Oden Taylor, EcoNews Intern
Sacrifice Zone
Occasionally, you might see this term used in EcoNews. Sacrifice zones are heavily populated areas of land that are extremely negatively impacted by industrial exploitation and environmental disaster. These areas are nearly always populated by low-income communities of color. Sacrifice zones get their name through Locally Unwanted/Undesired Land Use (LULU) such as fossil fuel extraction, wastewater treatment plants, and nuclear waste dumping sites. These LULUs have tragic effects on the health of nearby “fenceline” communities through pollution of the air and groundwater. Capitalist industry deems certain lands to have “no economic value”—these areas are then “sacrificed” along with the health of surrounding communities in the name of fiscal growth. According to a 2016 study done by the Center for Effective Government, “People of color make up nearly half the population in fenceline zones (11.4 million), and they are almost twice as likely as Whites to live near dangerous chemical facilities.” The study found that of that group, “more than one-quarter (1.6 million) of children living in fenceline zones are children under the age of five, whose developing bodies are especially vulnerable to toxic exposure should a chemical release occur.” Residents living in these areas are far more likely to develop conditions such as asthma, respiratory disease and cancer due to interaction with toxic chemicals in their environment. The study found that Black people are 79% more likely than White people to “live in places where industrial pollution is highest.” These chemicals linger in the environment long after the initial toxic events, damaging the health of people and the planet.