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Pollution and southwest Detroit
Omar Abdel-Baqui for The Latino Press
Residents of southwest Detroit are forced to deal
with heavy pollution emitted from the many fac-
tories within Southwest and surrounding areas,
automobile and semi-truck traffic and other envi-
ronmental stressors affecting the health of those in
the community.
There are over 150 sites in southwest Detroit
releasing chemicals and particles which result
in air pollution, including PM2.5, sulfur dioxide,
nitrous oxide and ozone.
Zip codes 48217 and 48209, which have high
concentrations of Latino population, are home to
the highest levels of greenhouse gas emissions in
the city of Detroit. These pollutants cause numer-
ous health issues, including respiratory diseases,
cardiovascular problems, kidney failure and can-
cer.
Asthma hospitalization rates in southwest Detroit
and surrounding areas are nearly triple the state
average; cancer rates are also higher than aver-
age.
“These particles and chemicals can penetrate our
body and enter our bloodstream and wreak havoc
on health,” said Guy Williams, president & CEO of
Detroiters Working for Environmental Justice. “We
have only recently realized the serious damage
PM2.5 can cause.”
Steve Tobocman, director of Global Detroit and
former Michigan state representative, cites the
Marathon Oil Refinery, The Detroit Intermodal
Freight Terminal, the Detroit Water and Sewerage
facility, Zug Island and traffic as main polluters that
have led to these health issues.
Marathon Oil, located on Fort Street, produces up
to 140,000 barrels of oil a day – the site operates
24 hours a day, all year round. In 2014, the oil
refinery emitted 430 tons of nitrous oxide, 83 tons
of PM2.5 and 211 tons of sulfur dioxide.
Williams said the pollutants emitted by Marathon
and other factories in southwest Detroit cause
terrible outdoor air quality and can get trapped in
homes, resulting in poor indoor air quality as well.
Contaminated Air
Health issues potentially caused by pollution is
prevalent among the youth living in southwest
Detroit. At Munger Elementary-Middle School in
southwest Detroit, asthma is the number one
reason students miss class, according to Charlotte
Moss, a Henry Ford nurse stationed at Munger.
Another school in southwest Detroit, Harms
Elementary, faces similar issues regarding pollu-
tion, according to Community Schools Coordinator
Ana Martinez.
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February 8 • 2018
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“There are so many factories near Harms, there
is so much trash on the streets and there are
so many nearby houses deteriorating,” Martinez
said. Adding that the fact that the government
is aware of the issues prevalent in southwest
Detroit and is yet unwilling to take action in the
area is very frustrating. She said she cannot
come to terms with seeing the major develop-
ments taking place in midtown and downtown,
while southwest Detroit – a community she has
been a part of for 25 years – continues to deal
with very serious problems.
“I am all for the rising up of Detroit and investors
investing in our city,” said Martinez. “But, don’t
just invest in the property, invest in the people
who have been here for a long time… Our chil-
dren deserve better than this.”
Gordie Howe International Bridge
In addition to factories and traffic, the planned
Gordie Howe International Bridge is stirring contro-
versy and is a potential cause for concern among
the southwest Detroit community.
If the bridge is built, between 324 and 414 houses
would be relocated; up to seven places of worship
would be lost; between 685 and 920 jobs would
be relocated from the Delray area; the Community
Health and Social Services Center (CHASS), a
major provider of healthcare to the southwest
Detroit community would be relocated; three
cultural/historic buildings would be destroyed;
three parks/recreation centers would be removed;
light pollution would be increased; there would
be a potential increase in semi-truck traffic and a
change in the way southwest Detroiters get around
due to permanent road closures near I-75.
Semi-truck traffic, in particular, is already a major
issue plaguing southwest Detroit – as trucks con-
stantly go through neighborhood streets to reach
the Ambassador Bridge. Semi-trucks emit PM2.5
and other harmful pollutants into the air.
According to Tobocman, the State of Michigan
does not have a role in the development of the
new international crossing and it will be up to the
Canadian government and whatever operator is
chosen to implement policies that mitigate envi-
ronmental factors.
“Unfortunately, U.S. residents have limited their
ability to impact the project when the Michigan
Legislature decided it would not be a part of the
project,” said Tobocman. “We have far less a voice
in this important economic asset and potential
environmental threat.”
Stephanie Chang, state representative for District
6, said, “While there will no doubt be increased
pollution, both noise and air, during construction
Marathon Oil refi nery in southwest Detroit
of the Gordie Howe International Bridge, once it is
constructed, its freeway-to-freeway connectivity
may help to ensure shorter idle time.”
Chang added, “However, I remain concerned about
the pollution because there will be increased traffic
due to this bridge.”
Government Action
Although the government has been criticized for
not enacting policies that will reduce air pollution,
several attempts have been made. The potential
impact of these efforts is unclear.
For example, the Detroit City Council imposed reg-
ulations that bar certain commercial vehicles from
idling their engines for over 5 minutes. Although
Williams praises the effort, he said this hard-to-
enforce rule ends up having limited impact.
Chang has also introduced and supported bills that
focus on environmental issues. These bills include
HB 4200, which calls for citizen oversight of the
Michigan Department of Environmental Quality
(MDEQ) and HB 4257, which set requirements for
the proper and safe storage of pet coke.
Chang said she is working on legislation to “create
a fund that requires companies who have violated
the Clean Air Act to support air quality improve-
ment projects in communities directly impacted
by their pollution.” This is in addition to a bill that
would “create an ombudsman for air quality who
would have the ability to receive and process com-
plaints, initiate investigations and request injunc-
tive relief and prescribe penalties.”
Raquel Castaneda-Lopez, city council member of
District 6, said her office is “beginning work on
legislation to create necessary buffers between
pollution sources and residential areas, and creat-
ing ‘complete streets’ to encourage walking and
biking.” Her office has also worked with the Delray
community to try and secure community benefits
for those who will be impacted by the Gordie
Howe International Bridge.
About this series
New Michigan Media (NMM) is the collaboration of
the five leading minority media outlets in the region.
The New Michigan Media Newspapers have a com-
bined estimated reach of over 140,000 weekly, and
include The Latino Press, The Michigan Chronicle,
The Jewish News, The Michigan Korean Weekly,
and The Arab American News. For the past 3
years, NMM has also been a member of the Detroit
Journalism Cooperative (DJC), the unique collabora-
tion between some of the leading media outlets of
the region, which includes The Center for Michigan’s
Bridge Magazine, Detroit Public Television, Michigan
Public Radio, and WDET. Funded by the John S. and
James L. Knight Foundation, the DJC aims to report
about and create community engagement opportu-
nities in Detroit and the region. The article you are
reading is part of the DJC project of this year, and
will appear in all the NMM member newspapers, as
well as with the DJC partners.