Which statement is NOT part of the environmental racism concept as defined?

Which statement is NOT part of the environmental racism concept as defined?

• A. The disproportionate siting of pollution in communities of color due to policy choices
• B. The equitable siting of waste to protect all communities
• C. A system that places toxic waste near communities of color
• D. Deployment of enforcement that neglects pollution in marginalized communities

Answer: (B)

Environmental racism describes how environmental harms—like pollution and hazardous waste—are concentrated in communities of color because of policy decisions, planning outcomes, and enforcement patterns that disproportionately impact those communities. The statement describing equitable siting of waste to protect all communities goes against that pattern; it envisions fair, non-discriminatory placement of burdens, which aligns with environmental justice rather than environmental racism. The other descriptions fit the concept: policies that push pollution into communities of color, a system that places toxic waste near those communities, and enforcement that neglects pollution in marginalized areas all reflect how racialized inequities can shape environmental outcomes.

Environmental racism describes how environmental harms—like pollution and hazardous waste—are concentrated in communities of color because of policy decisions, planning outcomes, and enforcement patterns that disproportionately impact those communities. The statement describing equitable siting of waste to protect all communities goes against that pattern; it envisions fair, non-discriminatory placement of burdens, which aligns with environmental justice rather than environmental racism. The other descriptions fit the concept: policies that push pollution into communities of color, a system that places toxic waste near those communities, and enforcement that neglects pollution in marginalized areas all reflect how racialized inequities can shape environmental outcomes.