How Pollution Shapes The South Bronx
By: Hazel Fitzpatrick
In the previous posts in this series, we looked at Hurricane Katrina and the Flint water crisis as examples of how environmental injustice unfolds during emergencies. But environmental racism is absolutely not a thing of the past. One of the clearest examples of environmental racism is happening right now in the South Bronx, New York, a place many refer to as Asthma Alley.
The Bronx is known for incredible culture, art, food, and deep community roots. It is one of the most diverse urban areas in the United States, and is shaped by generations of Latino and Black families. Yet the South Bronx specifically has carried a burden that many other neighborhoods in New York do not. Decades of zoning decisions placed highways, waste transfer stations, and industrial facilities directly through residential areas. As a result, the community experiences some of the worst air quality in New York City. Nearly 60% of South Bronx residents are Latino and about 39% are Black, which aligns with a broader national pattern that polluting infrastructure is more likely to be placed where marginalized communities live.
The nickname Asthma Alley is not an exaggeration. Roughly 15,000 trucks pass through the area every day. This level of traffic exposes residents to constant emissions that are extremely irritable to lungs and increase the risk of illnesses. Asthma rates in the South Bronx are 12 times the national average. Children are hospitalized for asthma more than 5 times the national average and 21 times more than children in wealthier parts of New York. Families have grown used to inhalers and emergency room visits. What should be shocking has instead become completely normalized.
While researching for this post, one thing stood out. Even though this crisis is affecting thousands of people every single day, including many children, sources and articles covering the issue were scarce. Information was harder to find compared to cases like Flint or Katrina. Environmental injustice can be so invisible when it isn’t exposed by headlines, which makes me think: how many other neighborhoods are living life like this thinking it is normal?
In my opinion, I would consider New York to be a pretty climate conscious state, yet progress in the South Bronx has been slow. There have been efforts to expand green spaces and parks, which is a positive step and something residents have pushed for. More trees and community gardens improve air quality and provide access to nature. But when placed beside the scale of industrial pollution, small green projects feel like using paper towels to clean up a mass oil spill. Traffic continues, warehouses expand, and families continue to breathe unsafe air. For a state that champions climate policy, the South Bronx reveals the exact justice gap we’re exploring.
Clean air should not depend on your zip code or income level. It is a human right. The South Bronx deserves solutions that go beyond small improvements. Real justice means reducing pollution at its source and prioritizing the health of the people who live there.
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CBS New York News Video:Pollution contributing to climate change, and high asthma rates