Distance and disparity: social disadvantage and the distribution of hazardous waste in America

The entire dissertation/thesis text is included in the research.pdf file; the official abstract appears in the short.pdf file (which also appears in the research.pdf); a non-technical general description, or public abstract, appears in the public.pdf file.Title from title screen of research.pdf file (viewed on January 15, 2008)Includes bibliographical references.Thesis (M.A.) University of Missouri-Columbia 2007.Dissertations, Academic -- University of Missouri--Columbia -- Sociology.[ACCESS RESTRICTED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI AT AUTHOR'S REQUEST.] Since the original studies of environmental discrimination were completed in the early 1980s, many scholars have measured disproportionate proximity to hazardous waste by poor and minority communities. The majority of this research has found evidence to support claims of environmental injustice, yet no research to date has examined the role of residential segregation in producing or proliferating environmental inequities. This research has addressed this limitation by systematically testing racial residential segregation as part of a more rigorous measurement of the theoretical constructs of environmental inequality, and by measuring each of the theoretical constructs in counties where hazardous waste facilities are owned or operated by the federal government. The results of multivariate analyses suggest that proximity to hazardous waste emissions inequitably burdens racial minorities and segregated residents, even when controlling for urbanization and local industry. Evidence of inequalities in counties with federal facilities was inconclusive