Unlocking Environmental Justice for Contaminated Site Cleanups

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency defines environmental justice as ensuring the “just treatment and meaningful involvement of all people, regardless of income, race, color, national origin, Tribal affiliation, or disability, in the decision-making processes and Federal activities impacting human health and the environment.” In its Code of Ethics, ASCE emphasizes the responsibility of civil engineers to uphold public health, safety, and welfare, treat all individuals with respect, dignity, and fairness, avoid discrimination and harassment, and address the diverse historical, social, and cultural needs of the community. Integrating environmental justice into civil engineering practices, such as remediating contaminated sites, is ethically imperative and necessary. The impact of hazards associated with contaminated sites or waste facilities is not uniform across all individuals and population groups. Certain individuals and groups are disproportionately affected by such exposures. Specifically, disadvantaged populations, such as those with lower income levels residing near contaminated sites or waste facilities, are more severely impacted. This heightened vulnerability is attributed to increased exposure to contaminants and limited resources available for self-protection. Therefore, the agency in charge of the remediation program (e.g., the EPA) needs to prioritize environmental justice when civil engineers design remediation strategies for contaminated sites.