Abstract
AbstractRegulators, environmental advocates, and community groups in the United States (U.S.) are concerned about air pollution associated with the proliferating e-commerce and warehousing industries. Nationwide datasets of warehouse locations, traffic, and satellite observations of the traffic-related pollutant nitrogen dioxide (NO2) provide a unique capability to evaluate the air quality and environmental equity impacts of these geographically-dispersed emission sources. Here, we show that the nearly 150,000 warehouses in the U.S. worsen local traffic-related air pollution with an average near-warehouse NO2 enhancement of nearly 20% and are disproportionately located in marginalized and minoritized communities. Near-warehouse truck traffic and NO2 significantly increase as warehouse density and the number of warehouse loading docks and parking spaces increase. Increased satellite-observed NO2 near warehouses underscores the need for indirect source rules, incentives for replacing old trucks, and corporate commitments towards electrification. Future ground-based monitoring campaigns may help track impacts of individual or small clusters of facilities.
Funder
National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Publisher
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Reference57 articles.
1. Shearston, J. A. et al. Opening a large delivery service warehouse in the South Bronx: impacts on traffic, air pollution, and noise. Int. J. Env. Res. Public Health 17, 3208 (2020).
2. Nowlan, A. Making the Invisible Visible: Shining a Light on Warehouse Truck Air Pollution. https://globalcleanair.org/files/2023/04/EDF-Proximity-Mapping-2023.pdf (2023).
3. Dablanc, L., Ogilvie, S. & Goodchild, A. Logistics sprawl: differential warehousing development patterns in Los Angeles, California, and Seattle, Washington. Transp. Res. Rec. J. Transp. Res. Board 2410, 105–112 (2014).
4. Alcedo, J., Cavallo, A., Dwyer, B., Mishra, P. & Spilimbergo, A. E.-Commerce during COVID: Stylized Facts from 47 Economics. http://www.nber.org/papers/w29729 (2022).
5. Weise, K. & Boudette, N. E. Can Anyone Satisfy Amazon’s Craving for Electric Vans? The New York Times 1 (2022).