbrook, NY.