Philadelphia’s failing air quality hits hardest in neighborhoods near industry and highways, where asthma rates soar

Research conducted by urban and regional planning experts reveals that neighborhoods in the Philadelphia metropolitan area, particularly those near industrial areas and major highways, experience higher levels of air pollution and asthma rates. These areas, such as the Port Richmond and Bridesburg neighborhoods along I-95, and the Delaware River port-industrial corridor, have been found to have lower percentages of green spaces, leading to increased exposure to toxic air pollutants like diesel particulate matter and nitrogen dioxide.

Interestingly, areas with a higher percentage of green spaces tend to have lower asthma rates. The study analyzed data from 766 census tracts across nine counties in Pennsylvania and New Jersey, revealing that many of these high-pollution areas overlap with historically redlined neighborhoods. Redlining, a discriminatory practice from the 1930s, resulted in banks and insurers marking minority neighborhoods as high-risk, denying them mortgages and other financial services, which in turn limited investment to these neighborhoods for decades.

The analysis combined land use and road data, demographic information, asthma estimates, pollution measures, and historical redlining maps. The findings suggest that the accumulation of environmental and social pressures over time contributes to the disparities in asthma rates between communities. Even after accounting for pollution levels, neighborhoods with higher proportions of Black residents and adults without high school diplomas still exhibited higher asthma rates.

The study underscores the role of zoning and infrastructure decisions in shaping local asthma rates, emphasizing that industrial zoning can lead to homes, schools, and childcare centers being situated near emission sources. Transportation investments that route highways and truck traffic through certain neighborhoods exacerbate residents' exposure to pollutants like diesel particulate matter and nitrogen dioxide.

Moreover, city planning decisions regarding the preservation or addition of green spaces, parks, and trees also play a significant role in determining the level of exposure to environmental risks. While historical redlining patterns were not consistently applicable across all counties, the study found that partially redlined areas with a middling share of land covered by unfavorable redlining grades had the highest asthma rates compared to mostly redlined or mostly favorable areas.

These in-between areas often featured a mix of residential, commercial, and industrial uses and have been exposed to subsequent developments such as redevelopment, traffic growth, remaining industry, and population turnover. While the study acknowledges that historical discrimination remains crucial, it highlights that the health consequences of such discrimination unfold through decades of subsequent decisions related to land use, housing, and infrastructure.

The research concludes by emphasizing the importance of studying specific neighborhoods, such as the Schuylkill Banks trail area in Grays Ferry, to better understand and address the concentrated asthma risks faced by these communities.