People of color more likely to live within half a mile of a warehouse in New Jersey

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About one in three Garden State residents — 2.7 million people — live within a half-mile of a warehouse larger than a big box retailer, according to a new report from the Environmental Defense Fund on New Jersey’s warehouse boom.

The report also found that so-called mega-warehouses are disproportionately located near communities of color and low-income areas. Those communities also carry the burden of dealing with the effects of pollution from the trucks that transport goods to and from the facilities.

“Each [truck] trip releases harmful pollution meeting communities near these mega warehouses,” said Sam Becker, the report’s author. “Warehouse workers working in these spaces faced higher rates of … air pollution associated with diseases like premature death, cancer, asthma, COPD and stroke.”

Though diesel trucks make up around 11% of vehicles on state roads, they emit 56% of nitrogen oxides, which are precursors to nitrogen dioxide. When mixed with volatile organic chemicals, they create smog. Becker said exposure could exacerbate asthma and other health problems, adding those emissions disproportionately impact children and older people.

“In Hudson, Passaic, Essex and Bergen counties, we have found that NO2 is contributing to more than 13% of new childhood asthma diagnoses every year,” he said. “NO2 across the state is contributing to more than 5300 New childhood asthma cases every year.”

Historian and activist Sue Kozel said she was “horrified” at the statistics for children.

“I have asthma. I don’t wish asthma on anybody,” she said. “I don’t think New Jersey should have children being given the gift of their lungs being compromised by warehouses.“