1. Socio-economic inequalities in exposure to industrial air pollution emissions in Quebec public schools
- Author
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Batisse, Emmanuelle, Goudreau, Sophie, Baumgartner, Jill, and Smargiassi, Audrey
- Subjects
Public schools -- Environmental aspects -- Social aspects ,Air pollution -- Social aspects -- Environmental aspects ,Particles -- Environmental aspects -- Social aspects ,Government ,Health ,Health care industry - Abstract
OBJECTIVES: We aimed to assess the relationships between deprivation at Quebec public schools, their proximity to polluting industries, and their exposure to industrial air emission sources including ambient fine particulate matter ([PM.sub.2.5]), sulphur dioxide (S[O.sub.2]) and nitrogen dioxide (N[O.sub.2]). METHODS: We obtained four indicators of school deprivation using data from the 2006 Canadian census called the low-income threshold indicator, the neighbourhood SES indicator, and the social and material deprivation indicators of Pampalon. Using proximity spatial tools, we constructed three buffers of 2.5, 5 and 7.5 km around each school and summed up total emissions of [PM.sub.2.5], S[O.sub.2] and N[O.sub.2] for each school. Industrial air emissions were estimated using data from the 2006 Canadian National Pollutant Release Inventory. The Pearson correlations and LOESS regressions and natural log-transformed industrial air emissions were evaluated for Quebec public schools within the three buffers. RESULTS: Of the 2189 public schools in Quebec, 608 (27.8%), 1108 (50.6%) and 1384 (63.2%) schools were located near at least one industry emitting one or more pollutants of interest in buffers of 2.5 km, 5 km and 7.5 km of schools respectively. Weak positive Pearson correlations (r) were found between logtransformed tons of industrial emissions of [PM.sub.2.5], S[O.sub.2] and N[O.sub.2] and both the social deprivation (r = {0.23; 0.33}) and low-income threshold (r = {0.17; 0.29}) indicators in a buffer of 2.5 km. However, we found negative associations between emissions and the neighbourhood SES (r = {0.06; 0.16}) and material deprivation (r = {-0.04; 0.08}) indicators. CONCLUSION: Our study suggests that schools in Quebec with higher rates of socio-economic deprivation among their students may be more likely to be exposed to higher emissions of industrial air pollutants. KEY WORDS: Air pollution; child; industry; school; social class OBJECTIFS : L'objectif de cette etude etait d'explorer la relation entre le niveau de defavorisation des ecoles publiques quebecoises, leur proximite aux sources industrielles et leur exposition aux emissions industrielles de particules fines ([PM.sub.2.5]), de dioxyde de soufre (S[O.sub.2]) et d'oxydes d'azote (NOx). METHODES : L'indice de faible revenu (SFR), l'indice de milieu socioeconomique (IMSE) et les indices de defavorisation sociale et materielle de Pampalon, bases sur le recensement de 2006, ont ete utilises. Des cercles de rayons de 2,5 km, 5 km et 7,5 km ont ete construits autour des ecoles. En utilisant l'Inventaire national de rejets de polluants, les emissions industrielles de [PM.sub.2.5], S[O.sub.2] et N[O.sub.2] de l'annee 2006 ont ete sommees dans chaque rayon. Les relations entre les emissions industrielles log-transformees et la defavorisation ont ete evaluees pour les ecoles en utilisant des correlations de Pearson et des regressions LOESS. RESULTATS : Des 2189 ecoles incluses dans cette etude, 608 (27,8%), 1108 (50,6%) et 1384 (63,2%) etaient localisees a proximite d'au moins une industrie emettrice d'un ou plusieurs polluants d'interet dans un rayon de 2,5 km, 5 km et 7,5 km autour des ecoles, respectivement. Des correlations de Pearson (r) positives ont ete notees entre les tonnes d'emissions industrielles log-transformees de [PM.sub.2.5], S[O.sub.2] et N[O.sub.2] et l'indice de defavorisation sociale de Pampalon (r = {0,23; 0,33}) et le SFR (r = {0,17; 0,29}) dans un rayon de 2.5 km. Cependant des correlations contre-intuitives ont ete observees avec l'IMSE (r = {0,06; 0,16}) et l'indice de defavorisation materielle de Pampalon (r = {-0,04; 0,08}). CONCLUSION : Cette etude suggere que les ecoles quebecoises plus defavorisees pourraient etre davantage exposees aux emissions industrielles de polluants de l'air que les autres. MOTS-CLES : ecole; enfant; industrie; statut socio-economique; pollution de l'air, Primary ambient air pollutants, namely particulate matter ([PM.sub.2.5]), sulphur dioxide (S[O.sub.2]) and nitrogen dioxide (N[O.sub.2]), are largely emitted by anthropogenic sources such as vehicular traffic and industry. (1-3) Exposure to [...]
- Published
- 2017
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