Visiting a park often serves as an escape into nature, away from daily life’s clutter. Yet, a recent study suggests these serene spaces might not be as distancing from pollution and toxic waste as expected. Researchers from the University of Michigan analyzed over 151,000 public parks across the U.S. They discovered that more than half are within two miles of industrial facilities handling toxic chemicals. Remarkably, nearly 27,000 parks are close to locations categorized as heavily contaminated Superfund sites. Over 2,400 parks even have land directly overlapping these sites.
Understanding Superfund and TRI Sites
Superfund sites pose human risks due to hazardous waste improperly managed or abandoned. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) leads clean-ups under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act, commonly known as Superfund. Some parks were also near facilities listed under the Toxics Release Inventory (TRI), which tracks over 800 chemicals used annually by U.S. facilities.
Key Findings
The study didn’t measure the pollution impact on the environment or visitors but highlighted how often polluting sites exist near areas where people live, work, and play. Co-authors Elliott Chemberlin and Philippa Clarke noted the surprising frequency of parks forming on cleaned industrial sites and landfills. For instance, New York’s Central Park is near the Hudson River, a significant Superfund site. Extensive efforts in recent decades have removed millions of tons of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) previously released by General Electric into the river.
Other notable parks near Superfund sites include Chicago’s Millennium Park, St. Louis’ Gateway Arch, and the U.S. Capitol building’s land. Even Green Bay’s Lambeau Field falls into this category.
Future Implications
Although environmental measurements were not part of the study, the importance of parks in enhancing lives is well-documented. Harmful effects of living near polluted or hazardous sites are also established. Clarke expresses hope that findings will aid in selecting future park sites further from pollution.
“We do not want readers to be alarmed by potential overlaps, but we encourage more community research for informed advocacy on park management,” Chemberlin and Clarke shared.
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