Many find solace in visiting parks, enjoying a break from life’s chaos. Yet, a new study reveals these natural refuges are closer to pollution than expected. Researchers from the University of Michigan analyzed over 151,000 public parks across the U.S. Their findings show more than half are within two miles of industrial facilities handling toxic chemicals.
Nearly 27,000 parks are near sites labeled as Superfund sites due to severe contamination. Alarmingly, over 2,400 parks overlap with these sites. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) describes Superfund sites as risky because of improperly managed hazardous waste. Under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act, the EPA is responsible for cleaning these areas.
In addition, more than 60 parks house facilities on the Toxics Release Inventory (TRI). U.S. facilities that produce, process, or utilize over 800 chemicals must report annually to the EPA. These reports contribute to the TRI, providing insight into chemical emissions.
Study Insights
The research did not assess the environmental or health effects of nearby polluting sites. It does, however, emphasize how commonly these sites coexist with areas we frequent. Co-authors Elliott Chemberlin and Philippa Clarke expressed surprise at the number of parks established on former industrial land.
Central Park in New York, for instance, is near a Superfund site: the Hudson River. Significant cleanup efforts over the past two decades removed around two million tons of PCBs, initially released into the river by General Electric plants during the 1900s. Even so, the Hudson River remains a major federal Superfund site.
Other notable parks close to Superfund sites include Millennium Park in Chicago, the Gateway Arch in St. Louis, and the U.S. Capitol grounds. Green Bay’s Lambeau Field also falls into this category. Researchers provided an interactive map of the parks studied, offering a visual perspective on the proximity of pollution.
Despite the study not measuring pollution presence in parks, it underlined parks’ role in enhancing our lives. Past research highlights how living near polluted facilities can harm health. Clarke hopes this study guides future park planners to avoid polluted areas.
“We want to encourage readers to explore what’s happening in their communities, aiming for informed advocacy on park management,” Chemberlin and Clarke shared with Nexstar.