Policy Audit Topic: Environmental Remediation and Health
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DECEMBER 16, 2010
PHASE ONE: RESEARCH AND PRIORITIES
POLICY AUDIT TOPIC: ENVIRONMENTAL REMEDIATION AND HEALTH
AECOM DECEMBER 16, 2010
TABLE OF CONTENTS
OBJECTIVES AND PRIORITIES OBJECTIVES GUIDING PRINCIPLES SYNERGIES
1 1.1 1.2 1.3
METHODOLOGY APPROACH DATA COLLECTION SOURCES
2 2.1 2.2
EXISTING CONDITIONS AND TRENDS POLICIES/PLANNING INITIATIVES EXISTING CONDITIONS DATA RELATIONSHIPS / FINDINGS
3 3.1 3.2 3.3
PHASE ONE: RESEARCH AND PRIORITIES PRECEDENTS AND BENCHMARKS REMEDIATION PRECEDENTS
4 4.1
PRELIMINARY FINDINGS AND CONCLUSIONS OPPORTUNITIES / CHALLENGES THEMATIC DEVELOPMENT
5 5.1 5.2
ENVIRONMENTAL REMEDIATION AND HEALTH AUDIT ORGANIZATION
AECOM DECEMBER 16, 2010
POLICY AUDIT TOPIC : REMEDIATION INTRODUCTION
1.1 Overview 1. INTRODUCTION
3. METHODOLOGY
The remediation policy audit and resulting opportunities and challenges are geared to addressing the following
The final desired outcome of this policy audit is to link targeted areas of the city to an appropriate suite of intervention tools. These interventions, as described later, can involve the physical clean up of specific sites, overall policy efforts to reconfigure land, open space and natural systems, or policies to promote alternative technologies and infrastructure systems. The methodology addresses four questions:
•
Protecting against environmental hazards
•
Promoting healthy behaviors
This approach reflects a paradigm of public health embraced by the City of Detroit Health and Wellness Promotion—that the four inter‐related social determinants of Education, Economics, Environment and Ethnicity strongly influence community and individual health outcomes.
2. OBJECTIVES AND PRIORITIES remediation should focus on building the social, economic and physical health of the community. The goal of remediation is to: • • • •
define a methodology to analyze and assess environmental health threats develop criteria for prioritizing the clean‐up of sites identify a suite of available remediation tools based on the type of threat faced and site conditions support an overall framework to guide future land use policy decisions regarding industrial preservation, land remediation, and open space conversion
1. 2. 3. 4.
Is there a comparatively poor health outcome for city residents? What is the spatial pattern of the impacts? Is there disproportionate exposure to an environmental health hazard? What are the appropriate environmental interventions?
4. EXISTING CONDITIONS + TRENDS A review of available data and studies indicate strong spatial relationships between adverse health outcomes in the city and soil and air quality conditions, particularly in Southwest Detroit and neighborhoods on the far Eastside or near the CBD. Issues include high rates of respiratory illnesses such as asthma and elevated lead levels in children. Remediation in the city also tends to be driven by development interest or the specific incidence of a toxic release or illness. This traditional approach limits opportunities to clean up areas of the city with limited redevelopment potential.
5. PRELIMINARY FINDINGS + CONCLUSIONS Conventional brownfield clean‐up, where tainted soils are removed and disposed of in toxic waste facilities, is costly and generally requires state and federal subsidies and strong economic development potential to justify. By reducing clean up costs by approximately 50 to 80 percent compared to conventional treatment, alternative techniques, such as phytoremediation, can increase the viability of remediation at sites that lack short‐term redevelopment potential Other intervention strategies to reduce exposure to environmental hazards and improve health outcomes include: • • • • • •
food security promotion through urban agriculture healthy home interventions (lead‐free homes or homes with clean indoor air quality) access to recreation and walking reductions in vehicle emissions through cleaner fuels or alternative mobility options use of state‐of‐the‐art filters to catch pollutants from industry emissions alternative solid waste disposal strategy with a focus on waste reduction, product reuse, recycling, landfill (short‐term option) and sustainable material management
AECOM DECEMBER 16, 2010
1. OBJECTIVES AND PRIORITIES
AECOM DECEMBER 16, 2010
POLICY AUDIT TOPIC : ENVIRONMENTAL REMEDIATION AND HEALTH OBJECTIVES AND PRIORITIES
1.1 Objectives REMEDIATION SEEKS TO UNDERSTAND THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN FACTORS IN THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT AND COMMUNITY HEALTH. THE FOUR “Es” PARADIGM As a discipline, public health revolves around a series of policies and actions designed to:
Environment
• Protect against environmental hazards • Promote healthy behaviors • Prevent epidemics and the spread of disease • Prevent injuries
Ethnicity
Education
• Respond to disasters • Assure the quality and accessibility of health care The remediation policy audit and resulting opportunities and challenges are geared to addressing the following
Economics
•
Protecting against environmental hazards
•
Promoting healthy behaviors
This approach reflects a paradigm of public health embraced by the City of Detroit Health and Wellness Promotion—that the four inter‐related social determinants of Education, Economics, Environment and Ethnicity strongly influence community and individual health outcomes.
SOURCE : Detroit Health and Wellness Department 1.1
AECOM DECEMBER 16, 2010
POLICY AUDIT TOPIC : ENVIRONMENTAL REMEDIATION AND HEALTH OBJECTIVES AND PRIORITIES
1.1 Objectives THE GOAL OF REMEDIATION IS TO IDENTIFY A SET OF STRATEGIES TO PROVIDE A CONTEXT FOR GOOD HEALTH—ESPECIALLY CLEAN LAND, AIR AND WATER. THE LEGACY OF INDUSTRIAL ACTIVITY—COMBINED WITH OTHER SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC FACTORS—HAS RESULTED IN SIGNIFICANT BROWNFIELD SITES THROUGHOUT THE CITY OF DETROIT. The Environmental Protection Agency defines brownfields as vacant or underused industrial and commercial facilities where real or perceived environmental contamination hinders future redevelopment of the site. These sites can pose health hazards to nearby residents and also discourage community redevelopment and reinvestment.
SOURCE: AECOM 1.1
AECOM DECEMBER 16, 2010
POLICY AUDIT TOPIC : ENVIRONMENTAL REMEDIATION AND HEALTH OBJECTIVES AND PRIORITIES
PROXIMITY TO BROWNFIELD SITES IS A HEALTH RISK. While many factors affect the health of City of Detroit residents, analysis of historic and current land uses indicates that proximity to brownfield sites and major environmental pollution sources raises significant environmental justice concerns in the City of Detroit. Along with brownfields, nearby active point source polluters or cumulative exposure to irritants in the environment can compromise public health and create disproportionately negative impacts for some neighborhoods in the city. The goal of remediation is to: • define a methodology to analyze and assess environmental health threats • develop criteria for prioritizing the clean‐up of sites • identify a suite of available remediation tools based on the type of threat faced and site conditions Houses in close proximity to industrial uses are common in Southwest Detroit
SOURCE : AECOM 1.2
• support an overall framework to guide future land use policy decisions regarding industrial preservation, land remediation, and open space conversion
AECOM DECEMBER 16, 2010
POLICY AUDIT TOPIC : ENVIRONMENTAL REMEDIATION AND HEALTH OBJECTIVES AND PRIORITIES
1.2 Guiding Principles GOALS OF STAKEHOLDER ORGANIZATIONS VARY FROM SITE-SPECIFIC REMEDIATION TO BROADER SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC CAPACITY-BUILDING THROUGH ENVIRONMENTAL REFORM. REMEDIATION OFTEN EMBRACES BROADER SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC JUSTICE ISSUES. Various state, county and city agencies, as well as community groups actively advocate for environmental interventions to improve public health outcomes for Detroit residents. Their goals range from targeted site remediation to spur economic development to the leveraging of environmental justice as a platform to promote broader social and economic equality for residents.
DETROITERS WORKING FOR ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE (DWEJ):
SOUTHWEST DETROIT ENVIRONMENTAL VISION: •
• address the disproportionate burdens faced by people of color and low‐income residents in environmentally distressed neighborhoods • empower individuals, communities and community organizations to educate, advocate and organize for cleaner, healthier communities and environments
•
improve the environment and strengthen the economy of Southwest Detroit promote community organizing, advocacy, education, and redevelopment efforts with a focus on addressing air quality, abandoned buildings, illegal dumping, transportation, recycling, and land use
• promote economic alternatives which would contribute to the development of environmentally safe livelihoods
SOURCE: Detroiters Working For Environmental Justice, Southwest Detroit Environmental Vision 1.2
AECOM DECEMBER 16, 2010
POLICY AUDIT TOPIC : ENVIRONMENTAL REMEDIATION AND HEALTH OBJECTIVES AND PRIORITIES
1.2 Guiding Principles GOALS OF STAKEHOLDER ORGANIZATIONS VARY FROM SITE-SPECIFIC REMEDIATION TO BROADER SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC CAPACITY-BUILDING THROUGH ENVIRONMENTAL REFORM. DETROIT DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL AFFAIRS: • conserve and protect the natural resources of the City of Detroit • promote improved social and economic conditions • protect limited environmental resources • encourage and promote sustainable economic development
DETROIT DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND WELLNESS PROMOTION: • promote healthy and safe lifestyles and environments for children, families and communities of the City of Detroit
MICHIGAN ENVIRONMENTAL COUNCIL PRIORITIES: • implement the state’s environmental justice plan • promote fairness and equality in the development, implementation and enforcement of environmental laws • plan a transition from the trash burning incinerator in Detroit to a plan that more adequately protects residents’ health through recycling and waste reduction
DETROIT BROWNFIELD REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY (DBRA):
• support enlightened food policies that help farmers and grocers to provide residents with access to local foods
• promote the revitalization of environmentally distressed and blighted areas
• promote parks and other safe, healthy open spaces to help keep local air and water clean and make neighborhoods attractive
• assist in turning contaminated brownfields into green economic development opportunities
SOURCE: Detroit Health and Wellness, Detroit Department Of Environmental Affairs, Detroit Brownfield Redevelopment Authority, Michigan Environmental Council 1.2
AECOM DECEMBER 16, 2010
POLICY AUDIT TOPIC : ENVIRONMENTAL REMEDIATION AND HEALTH OBJECTIVES AND PRIORITIES
REMEDIATION SHOULD WORK IN CONCERT WITH OTHER PLAN INITIATIVES TO IMPROVE THE ECONOMY AND BUILD SOCIAL CAPACITY, AS WELL AS CLEAN THE ENVIRONMENT.
Advocacy
Based on a synthesis of stakeholder goals and priorities, as well as ongoing concerns over public health inequities, remediation should focus on building the social, economic and physical health of the community. This philosophy is shown in the diagram on the left developed by Detroiters Working for Environmental Justice.
Economic Development
SOURCE : Detroiters Working for Environmental Justice 1.2
Education
AECOM DECEMBER 16, 2010
POLICY AUDIT TOPIC : ENVIRONMENTAL REMEDIATION AND HEALTH OBJECTIVES AND PRIORITIES
1.3 Synergies REMEDIATION CAN COMPLEMENT AND SUPPORT OTHER PLAN RESOURCE AREAS, PARTICULARLY OPEN SPACE AND URBAN AGRICULTURE, AS WELL AS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND INFRASTRUCTURE. Plan Elements
Neighborhoods
Open Space/Ecology/Urban Ag
Environmental Remediation
Compatible uses Land Use/Zoning
Open space as organizing framework
Neighborhoods
Neighborhood anchors; access Public health interventions to healthy lifestyle choices through site remediation
Park and rec uses tailored to the Open Space/Ecology/Urban Ag neighborhoods
Transportation
Efficient reuse of land and the built environment. Dealing with effects of demolition. Access to multiple modes of Non‐motorized mobility options transportation; walkability
Infrastructure
Access to utilities; condition of Green infrastructure the public right‐of‐way
Public Services
Public safety, neighborhood services
Maintenance; public/ private partnerships
Small businesses, large employers
Land banking and re‐use strategies; green energy production
Environmental Remediation
Cleaner technologies; Green remediation
Urban Form/Identity SOURCE : Synergy Matrix 1.3
Economic Development
Land banking & re‐use strategies; Site remediation; Remediation training
AECOM DECEMBER 16, 2010
2. METHODOLOGY
AECOM DECEMBER 16, 2010
POLICY AUDIT TOPIC : ENVIRONMENTAL REMEDIATION AND HEALTH METHODOLOGY
2.1 Approach REMEDIATION SHOULD ADDRESS THE BROADER QUESTION: HOW DO WE INTERVENE TO CORRECT A POOR HEALTH OUTCOME?
Is there a comparatively poor health outcome for city residents?
The analysis begins with a general inquiry shown to the left. The following slides document how each of these questions can be addressed through data collection and spatial mapping. The final desired outcome of this policy audit is to link targeted areas of the city to an appropriate suite of intervention tools. These interventions, as described later, can involve the physical clean up of specific sites, overall policy efforts to reconfigure land, open space and natural systems, or policies to promote alternative technologies and infrastructure systems.
What is the spatial pattern of the impacts?
Is there disproportionate exposure to an environmental health hazard?
What are the appropriate environmental interventions? SOURCE : AECOM 2.1
AECOM DECEMBER 16, 2010
POLICY AUDIT TOPIC : ENVIRONMENTAL REMEDIATION AND HEALTH METHODOLOGY
POOR HEALTH PROFILES CAN INDICATE THE POSSIBLE EXPOSURE OF CITY RESIDENTS TO ENVIRONMENTAL RISKS.
Is there a comparatively poor health outcome for city residents?
SOURCE : AECOM 2.1
• Asthma rates/respiratory illness rates • Elevated lead levels in blood • Diabetes rates • Heart disease rates
The analysis relies on various health indicators to determine if City of Detroit residents experience poor health outcomes relative to other parts of the metropolitan region or state. A health indicator is a characteristic of an individual or population that can be measured and used to describe one or more aspects of health. The indicators shown to the left were chosen because these illnesses often result from overall environmental conditions and the social and physical settings in which individuals live.
AECOM DECEMBER 16, 2010
POLICY AUDIT TOPIC : ENVIRONMENTAL REMEDIATION AND HEALTH METHODOLOGY
SPATIAL ANALYSIS OF NEIGHBORHOODLEVEL HEALTH DATA HIGHLIGHTS THE UNUSALLY HIGH INCIDENCE OF ILLNESSES.
What is the spatial pattern of the impacts?
SOURCE : AECOM 2.1
• Neighborhood‐ level (zip code or block group) mapping of illness and mortality rates
The analysis maps illness rates and mortality rates by the smallest, relevant available unit of spatial analysis. The City of Detroit Department of Health and Wellness Promotion has multi‐level health data available at the city‐wide, zip code, neighborhood, and individual level. The maps on the following slides show several key health outcomes by zip code to illustrate general patterns. More refined analysis can include “hot spot” mapping of individual cases or block group data.
AECOM DECEMBER 16, 2010
POLICY AUDIT TOPIC : ENVIRONMENTAL REMEDIATION AND HEALTH METHODOLOGY
Is there disproportionate exposure to an environmental health hazard?
• Mapping of current and historic industrial sites and uses, and possible pollution sources (Toxic Release Inventory (TRI), CERCLA/Superfund sites, USTs), major highways, incinerator
MAPPING NEIGHBORHOOD-LEVEL HEALTH DATA ALONG WITH HISTORIC AND EXISTING LAND USES COULD HIGHLIGHT POTENTIAL LINKS BETWEEN ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH HAZARDS AND ILLNESSES. The analysis overlays health indicator data with possible sources of environmental hazards to illustrate if there are spatial relationships between illness rates and land uses. Sources of environmental pollution can include historic industrial activity, such as smelters, current facilities with known toxic releases, brownfield sites that could contain hazardous conditions, and roadways with major truck traffic. It should be noted that the proximity of certain areas to brownfield sites or known point source polluters does not imply a definitive causal relationship. The maps are meant to illustrate general patterns and to help guide the analysis toward those areas that could require more study and assessment. The illnesses analyzed also often have other social and economic causes, such as unhealthy lifestyle choices and lack of access to good food and fitness options. These related issues are addressed as part of the ecology and urban agriculture sections.
SOURCE : AECOM 2.1
AECOM DECEMBER 16, 2010
POLICY AUDIT TOPIC : ENVIRONMENTAL REMEDIATION AND HEALTH METHODOLOGY
What are the appropriate environmental interventions?
SOURCE : AECOM 2.1
• Conventional site remediation • Alternative green remediation • Open space buffers • Cleaner technologies • Policy changes • Healthy community design
POSSIBLE REMEDIATION TECHNIQUES VARY FROM SITE SPECIFIC CLEAN-UP TO LESS COSTLY, ALTERNATIVE GREEN PRACTICES. The analysis overlays health indicator data and possible sources of environmental hazards with other land use data, including natural features, vacant lands, and viable industrial clusters and corridors. The purpose of this mapping is to begin to narrow the choice of possible remediation strategies for parts of the city that experience disproportionately poor health outcomes. Some of the strategies as described later include: •
permanent protection of contaminated sites with high public health risks as part of a green belt or open space inventory
•
the use of green remediation and transitional land use strategies to remediate sites with lower health risks and limited short‐term economic development potential
•
creation of green buffers to reduce exposure from known pollution sources
•
use of cleaner technologies or alternative infrastructure to reduce hazardous exposure
AECOM DECEMBER 16, 2010
POLICY AUDIT TOPIC : ENVIRONMENTAL REMEDIATION AND HEALTH METHODOLOGY
2.1 Data Collection Sources HEALTH INDICATORS AND POSSIBLE ENVIRONMENTAL HAZARDS ARE DOCUMENTED THROUGH LOCAL, STATE AND FEDERAL SOURCES. The analysis relies on a variety of federal and state resources as listed below to develop health indicators and identify possible environmental hazards. The most effective data result from the ongoing collection and analysis efforts of local agencies within the City of Detroit. • Ongoing industrial land survey conducted as part of the Detroit Works Project • Environmental Affairs Brownfields GIS Database • Detroit Department of Health and Wellness Promotion‐ illness and mortality rate data • Detroiters Working for Environmental Justice • Green Task Force • Detroit Brownfield Redevelopment Authority • Sustainable Detroit • Wayne County Department of Health and Human Services • Ecology Center • Michigan Department of Natural Resources and Environment • Michigan Department of Community Health • US Environmental Protection Agency • Community Action Against Asthma and Healthy Environments Partnership – part of the Detroit Community‐Academic Urban Research Center (URC) • University of Michigan Brownfields study in Southwest Detroit • Southwest Detroit Environmental Vision
SOURCE : Environmental Protection Agency 2.2
AECOM DECEMBER 16, 2010
POLICY AUDIT TOPIC : ENVIRONMENTAL REMEDIATION AND HEALTH METHODOLOGY
OTHER SOCIAL, DEMOGRAPHIC , AND ECONOMIC FACTORS THAT AFFECT COMMUNITY HEALTH. Although exposure to specific environmental hazards acts as a major component in the disease rates analyzed earlier, these illnesses also correspond with other social, demographic, and economic factors that affect individual health. Health disparities in Detroit stem from broader causes such as: 1. 2. 3.
Differences in socioeconomic status Immediate physical surroundings High concentrations of vulnerable populations with an increased likelihood of illnesses
Socioeconomic context can render individuals more prone to health risks and also less able to obtain to health care once ill. Studies, for example, consistently cite the relationship between socioeconomic status and cardio‐vascular disease (CVD) and mortality. Originally more common among the affluent, CVD has gradually become more common in lower socioeconomic groups over the last 50 years. Similarly, obesity and diabetes now often correlate with lower socioeconomic status. Individuals may also be more vulnerable to cumulative health risks because of their immediate physical surroundings. The age and condition of housing and its infrastructure (specifically the age of pipes or the presence of lead‐based paint) can expose residents, particularly children, to elevated lead levels. Housing condition and structure age can also correlate with health outcomes such as elevated lead levels in children
Some Detroit neighborhoods may also have particularly high concentration of populations with an increased likelihood of illnesses or with special health care needs, such as senior citizens or children. The complexity of factors affecting individual and overall community health suggest the need for a multi‐pronged approach that addresses education, outreach, economic security, and health care access along with traditional remediation methods.
SOURCE : Detroit Collaborative Design Center 2.2
AECOM DECEMBER 16, 2010
POLICY AUDIT TOPIC : ENVIRONMENTAL REMEDIATION AND HEALTH METHODOLOGY
Rank
County
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20
WAYNE MACOMB OAKLAND KENT GENESEE WASHTENAW ST. CLAIR OTTAWA INGHAM BERRIEN KALAMAZOO MUSKEGON ALLEGAN LENAWEE CLINTON CASS HURON BENZIE MASON MISSAUKEE
Person Days in Excess of Air Quality Standards
54,777,006 12,209,220 7,247,214 5,904,170 4,422,500 2,031,372 1,352,504 1,246,955 1,128,120 976,596 968,440 865,450 772,317 503,930 270,436 256,925 176,080 119,546 114,740 30,378
DATA METRICS INCLUDE BOTH MEASURES OF PUBLIC HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY. Baseline and trend data for rates of illnesses associated with exposure to environmental toxins: • • • •
Trend data for elevated lead levels in children Asthma rates and hospitalizations Cancer deaths Birth defects
•
The density of major pollution point sources, such as Toxic Release Inventory sites
•
Air quality data
•
Water quality data
•
Soils data
•
Acres of land in remediation or conversion
The ability to quantify and rank environmental quality, such as person days in excess of air quality standards as shown on the left, enables comparative analysis and the monitoring of conditions.
SOURCE : US Environmental Protection Agency 2.2
AECOM DECEMBER 16, 2010
3. EXISTING CONDITIONS AND TRENDS
AECOM DECEMBER 16, 2010
POLICY AUDIT TOPIC : ENVIRONMENTAL REMEDIATION AND HEALTH EXISTING CONDITIONS AND TRENDS
3.1 Policies/Planning Initiatives COMMUNITY, CITY, STATE AND FEDERAL PROGRAMS PROMOTE A RANGE OF PUBLIC HEALTH AND REMEDIATION INITIATIVES. DETROIT DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL AFFAIRS: • Environmental Affairs (EA) is developing a geographic information system (GIS) and Brownfield Database to map environmental assessments and redevelopments throughout the city • includes Phase II ESA Data Soil Sampling & Analysis • used Site Assessment Grant Funds to conduct environmental site assessments throughout the Far Eastside Project area
DETROIT DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND WELLNESS PROMOTION: • recent study completed by the Department in cooperation with DPS has focused on linking lead exposure and performance in school • current survey of Detroiters (3000 individuals) to evaluate and understand health habits (exercise, eating habits, etc); survey ongoing with expected completion in mid 2011
• intended as a tracking tool for developers, community and public and private entities.
GREEN TASK FORCE: • Green Task Force formed to advise the council on green principles and practices • Non‐Motorized Transit • Urban Agriculture • Green Building/Deconstruction • Sustainability Policy/Climate Action Plan • Youth • Green Jobs/Green Business • Water
• Environmental Affairs is seeking EPA grants to conduct comprehensive community assessments of environmental hazards in the city • The Department is also advocating for increased notification of nearby homeowners when major industrial developments are proposed
SOURCE: Detroit Health and Wellness, Detroit Department Of Environmental Affairs, Green Task Force 3.1
AECOM DECEMBER 16, 2010
POLICY AUDIT TOPIC : ENVIRONMENTAL REMEDIATION AND HEALTH EXISTING CONDITIONS AND TRENDS
3.1 Policies/Planning Initiatives COMMUNITY, CITY, STATE AND FEDERAL PROGRAMS PROMOTE A RANGE OF PUBLIC HEALTH AND REMEDIATION INITIATIVES. BROWNFIELD REDEVELOPMENT:
LEAD POISONING REDUCTION:
• State and city programs are in place to facilitate brownfield redevelopment
•
The city and state have a very active set of initiatives to reduce the incidence of lead poisoning in children
• Michigan Department of Environmental Quality and Clean Michigan Initiative (CMI) • Detroit Brownfield Redevelopment Authority provides incentives in the city to revitalize underdeveloped or under‐utilized property
•
Lead Poisoning Prevention and Control Program
•
Lead Elimination Action Program
•
CHILD‐HELP Lead Hazard Reduction Program
•
Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program
•
Lead Poisoning Research at Wayne State University's Center for Urban Studies
SOUTHWEST DETROIT ENVIRONMENTAL VISION: •
seeks to improve environmental conditions in Southwest Detroit through community advocacy, education, and redevelopment efforts focused on air quality, abandoned buildings, illegal dumping, transportation, recycling, and land use.
COMMUNITY ACTION AGAINST ASTHMA AND HEALTHY ENVIRONMENTS PARTNERSHIP: • collects information on the quality of the indoor and outdoor air in Southwest and Eastside Detroit and examines relationships air quality (particulate matter and ozone), lung functioning, and asthma symptoms in children
SOURCE: Detroit Health and Wellness, Michigan Department of Environmental Quality 3.1.1
AECOM DECEMBER 16, 2010
POLICY AUDIT TOPIC : ENVIRONMENTAL REMEDIATION AND HEALTH EXISTING CONDITIONS AND TRENDS
3.1 Policies/Planning Initiatives COMMUNITY, CITY, STATE AND FEDERAL PROGRAMS PROMOTE A RANGE OF PUBLIC HEALTH AND REMEDIATION INITIATIVES. DETROITERS WORKING FOR ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE: • Detroiters Working for Environmental Justice formed to address the disproportionate health impacts of environmentally distressed neighborhoods • Build Up Detroit (BUD) Project
SUSTAINABLE DETROIT: •
Information gateway about sustainability efforts around Detroit
•
DETROIT WATER & SEWERAGE DEPARTMENT
• Community Hazards Awareness Training Seminars (CHATS)
Compiles ecosystem indicators from the Detroit River‐ Western Lake Erie basin, including contaminants in fish, coastal wetland loss, reproductive success of threatened and endangered species, urban sprawl, land use changes and pollutant emissions
.
• Green Jobs Training Program • Youth on Patrol Against Pollution
DETROIT RIVER-WESTERN LAKE ERIE BASIN INDICATOR PROJECT:
•
DWSD maintains a Water Quality Commitment/Policy to ensure safe drinking water for its customers
• Home Intervention Team (HIT) • Detroit Sustainability Center
SOURCE: Detroiters Working For Environmental Justice, Sustainable Detroit 3.1.2
AECOM DECEMBER 16, 2010
POLICY AUDIT TOPIC : ENVIRONMENTAL REMEDIATION AND HEALTH EXISTING CONDITIONS AND TRENDS
3.2 Existing Conditions HEALTH INDICATORS REFLECT AN INCREASED RISK AMONG CITY OF DETROIT RESIDENTS FOR DISEASES WITH ENVIRONMENTAL LINKS. LEADING CAUSES OF DEATH RATES ‐ 2008 Wayne State of City of Detroit County Michigan Total
1,036.9
921.4
810.3
Heart Disease
329.1
277.9
220.5
Cancer
213.6
198.9
185.4
Chronic Lower Respiratory Diseases
33.3
46.4
48.0
Stroke
50.0
43.7
42.3
Unintentional Injuries
38.1
34.5
35.3
Diabetes Mellitus
31.0
27.4
25.3
9.3
14.5
24.6
Pneumonia/Influenza
24.3
20.6
17.0
Kidney Disease
23.7
19.3
15.1
9.3
10.5
11.5
Alzheimer's Disease
Intentional Self‐harm (Suicide)
An initial step in identifying disparities in health outcomes is to create an overall profile for City of Detroit residents relative to Wayne County and the State of Michigan. 2008 data from the Michigan Department of Community Health indicate that city death rates for cancer, heart disease and diabetes exceed county and state rates . Research indicates that environmental exposure, as well as social and economic factors, including lifestyle and food choices, can contribute to these illnesses. The following slides more closely examine specific conditions, including chronic respiratory conditions and elevated blood levels in children.
Note: Rates are per 100, 000.
SOURCE : MICHIGAN DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY HEALTH 3.2
AECOM DECEMBER 16, 2010
POLICY AUDIT TOPIC : ENVIRONMENTAL REMEDIATION AND HEALTH EXISTING CONDITIONS AND TRENDS
DETROIT RESIDENTS, PARTICULARLY CHILDREN, EXPERIENCE UNUSUALLY HIGH RATES OF ASTHMA AND CHRONIC RESPIRATORY CONDITIONS. Asthma is a chronic lung condition characterized by inflammation in the airways., which obstructs airflow. An epidemiology of study of asthma in Michigan describes Detroit as the epicenter of the asthma burden. • Detroit experiences the highest rates of asthma in Michigan, especially among its children • Prevalence of asthma among Detroit adults is 50% higher than that of Michigan overall • Rates of asthma hospitalization in Detroit are three times higher than that of Michigan as a whole • In Detroit, recent asthma hospitalization rates for black persons are over two times higher than that for white persons City health data from 2007 indicate high mortality rates for chronic respiratory diseases in the 48214, 48217, 48208 and 48221 zip codes.
SOURCE : City of Detroit Health and Wellness Promotion 3.2
AECOM DECEMBER 16, 2010
POLICY AUDIT TOPIC : ENVIRONMENTAL REMEDIATION AND HEALTH EXISTING CONDITIONS AND TRENDS
ASTHMA AND CHRONIC RESPIRATORY CONDITIONS ARE COSTLY TO TREAT. According to The Price of Pollution: Cost Estimates of Environment‐Related Childhood Disease in Michigan, a study conducted by Michigan Network for Children’s Environmental Health and the Ecology Center, the average cost of an asthma hospitalization in Michigan in 2009 for children (1‐ 17 years) was $7,332. The direct annual costs of hospitalizations due to asthma in Michigan are estimated at $31.71 million. According to the study Epidemiology of Asthma in Michigan conducted by the Michigan Department of Community Health and the University of Michigan, the rates of asthma hospitalization in Detroit and Michigan from 200 to 2006 are consistent over time, with no distinguishable trend.
SOURCE : Epidemiology of Asthma in Michigan 3.2
AECOM DECEMBER 16, 2010
POLICY AUDIT TOPIC : ENVIRONMENTAL REMEDIATION AND HEALTH EXISTING CONDITIONS AND TRENDS
SOUTHWEST DETROIT EXPERIENCES A HIGH CONCENTRATION OF POTENTIALLY TOXIC RELEASES. Environmental health specialists at the Karmanos Cancer Institute in Detroit cite a link between environmental pollutants and cancers and heart and respiratory disorders. University of Michigan researchers, funded by a grant from the Kresge Foundation, recently assessed the toxic burden for each zip code in the State of Michigan. The study compiled Environmental Protection Agency data on self‐reported types and amounts of pollutants emitted from facilities. To create a toxicity score, the researchers multiplied pollution amounts by their relative toxicity and then used air modeling to determine how much pollution falls in an area. The analysis includes the most common air toxins generated by industry in metro Detroit, including manganese, diisocyanates, sulfuric acid, nickel, trimethylbenzene, chromium, lead, hydrochloric acid, glycol ethers, chlorine and cobalt. These toxins can threaten health through developmental impairments, cardiovascular risk, cancer risk, respiratory conditions and neurological conditions.
SOURCE : Environmental Protection Agency and University of Michigan professors Paul Mohai, Byoung‐Suk Kweon, Sangyun Lee, Kerry Ard. 3.2
AECOM DECEMBER 16, 2010
POLICY AUDIT TOPIC : ENVIRONMENTAL REMEDIATION AND HEALTH EXISTING CONDITIONS AND TRENDS
SOUTHWEST DETROIT EXPERIENCES A HIGH CONCENTRATION OF POTENTIALLY TOXIC RELEASES.
2576 974 56 18
.
Note: Toxicity score is the quantity of toxic materials released times their toxicity level
SOURCE : Environmental Protection Agency and University of Michigan professors Paul Mohai, Byoung‐Suk Kweon, Sangyun Lee, Kerry Ard. 3.2
State’s highest toxicity burden score in Southwest Detroit
Toxicity score in zip code 48211
State’s average toxicity burden score
State’s median toxicity burden score
AECOM DECEMBER 16, 2010
POLICY AUDIT TOPIC : ENVIRONMENTAL REMEDIATION AND HEALTH EXISTING CONDITIONS AND TRENDS
THE DETROIT INCINERATOR IS THE LARGEST WASTE FACILITY IN THE WORLD. Numerous studies also cite the Greater Detroit Resource Recovery Facility as a major source of Nitrogen Oxides NOx emissions. The facility can burn up to 4,000 tons of garbage daily and release up to 2,251 tons (4.5 M pounds) of regulated pollutants annually. Department of Community Health statistics show that children living near the incinerator in the I‐94/I‐75 corridor are hospitalized for respiratory conditions at three times the rate of the state average. As of October 2010, the facility has ceased operations due to a lapse in the contract with Detroit Thermal, which purchased steam produced at the incinerator. Covanta Energy, minority owner and operator of the incinerator, is seeking options to re‐ open the plant.
SOURCE : Detroit Free Press, Ecology Center, and Metro Times 3.2
AECOM DECEMBER 16, 2010
POLICY AUDIT TOPIC : ENVIRONMENTAL REMEDIATION AND HEALTH EXISTING CONDITIONS AND TRENDS
STUDIES CITE A LINK BETWEEN HAZARDOUS AIR POLLUTANTS AND CANCER RISKS.
Hazardous Air Pollutant Exposure
Though not all TRI releases are necessarily hazardous, overall exposure, particularly cumulative impacts, represents a potential environmental health risk.
State of Michigan
Criteria Air Pollutants Per Square Mile
Studies specifically cite a link between higher exposure to hazardous air pollutants and increased cancer risks.
TRI Faciliites Per Square Mile
Wayne County
0
SOURCE : ECOLOGY CENTER 3.2
0.2
0.4
0.6
0.8
1
AECOM DECEMBER 16, 2010
POLICY AUDIT TOPIC : ENVIRONMENTAL REMEDIATION AND HEALTH EXISTING CONDITIONS AND TRENDS
ALL CHILDREN IN THE CITY OF DETROIT ARE CONSIDERED AT-RISK FOR LEAD EXPOSURE. A 2010 study by the City Health Department and Detroit Public Schools (DPS) cites a link between lead data and lower performance on test scores. Overall, 22,755 children, 58% of all DPS students, had a history of lead poisoning. 2007 data from the Health Department shown on the left indicate the prevalence of lead poisoning in the city. The far eastside experiences the highest exposure. The map to the left shows the prevalence of lead poisoning in the city by zip code.
SOURCE : City of Detroit Health and Wellness Promotion 3.2
AECOM DECEMBER 16, 2010
POLICY AUDIT TOPIC : ENVIRONMENTAL REMEDIATION AND HEALTH EXISTING CONDITIONS AND TRENDS
SOURCES OF LEAD EXPOSURE IN THE CITY INCLUDE OLDER HOUSING, AUTOMOBILE EMISSIONS, AND CURRENT OR HISTORIC INDUSTRIAL SITES. Possible sources of lead exposure in the City of Detroit include: •
Lead‐based paint
•
Lead dust in soil due to washing off the sides of houses during rainfall
•
Lead is also absorbed into soil from automotive and industrial emissions
•
Lead travels through older pipes with lead or lead solder
Studies have specifically cited potentially contaminated soil conditions around former smelters near residential areas. The soil absorbs lead released into the air during previous operations Exposure to lead can have adverse impacts on child development, leading to decreased cognitive abilities, impaired motor skills, and behavioral issues. The map to the left shows the correlation between historic smelter sites and areas with lead poisoning exposure.
SOURCE : City of Detroit Health and Wellness Promotion 3.2
AECOM DECEMBER 16, 2010
POLICY AUDIT TOPIC : ENVIRONMENTAL REMEDIATION AND HEALTH EXISTING CONDITIONS AND TRENDS
3.3 Data Relationships / Findings THERE IS A SPATIAL RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN ADVERSE HEALTH OUTCOMES IN THE CITY AND SOIL AND AIR QUALITY CONDITIONS. A review of available data and studies indicate strong spatial relationships between adverse health outcomes in the city and soil and air quality conditions, particularly in Southwest Detroit and neighborhoods on the far Eastside or near the CBD. The map to the left indicates the distribution of potential air and land‐ based pollution sources throughout the city, including industrial parcels, historic smelter sites, toxic release inventory sites, and major freight and freeway systems.
SOURCE : City of Detroit Health and Wellness Promotion 3.2
AECOM DECEMBER 16, 2010
POLICY AUDIT TOPIC : ENVIRONMENTAL REMEDIATION AND HEALTH EXISTING CONDITIONS AND TRENDS
3.3 Data Relationships / Findings REMEDIATION IN THE CITY IS CURRENTLY DRIVEN BY DEVELOPMENT INTEREST OR THE SPECIFIC INCIDENCE OF A TOXIC RELEASE OR ILLNESS. Given very limited resources and the scale of environmental issues, the City’s Environmental Affairs Department focuses primarily on remediating specific sites in response to development interest or achieving the regulatory compliance of individual industrial or commercial users. Traditional brownfield cleanup typically involves physical or chemical techniques, such as soil removal, for remediating a site. Since it is more costly, this process relies heavily the potential of the site to compete for grants and support future economic investment and increased property tax revenues. While the conventional approach is highly effective at cleaning up and redeveloping select sites in the city, the sheer scale of the issue —Detroit has approximately 45,000 brownfields—means that the supply of clean up candidates far exceeds realistic redevelopment demand in the near future. Many currently vacant, obsolete or blighted sites in the city lack the redevelopment potential to attract developer interest and grant funds due to factors such as parcel size, title issues, location or level of contamination. Alternative remediation techniques, such as phytoremediation, can be more economically viable options for sites in transitional use or longer‐term holding patterns.
SOURCE : Environmental Affairs Department 3.3
AECOM DECEMBER 16, 2010
POLICY AUDIT TOPIC : ENVIRONMENTAL REMEDIATION AND HEALTH EXISTING CONDITIONS AND TRENDS
3.3 Data Relationships / Findings
SUCCESFUL DETROIT BROWNFIELD REDEVELOPMENT HAS INCLUDED PROJECTS SUCH AS: • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
SOURCE : Detroit Brownfield Redevelopment Authority 3.3
Lithuanian Hall Kales Building 6200 Second The Ellington Merchants Row Hartz Building Mexicantown Fort Shelby Hotel Woodbridge Lafer Building Odd Fellows Hall Vernor Scotten Mack Alter South South University Village Lombardo Heritage 6331 East Jefferson Hudson’s Warehouse Book Cadillac Hotel & Cadillac Residences Kennedy Square and Compuware Charlotte House 3408 Woodward Willy’s Overland Lofts Argonaut Building TechOne 41‐47 Burroughs Mosaic Youth Arts Center
AECOM DECEMBER 16, 2010
OPPORTUNITIES & CHALLENGES CASE FOR CHANGE
3.3 Data Relationships / Findings REMEDIATION IN THE CITY IS CURRENTLY DRIVEN BY DEVELOPMENT INTEREST OR THE SPECIFIC INCIDENCE OF A TOXIC RELEASE OR ILLNESS. DUE TO GEOGRAPHIC SIZE AND LIMITED RESOURCES, ONLY 10% OF DETROIT’S LAND HAS BEEN ASSESSED FOR CONTAMINATION. A capital‐intensive model– for public assessment, development driven clean‐up and cleaner industrial technologies– has limited Detroit's ability to remediate and reduce environmental toxins. The lack of resources and capacity to address wide‐scale environmental issues has vast health and development implications for Detroiters.
AECOM + Stoss 2.3
SOURCE : accounting: EA, U.Mich Assessments map: Stoss compiled‐ EPA, EA, DCDC, + City of Detroit Health and Wellness Promotion.
AECOM DECEMBER 16, 2010
POLICY AUDIT TOPIC : ENVIRONMENTAL REMEDIATION AND HEALTH EXISTING CONDITIONS AND TRENDS
ESTABLISHING CRITERIA CAN ASSIST IN PRIORITIZING WHERE TO INTERVENE IN THE ENVIRONMENT. The process should begin with addressing two questions: 1.
Where do we act first?
2.
What are the appropriate remediation strategies?
Where do we act first? The graphic to the left shows the classification process used in Southwest Detroit to identify high priority brownfield sites for remediation. The criteria focus on proximity to schools, parks, youth populations, and high‐density residential area; the ability to increase recreational opportunities for neighborhood residents; and the ability to attract investment.
SOURCE : Southwest Detroit Vision 3.3
AECOM DECEMBER 16, 2010
POLICY AUDIT TOPIC : ENVIRONMENTAL REMEDIATION AND HEALTH EXISTING CONDITIONS AND TRENDS
How severe is the contamination?
APPROPRIATE REMEDIATION STRATEGIES VARY WIDELY BASED ON SITE CONDITIONS AND HEALTH HAZARDS. What are the appropriate remediation strategies?
What is the development potential of the site?
Remediation strategies vary widely based on site characteristics, the surrounding context and the nature and severity of the contamination.
Could the site be part of a longer‐term holding strategy?
SOURCE : Southwest Detroit 3.3
AECOM DECEMBER 16, 2010
POLICY AUDIT TOPIC : ENVIRONMENTAL REMEDIATION AND HEALTH EXISTING CONDITIONS AND TRENDS
Target Goal Dig and haul (Source Zones)
Caps and barrier containments
Traditional Remedies
Green Remedies
Excavation, source removal, hot spot removal RCRA covers, slurry/sheet pile walls, permeable reactive barriers
Vegetative covers, tree hydraulic barriers
Soil treatment
Land farming, Bio‐piles
Phyto/bioremediation composting
Situ plume Treatment
Sparging/soil vapor extraction system
Deep‐rooted systems (trees, prairie species)
Groundwater control
Pumping/extraction systems
Tree hydraulic systems
Ex situ treatment systems
Granular activated carbon, advanced oxidation, bioreactors, catalytic/thermal oxidizers
Phytoextraction, photosynthetic oxidation, plant bioreactions, constructed wetlands
SOURCE : The Interstate Technology & Regulatory Council Ecological Land Reuse Team 3.3
MORE CONVENTIONAL CLEAN-UP TECHNIQUES SUCH AS SOIL REMOVAL OR CAPPING REQUIRE MORE RESOURCES, A SHORTER TIMEFRAME AND THE POTENTIAL FOR REDEVELOPMENT. What are the appropriate remediation strategies? Appropriate interventions can range from traditional site clean‐up technologies to less costly but longer‐term green remediation techniques. Green technologies can provide for long‐term ecological benefits, while a site is undergoing clean‐up. These practices use plants to draw water, extract toxics, create groundcover, or in some way facilitate clean‐up, while also establishing open space, a livable environment, and habitat. Green technologies are considered viable remedial components for long‐term response actions for residual contamination issues.
AECOM DECEMBER 16, 2010
POLICY AUDIT TOPIC : ENVIRONMENTAL REMEDIATION AND HEALTH EXISTING CONDITIONS AND TRENDS
EXPLORING ALTERNATIVE, GREEN REMEDIATION AND OPEN SPACE BUFFERING TECHNIQUES CAN INCREASE THE ECONOMIC FEASIBILITY OF CLEAN-UP AND ADDRESS WIDESPREAD HEALTH ISSUES ACROSS THE CITY. Spatial mapping of health indicators, potential pollution sources, land use, vacancy, schools and parks and greenways assist in targeting broader areas for clean up or conversion into green spaces, urban agriculture or other environmentally sustainable spaces.
SOURCE : City of Detroit Health and Wellness Promotion 3.2
AECOM DECEMBER 16, 2010
POLICY AUDIT TOPIC : ENVIRONMENTAL REMEDIATION AND HEALTH EXISTING CONDITIONS AND TRENDS
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14.
energy generation: solar energy generation: wind turbines energy generation: ethanol production storm water management: bio‐retention constructed wetland riparian setbacks green space: parks green space: forest green space: linkages wildlife habitat urban agriculture/commodity farming tree nursery bio‐remediation, phyto‐remediation, mycoremediation storm water management: riparian setbacks, stream daylighting
SOURCE : Reimagining Cleveland 3.3
ALTERNATIVE CLEAN-UP TECHNIQUES CAN SUPPORT A WIDE RANGE OF OTHER ECOLOGICAL AND COMMUNITY-BUILDING FUNCTIONS. What are the appropriate remediation strategies? Reimagining Cleveland identifies a broad suite of alternative options for land undergoing longer‐term clean‐up.
AECOM DECEMBER 16, 2010
POLICY AUDIT TOPIC : ENVIRONMENTAL REMEDIATION AND HEALTH EXISTING CONDITIONS AND TRENDS
ALTERNATIVE REMEDIATION TECHNIQUES OFFER A LESS COSTLY OPTION FOR CLEANING LAND WITH LIMITED DEVELOPMENT POTENTIAL Conventional brownfield clean‐up, where tainted soils are removed and disposed of in toxic waste facilities, is costly and generally requires state and federal subsidies and strong economic development potential to justify. Bio‐remediation, phytoremediation, and mycoremediation are potential tools for environmental clean up in cases where conventional remediation is not feasible. Bio‐remediation, phytoremediation, and mycoremediation allow natural processes, such as the presence of microbes or plants and fungi, to clean up harmful chemicals in the environment.
SOURCE : USGS 3.3
AECOM DECEMBER 16, 2010
POLICY AUDIT TOPIC : ENVIRONMENTAL REMEDIATION AND HEALTH EXISTING CONDITIONS AND TRENDS
Contaminant and Area
Phytoremediation Application
Estimated Cost
Conventional Treatment Application
Projected Savings
Estimated Cost
Lead in soil (1 acre)
Extraction, harvest, and disposal
$150,000 ‐ $250,000
Excavate and landfill
$500,000
50‐65 percent
Solvents in groundwater (2.5 acres)
Degradation and hydraulic control
$200,000 for installation and initial maintenance
Pump and treat
$700,000 annual operating cost
50 percent cost saving by third year
Total petroleum hydrocarbons in soil
In‐situ degradation
$50,000 ‐ $100,000
Excavate and landfill or incinerate
$500,000
80 percent
GREEN REMEDIATION AS A COST EFFECTIVE ALTERNATIVE. By reducing clean up costs by approximately 50 to 80 percent compared to conventional treatment, alternative techniques, such as phytoremediation, can increase the viability of remediation at sites that lack short‐term redevelopment potential
Source: Introduction to Phytoremediation. EPA/600/R‐99/107
SOURCE : USGS 3.3
AECOM DECEMBER 16, 2010
POLICY AUDIT TOPIC : ENVIRONMENTAL REMEDIATION AND HEALTH EXISTING CONDITIONS AND TRENDS
PHYTOREMEDIATION RELIES ON NATURAL VEGETATIVE PROCESSES TO CLEANSE SOIL AND WATER. These methods are most effective on sites that: • have lower levels of pollutants, contaminants, hazardous substances, petroleum products, or other wastes and debris • do not pose an immediate and significant hazard to adjacent residents • have limited development potential The results of the study Heavy Metals in an Urban Watershed in Southeastern Michigan indicate elevated levels of lead and other metals in surface soils. The study suggests use of cost‐effective remedial technologies that focus on the reduction of metal concentrations in near‐surface soils, such as phytoremediation. Phytoremediation can occur at both a small and large scale. Sweden has successfully employed a willow phytoremediation system on a site of 185 acres.
SOURCE : http://www.mobot.org/jwcross/phytoremediation, Heavy Metals in an Urban Watershed in Southeastern Michigan 3.3
AECOM DECEMBER 16, 2010
POLICY AUDIT TOPIC : ENVIRONMENTAL REMEDIATION AND HEALTH EXISTING CONDITIONS AND TRENDS
BASIC GREENING TECHNIQUES CAN ALSO PLAY A ROLE IN ENHANCING ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY. For example, planting low‐mow native turf grasses or other ground covers on vacant sites can contain lead and thus reduce exposure to airborne lead particles. Other intervention strategies to reduce exposure to environmental hazards and improve health outcomes include: • • • • • •
SOURCE : AECOM 3.3
food security promotion through urban agriculture healthy home interventions (lead‐free homes or homes with clean indoor air quality) access to recreation and walking reductions in vehicle emissions through cleaner fuels or alternative mobility options use of state‐of‐the‐art filters to catch pollutants from industry emissions alternative solid waste disposal strategy with a focus on waste reduction, product reuse, recycling, landfill (short‐term option) and sustainable material management
AECOM DECEMBER 16, 2010
POLICY AUDIT TOPIC : ENVIRONMENTAL REMEDIATION AND HEALTH EXISTING CONDITIONS AND TRENDS
THE ROLE OF SOIL CONDITIONS IN URBAN AGRICULTURE. The presence of heavy metals in Detroit’s soil is a factor in assessing opportunities for urban agriculture—one of the emerging techniques to rebuild communities and re‐establish more sustainable, livable environments. Currently, no standards for determining soil qualities suitable for urban farming exist. When remediating a specific site to support agricultural activities in Detroit, the Department of Environmental Affairs cleans to a standard acceptable for residential uses. The additional challenge, however, is that residents are not merely in proximity to an area of possible soil contamination, but may be ingesting agricultural products grown at the site. The Department of Environmental Affairs is currently working with Wayne State University and the Michigan State University Agricultural Extension to assess the impact of soil conditions on the viability and safety of urban farming in the City of Detroit. The most commonly found metals are lead, cadmium, nickel, and mercury. The standards for “safe” lead levels are 100 parts per million (ppm) if there are small children who may eat the soil or 300 ppm for the growing of edible products. Approaches for addressing lead in soils include:
Raised beds are an option to avoid issues of soil contamination
• • • • •
immobilizing lead by reducing the soil acidity and adding organic matter followed by planting of sod mixing or covering the high‐lead soil with clean, low‐lead soil growing ornamental plants rather than edible plants in areas of known contamination using phytoremediation, fungal remediation or compost remediation using raised beds, container gardens, and hydroponics to avoid contaminants
The Department of Environmental Affairs currently endorses the use of raised beds in Detroit until further soil testing is conducted. Land adjacent to heavily traveled traffic corridors, old buildings, and active or former industrial sites are likelier to have soil issues. Soil testing is available to small acreage farmers, and urban homeowners through mail‐in kits that can be analyzed at accredited laboratories.
SOURCE : farm4 3.3
AECOM DECEMBER 16, 2010
POLICY AUDIT TOPIC : ENVIRONMENTAL REMEDIATION AND HEALTH EXISTING CONDITIONS AND TRENDS
PHYSICALLY DESIGNING COMMUNITIES TO SUPPORT HEALTHIER LIFESTYLES CAN ALSO PRODUCE BETTER HEALTH OUTCOMES. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Healthy Communities Program focuses on mobilizing communities to reduce rates of chronic disease and its risk factors. The program emphasizes a holistic approach to building social and economic capacity, improving physical and social access to health assets, and physically designing communities to support healthier lifestyles. The program emphasizes. •
Smart Location and Linkage: Encourage development within and near existing communities or public transportation infrastructure. Reduce vehicle trips and miles traveled and support walking as a transportation choice.
•
Neighborhood Pattern and Development: Compact Development. Conserve land. Promote livability, transportation efficiency, and walkability.
The CDC has also been a partner is developing the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design for Neighborhood Development (LEED‐ND) rating system. LEED‐ND is the first national standard for neighborhood design that: Walkability and safe streets are a strategy to improve health outcomes and community fabric
SOURCE : Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 3.3
•
encourages neighborhood development projects that protect and enhance the overall health, natural environment, and quality of life in communities
•
promotes the location and design of neighborhoods that reduce auto dependence by providing jobs and services that are accessible by foot, bicycle, or public transit.
AECOM DECEMBER 16, 2010
POLICY AUDIT TOPIC : ENVIRONMENTAL REMEDIATION AND HEALTH EXISTING CONDITIONS AND TRENDS
THE OVERALL DESIGN AND FUNCTION OF COMMUNITIES CAN REDUCE HEALTH RISKS. The CDC notes the following health and social benefits from community design and green space networks. Strategy
Reduce the risk of obesity, heart disease, and hypertension
Reduce the risk of asthma and other respiratory diseases, and reduce air pollution
Increase social connection and sense of community
Improve mental health
developing communities that promote walking and accessible transit
√
√
encouraging the building of residences and businesses closer together and within existing communities
√
√
creating streets or areas that are interconnected easily accessible, safe providing appealing, safe and comfortable street environments
√ √
√ √
√
√
placing a variety of open spaces and parks close to work and home
√
√
√
√
promoting the creation of a bicycling network
√
√
reducing the amount time spent commuting
making fresh fruits and vegetables more accessible through community‐based and local food production
SOURCE : Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 3.3
Encourage healthier diets
√ √
√
AECOM DECEMBER 16, 2010
4. PRECEDENTS AND BENCHMARKS
AECOM DECEMBER 16, 2010
POLICY AUDIT TOPIC : ENVIRONMENTAL REMEDIATION AND HEALTH PRECEDENTS AND BENCHMARKS
4.1 Precedents THE CALUMET REGION INITIATIVE USES A HOLISTIC ECO-SYSTEM APPROACH TO HEAL THE ENVIRONMENT. The Calumet region is a 160‐square‐mile area that includes a significant portion of the City of Chicago and Gary, Indiana. The area historically had heavy industrial development, resulting in slag deposits along Lake Michigan and in wetlands. Rivers were also dredged and channelized. Since 2000, the City of Chicago, State of Illinois, Chicago Park District, Forest Preserve District of Cook County, conservation organizations, local cultural institutions, industrial groups, and residents have collaborated to rehabilitate 20 square miles of the area’s open spaces and industrial parcels.
SOURCE : USDA Forest Service North Central Research Station 4.1
•
Issues: significant brown field issues; loss of natural habitat
•
Opportunities: use of willow, cottonwood trees and switchgrass to remove contaminants from soil; a 4,000‐acre Calumet Open Space Reserve was created; Re‐engineering of the Indian Creek waterway to provide natural aquatic habitat
•
Lessons: strong multi‐partnership collaboration; ; a economic‐ecosystem approach that balances restoring landscapes and attracting new, cleaner industries
AECOM DECEMBER 16, 2010
POLICY AUDIT TOPIC : ENVIRONMENTAL REMEDIATION AND HEALTH PRECEDENTS AND BENCHMARKS
RUST TO GREEN NEW YORK STATE FOCUSES ON GREEN REMEDIATION. Rust to Green is a network and action research initiative of academic, citizen, and community partners that focuses on sustainable design, green infrastructure, urban resilience, and ecologically sound design in Utica and other formerly industrial cities in the State of New York.
SOURCE : Rust to Green 4.1
•
Issues: significant brown field issues; aging housing; high prevalence of lead poisoning
•
Opportunities: analysis of soil conditions and mapping; use of green remediation techniques, including phytoremediation and sound waves; pilot project in raised‐ bed agriculture
•
Lessons: application of science‐based green remediation practices
AECOM DECEMBER 16, 2010
POLICY AUDIT TOPIC : ENVIRONMENTAL REMEDIATION AND HEALTH PRECEDENTS AND BENCHMARKS
GROWTH THROUGH ENERGY AND COMMUNITY HEALTH (GTECH) COMBINES COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, JOBS CREATION AND REMEDIATION. GTECH Strategies is a Pittsburgh‐based non‐profit organization that seeks to build community through green economy initiatives and blight elimination. Projects reclaim land by applying low‐cost environmental strategies on single sites and large development corridors. GTECH also focuses on green job training and the use of transitioning spaces to stabilize distressed communities, • Issues: vacant, blighted sites that erode community fabric • Opportunities: planting of sunflowers, switchgrass and other vegetation for biofuel production; bioenergy gardens • Lessons: transitioning of vacant lots to productive uses that anchor community revitalization
SOURCE : Growth Through Energy And Community Health 4.1
AECOM DECEMBER 16, 2010
PRELIMINARY FINDINGS AND CONCLUSIONS
AECOM DECEMBER 16, 2010
POLICY AUDIT TOPIC : ENVIRONMENTAL REMEDIATION AND HEALTH PRELIMINARY FINDINGS AND CONCLUSIONS
5.1 Opportunities / Challenges ANALYSIS INDICATES AN OPORTUNITY TO USE ALTERNATIVE REMEDIATION TECHNIQUES TO ENHANCE ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY AND COMMUNITY HEALTH IN DETROIT. Issue
Challenge
Opportunity
Significant number of brownfield sites throughout city
Limited development potential on some sites hinders traditional remediation techniques; proximity to residential areas poses a health risk; remediation is current y development driven
Land re-use strategy including ranking system to determine appropriate remediation techniques; use of alternative, less costly green remediation practices
High metal content in surface soils
Proximity to residential areas poses a health risk
Phytoremediation
High lead exposure for children in some neighborhoods
Presence of lead in soils and air-borne lead particles
Phytoremediation, vegetative land cover, home interventions
High rates of respiratory illness and asthma
Concentration of toxins in city neighborhoods, particularly to the southwest
Cleaner technology to reduce automotive and industrial emissions; use of basic greening practices to enhance air quality
Major incinerator
Known source of nitrogen oxides
Cleaner technology to reduce emissions ; alternative solid waste disposal strategies
SOURCE : AECOM 5.1
AECOM DECEMBER 16, 2010
POLICY AUDIT TOPIC : ENVIRONMENTAL REMEDIATION AND HEALTH PRELIMINARY FINDINGS AND CONCLUSIONS
5.2 Thematic Development WHAT IF VACANT OR UNDERUSED LOTS COULD BE TRANSFORMED INTO ECOLOGICALLY PRODUCTIVE SPACES THAT CLEANSE SOIL AND GROUNDWATER?
SOURCE : AECOM 5.2
•
Underused land becomes part of a permanent or transitional inventory of green infrastructure throughout the city
•
Alternative greening and remediation techniques are in place
•
Sites support renewable energy production and other green economy initiatives
AECOM DECEMBER 16, 2010
POLICY AUDIT TOPIC : ENVIRONMENTAL REMEDIATION AND HEALTH PRELIMINARY FINDINGS AND CONCLUSIONS
5.2 Thematic Development
WHAT IF DETROIT BECOMES A ZERO-EMISSIONS AND ZEROWASTE CITY? •
Employ state-of-the-art waste-to-energy plant technology
•
Zones with limited vehicular use
•
Emphasis on fully sustainable material management
Zero Waste is a process that encourages recycling and diversion from landfills, and also restructures production and distribution systems to prevent waste from being manufactured
SOURCE : Eco‐Cycle 5.2
AECOM DECEMBER 16, 2010
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