A groundbreaking study led by University of Virginia researchers has used satellite measurements to show the long-term persistence of air pollution inequalities tied to commercial swine facilities in Eastern North Carolina. Using satellite data spanning a 15-year period from 2008–2023, the study quantifies disparities in ammonia (NH₃) — an air pollutant emitted by swine operations — for Black, Hispanic and Indigenous communities. These inequalities, exacerbated by hot and calm weather conditions, extend for multiple kilometers beyond the immediate vicinity of the facilities, highlighting the widespread impact of this environmental issue.
The study, published in the American Chemical Society journal Environmental Science & Technology by Sally Pusede and her team in the Department of Environmental Sciences at UVA, uses data from the Infrared Atmospheric Sounding Interferometer (IASI) aboard multiple polar-orbiting satellites. By analyzing NH₃ levels in the atmosphere, UVA researchers were able to show that emissions from industrial swine operations result in systematic environmental inequalities.
Among the study’s key findings were that air pollution inequalities can be measured from space. Satellite data analyzed by the research team revealed that NH₃ levels were significantly higher in areas with dense populations of Black, Hispanic and Indigenous residents. Compared to non-Hispanic white populations, NH₃ concentrations were on average 27% higher for Black communities, 35% higher for Hispanic communities and 49% higher for Indigenous communities during the years 2016–2021.
The study also finds that calm and hot weather conditions amplify these disparities, as low wind speeds reduce pollutant dispersion from swine facilities and because higher temperatures increase NH₃ emissions through the evaporation of NH3 both at and downwind of swine facilities. On calm days, NH₃ inequalities for Indigenous communities were more than twice as severe as on windy days, while hot days intensified NH3 exposures for Black and Hispanic populations.
Elevated NH₃ concentrations were also observed several kilometers downwind of swine feeding operations under calm and hot weather conditions, confirming that the environmental impacts of these operations reach far beyond their immediate surroundings. This challenges claims that only those living very near facilities experience adverse effects.
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