A recent study highlights the inequitable benefits of the petrochemical industry for Black, Brown, and Indigenous workers in the Gulf South. Despite local promises of employment, many high-paying jobs frequently go to white workers commuting from safer areas, while marginalized communities endure the adverse effects of pollution. The research, published in the journal Ecological Economics, underscores how wealth extracted from these communities does not remain there, and points to systemic inequalities where workers of color are often relegated to lower-paying positions, exacerbating the issues faced by these 'sacrifice zones.'
The pollution and climate risks associated with the fossil fuel and petrochemical industry disproportionately fall on Black, Brown, Indigenous and poor white communities.
Despite promises, Black communities near refineries often see jobs go to white workers commuting from safer areas, highlighting systemic inequality.
The latest findings reveal systemic inequality in the petrochemical workforce, with people of color underrepresented in higher-paying jobs.
The wealth created in these communities by the petrochemical industry often does not stay, which is why they are termed "sacrifice zones."
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