Concerning new study reveals overlooked factor causing thousands of deaths in US: 'We can provide really rigorous evidence'

A new study has drawn yet another link between poor health outcomes and oil- and gas-related pollution, according to a summary from Time Magazine, with marginalized communities experiencing the greatest impacts. 

What's happening?

Examining oil and gas production, refining, delivery, and end-use in the United States in 2017 — the most recent year with complete data to reference — the research linked 10,350 pre-term births annually, 216,000 new cases of childhood asthma annually, and 1,610 lifetime cancer cases to the pollution generated by these fossil fuels. 

Across the full oil and gas lifecycle, 91,000 premature deaths annually in the U.S. were attributed to this air pollution, according to the results published in August in the journal Science Advances. The co-authors say the study is the first to assess the health effects of this pollution from fuel production to end-use.

"Asian, Black, Hispanic, and Native American groups experience the worst exposures and burdens for all lifecycle stages and pollutants, except end-use MDA8 O3-attributable mortality," the co-authors wrote. They also noted that the most extreme inequities were felt in Louisiana and Texas during processes including oil refining and gas processing.

Why are these findings concerning?

This research adds to the growing body of knowledge underscoring the disproportionate health and safety impacts of the fossil fuel industry on communities of color, which already face the effects of historical marginalization and inequitable access to resources, including medical care and environmental protections. 

"We're not sitting in our academic ivory tower and telling these communities that they're experiencing adverse health outcomes," co-author Eloise Marais told Time. "They know this already and they're going through processes to try and address it. 

"What our study does is ensure that we can provide really rigorous evidence of the size of the impact in the hope that this is picked up by community leaders, by advocacy groups, by policymakers…to try and identify exactly where, in more granular detail, these disparities are occurring, to essentially develop very clear action plans to address them."

The researchers' analysis aligns with other studies that have linked oil and gas emissions to premature deaths among marginalized groups.

Beyond the health effects of this pollution, the burning of fossil fuels is a primary contributor to destructive weather events, such as floods and droughts. These can drive high housing and food costs, which also disproportionately impact communities of color, compounding harms.

What's being done about oil and gas pollution?

The researchers were clear that divesting from oil and gas could bring rapid improvements. Many neighborhoods and municipalities are already doing so by embracing electrification in home heating and cooling as well as transportation. Large-scale grid upgrades that include more solar and wind energy can also further accelerate the phase-out of fossil fuels.  

Do you worry about the quality of the air inside your home? Yes — often 😬 Yes — but only sometimes 😕 Only when it's bad outside 😮‍💨 No — I never do 😌 Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

"[The study] gives us a very clear perspective on what the public health gains could be, and they would be quite immediate if we reduced our dependence on oil and gas," Marais said. 

"We would start to see immediate benefits on air quality and health, and we would have mitigated a large portion of the disparities in health burdens."

Join our free newsletter for weekly updates on the latest innovations improving our lives and shaping our future, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.