A new study led by the University of Washington recently revealed that people of colour breathe more toxic pollution than others. People of colour, or POC, are those people who do not have Caucasian roots, or simply aren’t white. POC include Asians, Africans, Middle Easterners and more.

Published in the Environmental Health Perspectives journal, the study found that the colour of the skin surprisingly has links to higher intake of pollution.

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With non-white roots comes racial disparities that directly affect one’s income levels and living standards. People living in black or brown community neighbourhoods experience worse quality of air and aren’t oblivious to this fact. The study reaffirms what minorities have faced, i.e., industrial smoke and freeway pollutants. People belonging to non-white communities have been observing and speaking up against their poor rate of living for decades.

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More pollution brings increased health risks to the people of colour inhaling the toxins.

The group of researchers modelled a host of various air pollutant concentrations to neighbourhood block levels and then studied exposure levels for various races digitally.

Many people of colour have complained about the rise of industries in their local areas. This has brought them a range of health risks and problems, including asthma. They believe that capitalist gains are being prioritised over human lives, especially of those people belonging to the grassroots.

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 The study also found that racial differences were more prevalent and evident in urban areas compared to rural areas. The highest racial disparity exists in cities like New York and San Francisco.

The study had six different pollutants that were examined. They included nitrogen dioxide, a type of gas that comes from vehicle tail pipes, and mixed ozone pollutants that form when certain chemicals are exposed to sunlight.

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The study affirmed that while the United States has made efforts to eradicate high pollution, the country hasn’t been able to do much when it comes to eradicating racial disparities.