Connecticut Coalition for
Environmental Justice

CARE: Assessing Environmental Risks

In 2007, CCEJ received funding from U.S. EPA's Community Action for a Renewed Environment Program to bring representatives of the community of Bridgeport, CT together to decide on the most important major environmental health threats facing the city and to develop possible solutions. CCEJ assembled a group that included representatives from City Mayor Bill Finch, the City Public Works Department; Optimus Health Care, a federally qualified medical clinic; Kristin duBay Horton & Associates, a public health consultant; members of East End Community Council and the East Side NRZ; and a professor from Fairfield University.

The members of CARE received a varied education on Bridgeport's environmental issues. The Neighborhood Revitalization and Anti-Blight office of the City of Bridgeport spoke on efforts to improve the neglected areas of the city, improve the exterior of buildings and eliminate illegal dumping. Bridgeport RESCO discussed operations of its local municipal waste incinerator. Stakeholders also found critical guidance and information through members such as U.S. EPA, the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection (CT DEP) and the Connecticut Department of Public Health (CT DPH).

We also conducted a survey of Bridgeport community members to learn the most pressing environmental issue on their minds. Of the more than 100 surveys returned, major problems that were named included limited recycling, illegal dumping, and waterway pollution.

In its discussions of the major environmental problems, CARE was interested to look at the impact of city pollution on asthma and lead poisoning rates. We gathered data from Optimus Health Care on those disease rates by Bridgeport neighborhood. We gathered information on pollution sources from EPA databases include TRI. We also recruited a group of over 10 youth to conduct air particulate testing around the city.

CARE provided data collected to EPA's GIS Mapping department in Boston. EPA combined our data into a map that showed us some startling facts. Sources of air pollution were more concentrated in the city's East End and East Side. These areas were also the regions with the highest asthma rates in the city. The same neighborhoods also featured the city's oldest housing and the highest rates of lead poisoning.

Based on our findings, CARE and its partners decided in early 2009 to focus our partnership on reducing city asthma rates. One of our key strategies to that end is to increase the city's recycling rate. Items like aluminum cans and plastic bottles that city residents do not recycle wind up being burned in the city's trash incinerator. Obviously, increases in recycling will mean less trash incineration. Less incineration will mean less air pollution, which is a leading contributor to asthma. During 2009-10, CCEJ worked through an Recycling Speakers Bureau to increase the rate in response to the CARE decision. We invite you to read about our recycling education project elsewhere on this site.

CCEJ also undertook important work to educate Bridgeport families about asthma and lead poisoning through a new Healthy Homes project. Partnering with the City, we are bringing together a nurse educator and lead poisoning specialist to serve Bridgeport families right in their homes on asthma and lead issues. Please read more about those education efforts.